Nicholas Rice: Broad Peak Dispatch

2007 Broad Peak Expedition

Dispatch Twenty: June 29th, 2007

Day Twenty: Rest Day at Stormy Broad Peak Base Camp

Today, I woke up to a snow-covered base camp at 8:30am. We had a long breakfast, and many of the climbers had aborted their plans to go up to Camp I that morning. The snow continued almost all day and we heard avalanche after avalanche from all of the surrounding peaks. Jorge helped me with my electro-therapy for my shoulder and I worked on improving the efficiency of my solar array. The other part of my permit, six Spanish members and two Colombian members arrived with our Liaison Officer during lunch. They wisely decided to stay separate from our base camp (as the space we were occupying would not have easily held eight more tents, an additional mess tent, and an addition kitchen tent). The Mexican Doctor paid me a visit and was pleased to see that Badia and Mauricio had fashioned me a sling to immobilize my arm to speed the healing time. He reminded me to keep off of it for another two days, to use the tens (electrostim) three times a day and keep taking my voltaren (diclofenac sodium, a prescription anti-inflammatory medication). We had a short, cold dinner, and went to bed. This time, no one was planning on waking up at 3:30am to go up to Camp I.