"Made it up to camp 1 in a single hour, perhaps too fast. At camp 2, I suspected food poisoning, watery diarrhea, and vomit. But the fun was just getting started. After turning back down at 4350 meters extremely weak, my breathing did not slow down from the uphill pace. Odd. Something seemed wrong, and I knew I ought to descend, and quickly at that. Steven helped me down and carried my pack as well as his. I could not have gotten down without his help. My condition deteriorated, and I could barely walk a few paces without sitting down. At the hospital, they discovered a minor lung infection that I have likely had since exposure in Japan. Typically, I do ok with altitude, but not this time. The weird breathing was certainly the onset of altitude-related illness. A rescue van came up the road to get me just as I was losing sensation in my hands and feet. As we drove down, the labored breathing improved very rapidly. At the bottom, I was nearly back to normal. Please take good friends with you into the mountains. They might save your life someday. ____________________________________ Update A: 2 days later I still suffer with stomach cramps and diarrhea. So, clearl..." — Gimpilator • Jul 16, 2024

"Summitted with a large guided group on 6/5/2014. Used normal route and had mostly good conditions, particularly on summit day, but weather was variable and afternoon hailstorms were the norm. Needed crampons for only last ~200ft. Logistics were handled by local guides who arranged for horses to take most of our equipment to the base camp and high camp. Trip was five days long with summit on day four." — Timberwolf • Jun 5, 2014