Another life's ambition ticked off today, to climb a notable Alpine peak in perfect weather with snow in all directions that looks like vanilla soft scoop.
After the mad rush for 3 am muesli we climbed slowly up in the dark, other groups of head torches twinkling above and below.
Gradually the coming dawn lightened the surrounding peaks until a line of sunlight turned them first orange then fiercely white.
"We can't keep stopping every five minutes!" our guide admonishes Tim the 'Telegraph' man who is feeling a bit below par. "If there's no improvement we'll have to leave you at the col."
Of course the views are amazing, just a sea of mountains in all directions, there is no lingering on the summit as this is only the halfway point.
I have to lead on the way down as I'm supposed to be the least likely to drag us all off the mountain, Owain the guide brings up the rear hopefully looping the rope around various things to prevent any death plunge.
Some Dutch guy in a party on the way up gets a bit heated when I am instructed to just carry on and not give-way.
Owain tells him to "BE QUIET!" in rather a blunt Lancastrian way as we all push past.
By the time we're back on to the snow slopes the sun has turned them to something that not only looks like soft scoop vanilla, it feels like it as well.
1 comment:
The mountain seems delicious.
Post a Comment