I was woken early (around 6) by some animal noises and decided to investigate. Soon after walking some 100 metres from the tent and standing still I heard more high pitched squawking sounds and shaw enough an arctic fox saw me, sat down like a dog and called out to his friend way down the valley. It’s moments like these – disney moments as I call them – that make being in such a cold environment all worthwhile.
Cooker on, breakfasted and raring to go the guys were off on a circuit downhill out and uphill back. 3 hours of solid pulling with reasonably heavy pulks – good chaps!
We then got out our crevasse rescue kits, snow shovels, ropes, ice axes and got to grips with how to set up a rope hauling systems to pull our pulks up a steep incline. Snow belays and problems like how to bypass a heavy weight in the system were covered as well of course a refresher on knots and rope work.
Six o’clock arrived and we put the tent up – far more efficiently than last night – and Matt got down to delivering supper.
Alas the sun shone and the wind didn’t rise but despite that we had a great day.
Jim
