Day 16 Penitentes Camp – Camp I

Beautiful clear calm morning. Pack up load (CII) for Camp I. Load a little big! I'm going to be first up, but some trail visible. Have to prod a lot to find these freshly hidden crevasses – from recent wind...
Slowly surely ascend, but energy and concentration levels drop – 15 steps, rest...






Route upwards


Slurp....
Miss seeing a clearly visible wide crevasse
Drive my axe into thankfully firm snow (holds me firm as attached to harness I'm wearing)
...again that feeling of calm control...
Even take a photo...

By using Leki stick and ice axe, slowly lever myself out and swing legs back onto firm ground...
Its at least a meter wide, don't want to get too close to see how deep!

Looking over shoulder

Crime scene....

Looking left, crevasse clearly visible

Onwards and upwards, hey Major....

Looking below see Dav Summit group through Penitentes – they seem late

Last section a grind, but soon see Camp I. First up today, this section of the mountain was mine. Magic weather all morning...but changing ....again...

Camp I in sight

Chuffed to be here



Settle in, all required comforts here – windy 1:00 to 5:00pm – bit of a snooze...
Wind stops in night – two fabulous days in a row, both completely different.

It's certinly worth pushing through!