As happy as I was to be in Island Peak BC, there was no way to avoid the fact that it is a bleak, cold and windy place, and everybody was glad to leave for high camp in the morning. We had actually camped in an unofficial BC, a few kilometres downhill from the normal one, which happens to be bleaker, colder, windier and overcrowded. The day was mercifully short and relaxed, taking us about three hours to reach the other BC and, from there, High Camp in a steep but short climb. High Camp, on a boulder field and without water, was not a very fun place either, a far cry from the lovely camps on Pokalde. In addition, strong winds had started in the afternoon, turning the sunny day very cold. We all retreated to our tents, preparing for the 2am wake-up call the next morning. Thankfully, my headache seemed to have gone for good, a good thing since we would be breaking the 6000m barrier a few hours later!

High winds blowing snow off the summit ridges of Lhotse and Lhotse Shar.

Mungo in an intense session of toothbrushing at Island Peak BC.

Porters on their way to the "true" Island Peak BC, with Taboche in the background.

Jo, Dave and the others trek up Island Peak, with the moon and Taboche looking down on us.

A break below the west face of Island Peak.

A giant slide (over a kilometre high) on the Nuptse-Lhotse wall. I intend to climb it someday, but picking up a safe line will certainly be a challenge...

Mark on the long plateau below the true Island Peak BC.

A cairn on the trail, next to Taboche.

Panorama of the view above Island Peak BC, showing the dangerous Ambulapcha pass and a large glacier moraine.

Click on the image for a larger version.

Going up to High Camp from Base Camp, above the glacial lakes of the Ambulapcha.

Rachel, Jo and Mungo coming up to a very windy and dusty High Camp.

The view from High Camp, showing the snow face of Amphu.

Norrie nursing a bad cough at High Camp. We went up the gully on the top-right edge of the photo the next morning.