Visitors

After another Groundhog Day watching the comings and goings of groups at Karanga then at last I had my next group through. I only got to work with the next group of students for an hour or so walking back into Karanga from above Barannco, with a chance for more formal review in Karanga around their lunch stop before they were off up the hill to get to base camp just before darkness fell. Despite my minimal input this group all seemed to do pretty well and all but 3 reached the summit.
A rapid turn around and the next day was my last group, and time for me to leave Karanga with them and head summit-wards myself. Not a great deal of sadness to leave this barren oxygen- depleted scree slope, but with apprehension about what lay ahead. But this group was beaten by a good hour or so by Hels and Marks team , who all but one looked up for the challenge ahead. So nice to catch them - at one point it looked like we might be hours apart but never to meet on the hill. As it turned out they shortened their ascent such that our paths were to cross several time over the next few days.
As I was hoping to summit with this final group I was able to get to know them a bit better , and like the Irish group , they graciously accepted my presence , despite my advanced years....
They were not speedsters though, and we didn't arrive in base camp until 6 ish which gave little time to rest / be briefed/ eat before an 11 pm start for their ( our ) summit bid. Before "retiring" the moon was yet to rise and the altitude and lack of light pollution gave the stars an unbelievable intensity.Read more