Photo above: Dr. Buck... he never complained about being so sick... I was so thankful that I felt so healthy and avoided AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness)This day was originally planned as a rest day for Chris and me; and a shuttle day to Camp 1 for the French women and sherpas. But, unfortunately for Dr. Buck, he was still very sick and couldn't do anything but stay in his sleeping bag. I felt very good and did not think I needed a rest day... but thought I'd just try to gain some elevation and acclimatize to a bit higher altitude.
So, I told Raja that I'd probably wait a while and then go part of the way to Camp 1. He was good with that. I set out about an hour later... around 9, following their tracks in the snow. I was expecting it to be pretty taxing... but was able to keep a steady pace. After a while I could see the team ahead on a high butress, crossing one of the few difficult rock/scree sections on this route. I decided to follow them all the way to Camp 1. There was a tricky section (actually the part that I'd seen earlier) where the climbing got into 5.6 rock climbing moves... I worked my way out a traverse, and then realized that this was too dangerous (fatal fall if I lost my footing/handhold)... and I gently backed out of that. After looking above and below, I found an alternate route (which happened to be the route that Elisabeth and a couple of the sherpas had used. Only Yveline (great climber) and Raja and Tindoop had climbed the more vertical/sketchy part. I was glad that I had checked back.
After about 2.5 hours I was looking over the edge of the approach to the moraine... right down onto our team on the glacier below. I scrambled down and joined them. We took the lower glacier route back to Basecamp, scrambling up the steep slope below our camp on pretty sketchy scree/sand. Not my favorite terrain at all.
That night at dinner Raja proposed that I join the French women for their ascent rather than staying behind them. It was now clear to all that Chris would not be making the ascent due to his condition. We talked about maybe having him climb a good but lower peak later in the week.
I was glad to join the other team and was feeling fit and ready to go higher. I had no signs of AMS (acute mountain sickness) and was very grateful for this. I also felt like I was getting stronger every day. I credit my yoga practice for the fitness and conditioning to prepare for climbing... .as in prior years in the Tetons... my primary regimen is yoga, including some Power Vinyasa and Ashtanga... both of which are great for cardio, strenght, endurance, flexibility and balance. So, that night I was feeling very excited about heading up the next day!
I meditated. Then crawled into my bag for some sleep. I missed Carol and home... and was glad to be moving closer to going home... but at the same time was grateful to be in this beautiful and spiritually deep situation. I decided that I would go home in time for her Mom's 80th B'day party... which was at our home on the 24th (assuming I could get a flight). When I'd made my trip plans Carol had not yet planned this big surprise party with 60 people... and I knew I would want to be part of that.
I needed to pack for at least 4/5 days on the mountain... was pretty organized but wanted to do a final gear sort in the morning. I looked over at Chris sleeping and felt sorry that he had come this far but could not go higher... I hoped that he was not too bummed out about that.
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