|
expedition report - part 3 Going for the Summit Our first try for the summit
the next day was perhaps foiled by a late start at 10am. The pace was
slow. And slower still when we traversed left onto a rock band on the
way up to Windy Col. There we had to make a short nervy sidle across a
thin shelf of snow, hugging a large boulder and finding no handholds but
little fingernail crimper side-pulls. As was by now typical, clouds
moved in up-valley by afternoon, accompanied by blustery winds. We soon
found ourselves battered by gusts on a steep climb towards the Col in a
minor snowstorm. Once we gained the Col, it became clear all was not so
well: the gale ripped all around, us three newbies were tired and
shivering, and the rest of Tilman’s ridge in front was lost in the
near white-out. Roz decided the team should turn back. On our 2nd attempt,
we set off much earlier at 4am. We stuck to the snow slopes this time,
forgoing the risky rock traverse we made yesterday. The weather was just
a tad more forgiving. A brilliant dawn gave way to some hot sun. But the
winds picked up at mid-morning and kept gusting, shooting jets of
spindrift from the opposite side of Windy Col straight up into the sky.
As the spindrift spiraled and eddied fiercely overhead, we made
surprisingly steady progress up the steep snow face leading to Windy
Col. Perhaps we were better acclimatized, thanks to yesterday’s drama.
Soon we reached the ridge under blue skies, bright sunshine and in good
spirits. All 5 of us roped up together for the subsequent Alpine AD
climbing along the corniced ridgeline. Treading along the thin ridge
with loose snow and a long drop down on one side, we quickly learnt
subtle ways of body positioning and using our ice axes to keep ourselves
on the ridge. There’s nothing like total immersion to accelerate
learning. Somewhere around noon, we
pulled onto a rocky perch, after scrambling up a mound of loose rocks
and snow. Ahead of us the ridge ran on to the summit cone, which looked
so near that we could touch it. Mingma tapped thoughtfully at an
L-shaped piton jammed in a fissure. It anchored fixed lines for most
parties on this final stretch to the summit. Sticking to an alpine-style
ascent, we did not bring any lines for fixing. And neither Roz nor
Mingma thought the loose powder could arrest 5 flailing bodies on one
rope should any of us slip. So we decided to stop there, about 80m of
ridge away from the summit. We were soon absorbed in the
amazing view all around. Mingma pointed out Langtang Lirung, Everest,
Shishapangma and Cho Oyu. After taking our photos, we headed back under
the still-blazing sun, mindful that much of our trail was already
melting into slush. We took our turns going down a steep crumbly mixed
section crouched down on almost all fours. Then Mingma, the last man up
at the end of the rope and the consummate professional, sauntered down
the same section like it was Orchard Road. When we finally descended down
to Base the next day, the weather had very much improved. Much of the
snow had melted without any more fresh dumps. The rocks and vegetation
were finally showing through. By this time, we were all pretty well-acclimatised
and would have wished to stay on to climb perhaps Neddy’s Thumb or
some other smaller peak from Base Camp. In any case, we were running
short of time and had to start trekking back to Syabrubensi. Just when
we were getting fit. We finally arrived in
Kathmandu in the middle of a transport strike. News of Maoist violence
peppered the local newspapers, and the country was without a Prime
Minister. Times were not good for Nepal. Hopefully order would be
restored to the country, at least within the next couple of years. Nepal
has so much to offer in terms of climbing. I’m thinking which
Himalayan mountain to climb next. Alpine-style, of course. C Tay
|
the
peak
new! expedition report
Dawn on Paldor. Note the heavy cornices on the South-east ridge running up from the left and crevasses below. Tilman's route is via the ridge on the right.
On Windy Col. Cathy and Sham gear up as Lay Hoon makes her way up to the col.
View of distant giants, including Everest . |
an alpine skills development project
|
|
Much warmer weather upon our return to Base Camp. |
|||
| Paldor
2004 main page
All content copyright © 2004 MOSS All rights reserved |
 |
