The second notch made the first notch look like a game of patty-cake.
It was convoluted, steeper, deeper, and appeared out of place on this already unworldly ridge.
Pulling on our parkas against the now serious rain, we pulled our hoods up over our helmets,
which amplified the rain’s patter. I also put on my fingerless gloves. Pacing the edge,
it took us some minutes to figure a strategy and rig an anchor. Then, we belayed each other on the
downclimb into the notch, and with a second belay, on the climb out the other side.
Suddenly, our speedy ascent was reduced to a creep. When the tone of the patter inside my helmet changed,
I looked up to see the air filled with snow.
– Gerry Roach - from Ten Tadasanas - Touching the Stone Age |
