Tuesday, August 12, 2008

We've moved to camp 1 5000m!

Field Touring Alpine Spantik 2008 Expedition Update

Everyone on the FTA team has moved up to camp one. The climb from base camp up to here is a moderate scramble of about 800 vertical meters through scree, shale, talus and a few steep rock sections. Nothing technical, just good fun in an amazing place.

We are surrounded by glaciers and 6-7000m peaks. I forgot how jaw dropping this place really is. We are all in awe, perched on this classic ridge that drops at least 1000m to the rivers of flowing ice below.

It's great to finally be climbing, and also finally away from the insomniac rooster that has been waking us up for the last 3 days. We figure someone brought him over here from America and his time zones are out or he is suffering from some avian altitude sickness. He crows at the strangest of times Poor guy...
Anyway, tomorrow the 14th we will climb up to camp 2 at about 5500m, drop some supplies, and return to camp 1 before making the move to camp 2 the following morning.

4 am, crampons on, roped up, we crunch off into mist up the snowy ridge. Living the dream.

Chris from Spantik camp 1

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