01:00 21st May (GMT) - Nick and Kenton stuck in Camp 2

Nick and Kenton have been hanging out in camp 2 now for the last 4 nights. They say that it has been snowing lots yesterday, so they haven't tried to move up to camp 3 since Sunday when they turned back because it was so hot on the Lhotse face. At the moment, they think they'll head up on Saturday (22 May), but this obviously depends on what the weather is doing and the forecast for the following 3 or 4 days.

01:00 18th May (GMT) - Account of summit night from Clive Jones

I emailed Clive Jones in base camp yesterday to get an impression of how the summit climb went for him. This is what he said:

"It's great to be back at BC.

Kenton and I, Pema Nurbu and Pema Tshiring Sherpa left the South Col on the night of the 14th May at around 11pm. This was later than expected, but the route to the summit had not been fixed and we were waiting for larger teams (i.e. IMG) to leave first.

To be honest, it was so windy at the col, I didn't think we would be going at all. However, half way to the Balcony the wind died completely, leaving us in the light of almost new moon and a spectacular electrical storm far off in the distance.

We reached the Balcony before dawn and had to wait more than an hour for the Sherpas fixing rope to fix a couple of short pitches. I believe the Sherpas were from Henry's [Henry Todd - Ed] team and they did a fantastic job right up to the South Summit.

From the South Summit to the Summit we mostly used last years tat (lots on the Hilary step) and Kenton and Pema made the first ascent of 2004, arriving on the summit a little after mid-day with me about 30 minutes behind.

The descent was very tiring for me and I'm glad to be safe at BC where the emotional intensity of achieving the goal of my life is only just starting to catch up with the physical intensity.

Enormous thanks to Kenton for his professionalism, enthusiasm, and friendship."

01:00 17th May (GMT) - Sherpas confirmed

Due to the short phone calls and text messages on summit night, we couldn't confirm precisely that both Pema Tshiring Sherpa and Pema Nurbu Sherpa summited with Clive and Kenton. We now can. Pema Tshiring topped out with Robert Anderson and Sibusiso Vilane last year on Jagged Globe's Golden Jubilee expedition. Pema Nurbu Sherpa climbed Everest in 2003 with another team.

No one has summited from the North yet, an Austrian team and Italian team got to c8600m on Sunday night.

01:00 17th May (GMT) - Kenton and Nick to head on up

Looking east towards Makalu with Kangchenjunga in the far distance Photo: © David Hamilton

Kenton has just phoned the Jagged Globe office in the UK from Camp 2 on Everest. Clive Jones is safely back in base camp. Kenton and Nick Brook (UK) are in camp 2 at the moment, having tried to go up the Lhotse face to C3 yesterday, but it was too hot.

A little bit more on Clive and Kenton's summit day...

The Korean (we think he means Chilean - Ed) Sherpas opened the route on 15 May to the South Summit. From there, the Jagged Globe Sherpas, Pema Tshiring Sherpa and Pema Nurbu Sherpa took the lead and fixed the Hilary Step. A small point, but it sounds like our guys were the first on top and therefore the first summiteers of 2004!

So, Nick has been down in the Khumbu resting and is obviously now eager to be moving on up. They've got plenty of oxygen and a brand new battery for the phone. And yes, Kenton is intending to climb to the summit (again) with Nick.

We hope to have an account of summit day from Clive Jones up on the website shortly...

01:00 15th May (GMT) - Kenton and Clive reach the summit

It's always a nervous time, especially when climbers are getting to the summit quite late in the day. This was the way last night. Although they left the South Col at 9pm, the first climbers didn't make the top until after midday. They had to put in fixed rope along the ridge as they climbed higher. Kenton Cool and Clive Jones reached the summit at around 13:45 Nepalese time, with Pema Tshiring Sherpa and Pema Nurbu Sherpa. Kenton called from the top on the Iridium phone to say that the weather was clear and that both he and Clive felt strong. He sounded very coherent, though his speech was slow as you would expect. There were a number of other climbers on the top, including members of IMG's team. "The Sherpas are legends" said Kenton, referring to their efforts in fixing ropes ahead of the main bulk of climbers. Clive and Kenton arrived back in Camp 4 on the South Col at 20:15, nearly 24 hours later. They are confident about descending all the way to base camp tomorrow. Nick Brook is currently in base camp and is planning his summit attempt next week, having spent the last few days enjoying the thicker air and building his strength in the Khumbu valley. Congratulations Kenton and Clive!

01:00 14th May (GMT) - Climbing to the South Col on Everest

Reports are coming in that between 70 and 80 climbers are heading up to the South Col (camp 4) on Everest today. We can confirm that Clive Jones and Kenton Cool were in Camp 3 (c7,400m) last night and that Nick Brook is also on his way up. Nick had descended into the Khumbu valley earlier this week, whilst Clive and Kenton stayed at BC to watch for the weather window. That window now looks to be here on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. We also know that members of the Mountain Madness team, Mexican team (including Andres Delgado who is running our Mexican Volcanoes expedition in November) and Ed Viesturs (the American who is trying to complete all 14 8000m peaks) are on their way up.

