2 May SummitClimb Dispatch: Lhotse Face to C3

Climbing the Lhotse Face to Camp 3. Its a sunny morning, so we set off after breakfast to try the Lhotse Face. It looks very huge, but weather's good, so why not? Our trusty Sherpas help us pack what we need for Camp 3. We hike the snow apron to the base of the face, and then we mount the ice. Shiny patches and snowy patches alternating on this 30 degree average slope. The metallic click sound of the carabiner clipping the safety line, the whizzing noise of the ascender sliding up the cord, teeth biting the rope, the thunk, thunk, wham, of two crampons stomped into the ice, followed by the ice axe pick chipping a hole. And...Repeat! Heavy breathing, some sections approaching 50 degrees. Inching our way up the slope...This is taking forever. After hours of climbing...Oh no, its starting to snow. Must keep going. And then, out of the cloud, there it is, tents, on a ledge. Camp 3 !!!

Source: SummitClimb