Exposed Rock and Dry Conditions this Season on Mount Everest

Hey this is Part II from Dave up at Camp I. I had mentioned it the other day but got a much better view of things today on the way up the Western Cwm, how dry it is, like how little snow fell over the winter and spring, like almost none up above, so show much rock showing, about as much rock showing as I can ever remember in here. The Yellow Band is all rock, we were lucky the past two years, it was all snow, that was a lot easier to climb, now it's all rock, Geneva Spur, huge and rocky. The Southwest Face just all rock, incredibly dry. The Lhotse Face just blue ice for most of it, so it's going to be interesting conditions up there, but then again oftentimes it will start snowing a little bit more in May that would be good for us, make the climbing a little easier, a little safer it we got some of those rocks glued in place and a little bit easier crampon work. Otherwise the route so far is not any worse for being a dry season. The Icefall seems a little bit easier than in other years, maybe a little safer, but that's really tough to say, even the Icefall when we think it's real safe is never safe. There's always collapses that could happen, things that could fall over, but compared to other years it s not as bad right now, You don't spend quite as much time under ice, but it's always interesting up here, and always fun watching avalanches come down when you're not quite next to them, and we got to see some great ones come down today, across the Western Cwm, big powder clouds. Always an interesting place. Bye for now.