Day 11 ABC - Penitentes Camp

Decide to ignore the negatives, get off my butt and stop bleating. What did I expect? It to be easy? Of course moving to higher altitudes puts the body into new environments which it has to then adapt to.

Extra layer of clothes (still a head wind) and set off to make another intermediate camp the mountain (other) side of the Penitentes. This will reduce the time & effort to reach Camp I. As Camp I is a new camp don't want to get there too late as till have to dig platform, build some wind barriers and set the tent up. If late in the day the weather seems to be much worse, therefore making the job very difficult, if not impossible. Stop at Depot camp for coffee and snickers and pack load for Camp I.

See climber on rock horizon - good perspective of size of things up here

Climbers in Penitentes

See the different heights within the Penitentes

Exhausted climber crossing high point



Good crossing through Penitentes. Three of the steep sections now have protection – ropes attached to ice screws, which means that one can reduce the risk of falling down them by “clipping in”. One other group also pitching tent – one of them offers to help, which I decline as although windy good to practise as much as possible. Just succeed! Strong wind and snowing all afternoon. Note to self – matches/lighter and build better vestibule.
Location: N28 23 54.8 E85 45 6.2

Penitentes high point

Penitentes Camp set, onwards to Camp I