Page 29 - 2018 AMA Summer

source though good tea and coffee were a little harder to find.
Aim 2. One of the joys of acclimatisation is that altitude is built up gradually. Our first days in the mountains involved gradually longer and higher trips with very different attributes. Our first walk was around the rim of Cuicocha crater- an enjoyable family stroll. Next was a Dartmoor style slog around a damp Laguna Grande De Mojanda finishing up with a British style drenching. Cerro Negro introduced us to paramo grasslands and 45 degree slopes. This was a tough combination as we followed camouflaged Ecuadorians up to 4212 metres. Fuya Fuya was a similar challenge, 40 metres higher and with the most stunning views so far.
Though we hadn’t had to use ropes, crampons, axes, etc. in anger yet, we had had the opportunity to train with them. In Quito this involved practicing rope work in the hotel car park. This drew some strange looks especially as we were wearing winter gloves in 25 degree heat. A mountain shelter and track provided the perfect places to practice self-rescue and team crevasse rescue. Whether these were new skills or skills to be practiced I think every member of the team benefitted from these sessions.
A lot of the rope skills were finally used on the ascent of Imbabura, a 4630 metre
peak with 1300 metre height gain and a long, rocky ridge marking part of the former volcanoes rim. Though Imbabura was just short of the snow line (it had a dusting) we used Alpine tactics to keep safe. Alpine mountaineering involves being roped together in small teams so slips, trips and falls can be arrested before they become serious. It also involves walking very quickly so as to limit exposure to rock fall, inclement weather and being behind anyone else. This day was a good example of how tough experiences can be amongst the most rewarding.
‘This day was a good example of how tough experiences can be amongst the most rewarding’
Aim 3. If my glass was half empty, aim 3 might be regarded as a bit of a failure. Despite all the training, practice, acclima- tisation and planning we didn’t manage to get to the top of either Cayambe or Chimborazo. In fact, on both mountains we got to about 5700 metres; which is a great success. 5700 metres is almost twice as high as I’d ever been before. Conditions are tough: it is cold, the air is thin, walking is hard and potential dangers are everywhere. On Cayambe we were turned around by deep snow delaying us by so much that melting snow bridges
over crevasses was going to pose a real threat. Chimborazo had perfect weather conditions but an avalanche threat on the glacier which meant heading back down was the only option.
Also, by not completing aim 3 it means aim 4 comes into existence: return to Ecuador, enjoy the culture again, use some of the skills learnt on this trip and have another crack at Cayambe and Chimborazo.
FACTS i UNIT: 42 ENGR REGT (GEO) - 135
GEO SQN RE
ACTIVITY: ALPINE MOUNTAINEERING
DESTINATION: EQUADOR DEPLOYED PERSONNEL: 10
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 29