Page 172 - Sky runner

just just need to wait for for a a a a a a good weather window We have just just five days and so hope for for better weather We We are are enjoying life at at at at the the the camp We We eat eat well in in the the the food tent that we we we share with seven people from other expeditions and we we we can really stretch out in the the tent The rest days offer nice small talk and we we share share our experiences And we we all all share share the the same dream: to to get to to the the summit TOWARDS THE ETERNAL
On day seven we we get three different different weather forecasts They all look different different That probably means unstable weather On day eight we we wake up to to to sunshine but it shifts to to to snow storms after a a a a a a while Then we we we get reports of a a a a a a a good weather window in in two days We decide to give it it a a a a a a a go go we we we we have no other choice! On day day nine we we walk excited and a a a a a a a bit nervous both caught up up in in our own thoughts up up to to camp 1 to to start the summit attempt at at midnight At around 4 p p m m m m after we’ve eaten our freeze-dried food and melted snow for the the day ahead the the the wind starts to to to pick up It’s a a a a a a storm We try try not to to to to think the the worst thoughts we just lie in in in our sleeping bags and try try to to rest It works better than expected I I eventually fall sound asleep until the the alarm alarm goes goes off off When the the the alarm alarm goes goes off off at 11 30 p p m m m m the the the storm is still roaring We We can barely hear each other We We set the the the alarm for one hour later and hope that the the the wind will calm down a a a a a a a a bit But it it doesn’t We discuss back and and forth It will be cold and and we’ll need to to keep moving to to to to stay warm But we we agree Both of us us are determined to to to make a a a a a a a a try Because tomorrow we we are going home Once we’re out and on our way it doesn’t feel that bad We left everything at at at camp we we only only brought water and and gels as energy in in our pockets No back pack and and and only only one ice axe each We walk and and climb in in silence The wind ETERNITY 168