Expedition Stats: Base Camp: 15,600 feet (4754 meters) Camp 1: 17,796 feet (5414 meters) Fixed Lines: 17,796 feet (5414 meters) High Point: 19,500 feet (5897 meters) Dates: September 16-28, 2002

Base Camp lies on the shore of Sam Tso Taring - a lake sacred to local Tibetans as the abode of their deities. The breathtaking scenery is dominated by the massive bulk of Sepu Kangri whose summit is perpetually obscured by rolling white clouds.

The team's arrival in Base Camp is the event of the millennium for the indigenous yak herders and their families. They are warm and friendly, personifying the legendary generosity and kindness of the Tibetan people. Sometimes the attention is charmingly excessive, "Kids unzip your tent while you are doing nothing and stare for hours on end," says one team member. He adds, "It was like we became the 24 hour live sitcom for the Tibetan entertainment channel."

After acclimatization, the team takes their first steps on the mountain. With the help of Bonington's book, "Tibet's Secret Mountain", they begin to establish themselves on Sepu.

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