Past the impasse!!

The 4am start was perfect. A fast and easy walk up the couloir and we were at the coll by 8am. A quick jumar and the still snowy slab was in view. Finally i managed to find a few foot holds out right and i set off. The pitch was a combination of ice, snow and waterfall. I managed to climb it free with an ice axe to clear the snow but it took about 3hrs for only 35m of gain. I was soaked!!
Looking down on my hardest 4b ever.

Pierre followed and tried the mixed pitch, the weather began to change and near the top he came down and with freezing feet we retreated to ABC 2 just below the coll. A long night was spent with three people in a two person tent in really cold conditions.
Using dinner to warm my feet.

The weather this morning was bad again with snow plastering the walls around us.

This mornings view!!

We waited a few hours and then returned to BC. Tomorrow Jerry and Denis will leave again at 4am and try to push through to the Sun Terrace.

gaz