Kathmandu, Apr. 24: In an effort to acclimatise themselves while climbing Mount Sagarmatha (Everest), four climbers of the five-member “Nepalese Women Millennium Everest Expedition, Spring 2000” have been shuttling between the Base Camp and Camp III established on the way to reach the highest point of the earth.

“On April 22, all four climbers spent a night in Camp II and the next day they were back to the base camp,” said a press release issued by Secretariat of Expedition Organising Committees. “On April 22, Climber Lakpa, Mingma, Dawa and Dolma went upto Camp I and returned to the Base Camp. After having four days rest in the Base Camp, all four climbers have planned to go upto Camp III on April 27.”

Meantime, one of the climbing members of the team Kesang Diki Sherpa could not join the acclimatisation process owing to her ill health due to fever and cough caused by influenza, the secretariat of the expendition organisation committee has stated. “She had her medical check-up at Pheriche Hospital on April 20 and now she is recovering her health at Pangoche in her relative’s house,” the press statement said.

The Nepalese women expedition team, organised by Sushma Koirala Memorial Trust, was seen off from Kathmandu on April 8. After the climbers arrived at the Everest Base Camp on April 14, Lama Ang Gyalzen performed three hour long ritual to please Goddess Miyalangsangma, the reigning goddess of Mount Sagarmatha. The Sherpas and the climbers strongly believe that without such rituals it is very hard to summit the mountain and sometimes the climbers have to face the anger of the Goddess which may bring injury or even death.

After the ritual was over, all five climbers went upto the Khumbu Icefall on full gear as a symbolic climbing commencement and returned back to the Base Camp.