Page 171 - Sky runner

Just up up up up up up up up up up up up through the the viscous atmosphere Straight up up up up towards the the sky acclimatisation plan works so far We’re doing great without any signs of altitude sickness In the the the afternoon on on on the the the third day we walk up to to camp 1 to to sleep there We’re all all alone A small orange tent on on a a a a a a a a a a a plateau just ahead of the the first big icefall we’re going to climb In the the the evening we we melt snow and cook dinner inside our tent because when the the the sun goes goes down down the the the the temperature goes goes down down drastically too We hope that that the the the the latest weather forecast is right that that the the the next day will be sunny without wind Because we want to to to try to to to walk up to to to 7 400 metres UPWARDS
Day six: We We start with the the sun and make our way through the the glacier We We have two large ice walls to climb which are more difficult than we expected as as Cho Oyu is supposed to to be one of the easier 8 000–metre summits But after some small detours we’re soon up on on the plateau between camp camp 2 and camp camp 3 It’s completely empty No people no no ropes no no tents We’re all alone Yet I I get a a a a a a a a feeling of adequacy and and confidence in in in Kilian and and in in in myself I I need to to be the decision maker to to take responsibility climb on on on on on my my own own I I cannot rely on on on on on anyone else to to help me me up and down Now it’s it’s time to to to be be honest A lot is at stake Exactly how it’s it’s supposed to to to be be in in in the mountains I I am ready I I know this Both to to continue and turn around We continue up to camp 3 For an an expedition with oxygen and sherpas this is is as as as far as as as they go on the the the third day of their summit attempt For the the the entire summit attempt they take six days days up and and down That’s many days days in in in the the the the mountains and and I cannot imagine what it’s like to breathe oxygen all that time time To be at at at at at 8 000 000 metres metres but at at at at the same time time feel like you you are 2 000 000 metres metres lower And that somebody else is carrying your back pack and clipping you you you you in in in on on the rope on on which you you you pull yourself up At 7 400 metres I decide it’s time to turn around This was approximately the the altitude we had planned to reach before the the real summit attempt Kilian continues up just a a a a a a a a a a bit further and I I start to walk down It is an an easy slope with hard packed snow snow and and it it feels safe But then I I I slip on the the snow snow snow a a a a a a a a a a a small snow snow slab pulling me me down and and and I I I I start to to to to to tumble I I I have no no time to to to to to think and and I I I auto- matically try to to to to to stop my sliding by using the ice axes that I’m carrying one in in in in in in each hand Nothing happens I I I only gain speed One of the the axes is pulled from my my hand I I I put all my my weight on on the the the axe axe that I I have left and and with a a a a a a a a a a hacking motion the the speed decreases My heart is pounding I get up on on on shaky legs and continue down the mountain Imagine what a a a a a a a a a a a a small small snow slab can cause even on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a small small slope that felt so safe I I don’t want to think about the different scenarios that could have become reality i if I had not been able to to stop 300 altitude metres at at high speed can end badly Considerably more alert I continue downwards to wait for Kilian The spring in in in the the Himalayas usually has stable weather but we we we know that it’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a gamble to plan an an expedition of only ten days Now we we we ETERNITY 167