A Holiday with A Difference - p2
Over the next few days we learned many new skills. We learned how to walk with crampons without tripping over and without slicing our clothes and legs. We learned how to walk on a glacier and how to read the best line from one point to another. Avoiding falling into crevasses is one thing but jumping into them quite intentionally is another. We had to learn what to do if one of us fell into one. Go to the edge, look down at a chasm perhaps three metres wide and so deep you couldn’t see the bottom and then jump in! You have to trust the gear and of course you have to trust your rope-mate. However, Sam had us all under control and even had a back up system in case something went wrong. Not really for the fainthearted but it had to be done.
A holiday for most of us is sitting on a beach in some tropical paradise, perhaps driving a car around Europe or sitting in a cosy pub in the narrow streets below Edinburgh castle. For me a holiday is action. This is my drug whether it be cycling in Pakistan, trekking in Nepal, or climbing a mountain. Mind you there are times when I go into shock and think that maybe I should just go sit on a beach for my next holiday. Then I come back to my senses and look down that crevasse and I feel good again.
The highlight of the course was the ascent of two peaks, Hochstetter Dome and Mt Alymer. Peaks in most parts of the world require early morning starts as once the sun hits the snow and ice it starts melting. Ideally it is best to start early and be back in the hut early afternoon. All of our recent learning was put to the test. Rope up and check each other. Look at the peak and the planned route and memorise it. Plan your route across the glacier and through the ice-fall and place one foot in front of the other. Find a rhythm which suits you and your partner and off you go.
Occasionally look back at the route you have taken so you have an idea of the way back in case it starts snowing and your tracks become covered. Still breathing evenly you reach the start of the steeper climbing. You take a rest, take some photographs and again look at the way across the slope. Walking together you cross the steep slope until the angle becomes so steep you have to climb one at a time.
Decide if this is too much for you and suggest that you stay there until the others go up and return. The guide however, decides for you and you have no choice. Damn! Build an anchor point and belay Peter up the first pitch of the summit slope. Once the rope has been run out Peter builds his anchor and belays you up. The exposure is fantastic so don’t look down. Concentrate on your rhythm, move one foot up then the other, move your ice axe higher and thrust it into the snow and then repeat this sequence. Pass Peter and keep going to the top. Nowhere to go. Sam is there, encouraging me and explaining what to do next. Not much room up here so have to be quick. Build another anchor and then bring Peter up. Take a few photographs while Sean and Liam climb up and then descend the other side until there is a relatively flat spot and have lunch. What a feeling!
The descent is never easy and is a time to be more careful. Many climbers die on the descent as they let their guard down after the ascent and the jubilation makes them a little less prudent. With this in mind we followed our tracks back to the hut without any incident. Ten hours had gone very quickly and it was now time to wind down, prepare dinner and take an early night. The next day was the same again but even more enjoyable as you knew what to expect. A pity holidays come to an end though.
