He had to get back to Base Camp immediately the next morning. While in the best physical shape, the tricky trek through the Khumbu Ice Fall is dangerous because climbers must mount shaky aluminum ladders that are strung together with ropes to navigate seemingly bottomless crevasses that have become icy graves for many. The ice fall changes daily. It is a frozen river that separates Base Camp and Camp 1. The glacial shift results in a zigzag maze of ladders for climbers to master and cross some 30 crevasses.
Ice blocks the size of houses shift and tumble without warning.
He made it back to Base Camp, where a doctor prescribed medication that has worked wonders for his throat. Since, he is feeling strong, eating well and the altitude has not affected him adversely. Incidentally, he noted, the throat medicine is made by Abbott, a Worcester pharmaceutical company. I think nothing of it, and I start rappelling down to 200 feet. When I got to the bottom I drop right in front of them.