After Rongbuk Monastery Bryant became concerned he was again being affected by the altitude but he stayed with his colleagues in ascending the East Rongbuk Glacier which was a double march on foot to Camp I. The whole team were unwell with Shipton being the fittest. On 7 July, when the others went further up the glacier, Bryant had to recuperate at camp I and two days later he descended to Base Camp near Rongbuk where he found he had lost weight in three days. He left Rongbuk on 13 July feeling really first class and reached the foot of the North Col on 15 July, though he returned to Camp II where he met the others the next day. They had reached the North Col but the snow and weather had stopped them getting substantially further towards the summit. He joined Tilman and Edmund Wigram in attempting to climb the Khartaphu but he had to stop at an intermediate camp while the others tried unsuccessfully to reach the summit. The expedition doctor, Charles Warren, suggested to Bryant that his problem might be kidney disease or a congenital heart problem and advised seeing a consultant when he got home.