01:00 14th May (GMT) - Kenton and Clive at the South Col

Preparing to leave the South col Photo: © Stephen Goodwin

01:00 8th May (GMT) - The Waiting Game

just a quick update from Everest.

I'm sitting writing this email having had nearly a weeks rest since Kenton and I came down to BC after our night at Camp 3 (7240m). On the day Nick Brook wasn't feeling great and returned to C2. He stayed at C2 with Ang Sherring until the wind abated and he had a chance to get up to C3.

Having returned to BC a couple of days ago he is off down valley today with Victor Saunders team for some well deserved rest.

So the Jagged Globe team have all completed our acclimatisation programeme and are now playing the waiting game - waiting for a favourable weather forecast.

The weather is fine and sunny today, but there is some snow forecast in the next couple of days. It is hardly freezing overnight and the days are warm enough to be wearing a t-shirt and shorts outside as long as the sun is shining and the wind isn't too strong.

Personally I'm not all that good at waiting, but we have plenty of time up our sleeve and we are all fit and well. Today I've been away from home for 50 days and feel a little homesick, but am firmly focused on obtaining the summit.

With the rapid passing of spring BC bears little resemblance to how we found it when we arrived on the 4th of April. There are large pools of semi frozen water around and lots of running water. Its also now no longer snowing every afternoon as it did during April.

The route through the Khumbu icefall has also changed dramatically with many large seracs near the top of the icefall no longer standing and my favourite six section vertical ladder no longer in existence.

Over the next three of four days resting climbers will begin returning to basecamp and then all will be ready and poised for first summit attempts.

Cheers, Clive Jones.

01:00 2nd May (GMT) - A night in camp 3

Clive and Kenton have spent a night at camp 3, which they described as "..great, we were the only ones there and we were treated to an amazing evening..". Nick turned round at the base of the Lhotse face and is currently at camp 2, still waiting for the wind to drop so he can spend the night at camp 3 and then join Clive and Kenton in 'wait mode'. Clive and Kenton had a 'good time' decending the Lhotse face in howling winds, "...it all got a bit exciting towards the end...", but they got back to camp 2 in one piece so all is well. Overall, the team is fine and they're optimistic at this stage about the summit.

01:00 27th April (GMT) - Up to camp 3

News just in from our team on Everest. They have been up to Camp 2 over the last few days and should be heading up the Lhotse face to Camp 3 shortly. Kenton has had a chest infection, so he has had to rest in BC. Nick and Clive are both going well. The three of them intend to head up to C3 any day now to continue their acclimatisation. The weather is still a bit iffy, with snow overnight and in the morning.

01:00 15th April (GMT) - To camp 2

Clive Jones here with a quick update from Everest Basecamp.

After spending two reasonably comfortable nights at Camp 1 (6,070m) - including a day trip up to Camp 2 (approx. 6,400m) we returned back to BC in just under 3 hours for a late breakfast.

Conditions in the icefall seem reasonably good although the route itself is pretty circuitious near the top of the icefall. This is also where there are two quite large ladders, one being four sections across a large crevasse and the other being six sections up a serac. Neither pose any major problem, they just make the day interesting. Its currently taking us 5 hours to reach Camp 1 from BC - leaving at 5am to avoid the heat of the sun in the icefall / Western Cwm.

Above C1 the route to C2 continues to be quite circuitious with many seracs and crevasses to be navigated before breaking out onto easy terrain. Again there are several 3 section ladders over very large holes, but these don't pose a major problem.

Nick, Kenton, and myself are all fit and healthy and acclimatising well. Nick and I struggle to keep up with Kenton most of the time, but we're just waiting for an opportunity to put a large rock into his pack to slow him down (a bit).

We're currently resting in basecamp and in four days time will move up to C2 to sleep and to check out Camp 3 on the Lhotse face.

The weather remains unsettled - I think it has snowed every single afternoon since we have been here - and often quite windy. We're looking forward with anticipation to better weather and getting closer to the summit.

Cheers, Clive Jones

14:22 6th April (GMT) - Into the icefall

A quick email just in from expedition leader, Kenton Cool. All the team are in base camp now and everyone is well. They've been up into the icefall today for a bit of 'fun and fear' on the ladders. The weather is okay, but the trend has been snow in the afternoons. All is good at base camp with the tents set up and food - they're settling in nicely. The team hope to be in touch every couple of days with further updates on their progress.

23rd March - Team in the Khumbu valley

We've just had an email in from Kenton Cool. Our Everest team flew into Lukla this morning and are now trekking up the Khumbu valley towards Namche Bazaar, where they will arrive later today.

Nepal is 5 hours in front of GMT.

14:18 23rd February (GMT) - Jagged Globe - Everest 2004

Look out for live despatches from our expedition from early April when our team arrives in base camp. We still have 1 place left available, if you have the requisite experience and would like to join, please contact Simon Lowe at Jagged Globe +44 (0) 114 276 3322.