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Tuesday, July 19, 2011

How to shoot the moon: Notes on expedition training

Batal to elimentary base camp (just over 4000m):

  • Food is absolutely delicious. Moreover, there's enough that Matt & Brendan, who were initially scared about rations, can't finish it.
  • Hike today was pleasant - short, not very steep and quite slow (mostly due to my foot which is still weak and Hannes not feeling too great because of the altitude)
  • 12 mules are carrying our supplies for the time being. Very kind of them, leaves us with only our personal gear to carry.
  • It goes without saying that the mountains are incredible, the scenery is all in all breath-taking and that waking up in the morning feels like an absolute privilege.
Hearts for wizards (base camp, 4400m, gushing glacier river to the right, trickling icey streamlet to the left)

  • rope work & knot techniques - nifty, been meaning to put my mind to learning these for ages
  • acclimatisation walk to 4800m...up and down and down and up over rocky moraine until we eventually reached what will be the ABC (Advanced Base Camp). Glacier magic like I haven't experienced it before. Turqouise trickles developing into rushing torrents.First sneak preview of CB13a. A beauty!
  • snow craft training...getting seriously fit from the steep 1hr hike to the training ground and the numerous uphill runs on the snow slope to practice walking techniques. So out of breath. Will be machines once back in CT.
  • plunge into the dark as we launch ourselves head-first down the slope, gaining momentum to then practice self-arrest techniques using the ice axe. We've turned the slope into one enormous slide and have given our gear a thorough waterproof test. Some stuf stood the test, others failed. Review to follow.
  • to put their manliness and engineering skills to a test, the guys decide to build a dam in the lower reaches of the icey streamlet on the left. Think I understand a good number of things in life, but the pleasure that can be drawn from building a rock wall in absolutely freezing water for hours surpasses me. Anyways, shot for a great dam, guys (and Mix, who joined in topless to add two boulders to the wall...).
  • before tea, after tea, stretching to dinner and until bed time countless hours are spent playing various games. The favourite is Hearts, closely followed by Wizards.

Ice craft...
 
  • cramponing on slopes, using ice axes to ascend and descend glacier walls, fixing lines, crevasse rescue...these are some of the skills we've learned in the past three days. Initially cramponing on slopes freaked me out like few things I've done before, maybe because I still need to regain confidence in my foot. Got over it eventually and found the same pleasure as the rest of the team in conquering walls of black, cold ice.
  • drama strikes as Hannes dislocates his shoulder. Luckily Matt and Jon know the drill and pop it back in no time.
  • energy levels hit a slump, as we've been training on snow and ice for the last six days. Fortunately PVM bars and gels (which have a somewhat disfavourable taste) save the day time and time again as they provide the much needed boost before lunch.
After nine days in the wild, the time has come to move to ABC. The guys will ferry most of the supplies up tomorrow, while Mix and I take a rest day in base camp. Lame, but I have decided to let sensibility win and rest my foot one last time before the summit attempt begins.
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