Summit assault on Monte Perdido

We were awoken before dawn by someone’s head torch blinking in the darkness. Neither of us slept well due to the excitement created by today’s challenge.

Others also began to stir. We gathered our things, trying not to disturb the still sleeping, and crept from the room. Downstairs was more lively with breakfast being prepared. We grabbed a coffee, €2.25, everything is expensive when it has to be carried in by hand for five hours.

We also had ensamaidas, circular Spanish pastries, dusted in icing sugar and quite dry, but good with the coffee. We refilled our cups at the urn, hoping they wouldn’t notice, they didn’t. Their coffee was a luxury as we had bought our own cappuccino powder, but it was necessary to get Susana off to a good start. Dawn was now well under way, so we gathered together the things we would need for the day and headed outside.

Only the tops of the hills were bathed in the early morning sun at this time. The canyon we had walked through yesterday was still gloomy from shadow. Getting up at a time to see the sunrise should be compulsory, if not every day then at least once a month. The blue sky was crystal clear. There was a slight chill to the air, but it was positively hot when you considered it was late October.

Outside the refugio people clustered, usually in pairs. They would leave, heading upwards, a few minutes apart from each other, probably to give the impression that they would be alone on the mountain that day. When we left we were about the fourth pair to head off. The going was easy, up a bouldered landscape with sparse vegetation which would diminish as you got higher. We followed cairns, small piles of rocks left by the thousands who had gone before.

Climbing mountains is not usually a difficult pursuit, you just need to be stubborn. Stubborn, slow and consistent. One foot in front of the other. Plod, plod, plod. That is the way to the top. Do not stop. Try not to raise the heartbeat too much. Try not to exert too much. You should not be breathing hard, unless due to altitude. Stubborn, slow and consistent.

You rise rapidly up the mountain. Sometimes you are passed by others. The hare and the tortoise. You are sure to pass them higher up as they rest from their exertions. See you at the summit.

Mostly you stare at your feet, making sure each step is well placed. You choose the most stable stone, making sure your foot doesn’t slip or twist. Similarly, trekking pole in hand, you reach forward, push down with your hand, ensuring stability, taking some of your weight, you step forward. Rarely do you look around, but when you do…

You are struck by the shear beauty of your surroundings.

The terrain is bleak, chaotic, cluttered and a mess.

After two hours we reached a small lake, actually a semi-frozen tarn. It was 09:15. It felt warm. But we were just beginning to see snow and ice. The altitude was increasing.

Above us for the first time we got to see a good view of our objective. We also got to appreciate what we would need to overcome to get to the top. A shallow stony path led to a rocky ridge, this looked quite tricky and steep. This would then lead down into a gully, still with the remnants of snow and ice. A snowy col at the shoulder of the mountain sat beneath the summit. It was just there, laid out before us, within toughing distance. We had completed two thirds of the height but was only half way.

Someone was returning. Had they already got to the top? So quickly! No, they had turned back, they had not liked the exposure on the ridge, or the steepness of the gully. They also had no crampons or ice axe. We were better prepared, but it still sounded intimidating.

We reached the rock ridge and started to scramble hesitantly. It was OK. Not too exposed. Well within our capabilities. We gained renewed confidence.

This was only the second or third time Susana had donned crampons. She was coping very well. Assured footing, never looking like she would slip. The same technique as below. Small steps. Plod, plod, plod. Pole replaced by ice axe. Always in the upward, leading hand. You keep the body vertical. Do not lean in close to the ice, you are more likely to slip. If you did, your other hand would also clutch the axe. You would lay on it, pressing the sharp point of the axe into the snow and ice, gradually stopping you.

It was late in the season. The snow and ice had all summer and more time to melt. It was quite thin.

There are several reasons why you climb mountains early; to see the sunrise, to increase the amount of daylight you have available, but the most important one is the stability of the snow and ice. Crisp snow and ice is better for walking up, more stable. As the sun starts to heat it up, it can get slushy and more difficult. Small stones may then become dislodged, tumbling down the slope.

At the col, the saddle under the summit, you could see that two pairs had already reached it. Now it was looking close, just a few minutes left. It is tempting to have a good look around here, check out the scenery. Much better to wait for the ultimate view at the top though.

I began the final trudge up the last slope to the summit.

Susana followed me up.

We had reached the top. It was 11:15. It had taken 4 hours to get to the summit.

The whole world laid out beneath us for us to view.

Beautiful.

360° of stunning scenery, the clouds that had pushed in during the morning were far below in the valley. We were flying.

The mountain landscape is a barren one.

We sat in the small circle of rocks to have our lunch. They would normally provide protection from wind and snow on the exposed top. There was no need today, conditions were warm and calm.

Others continued to arrive, the first ones to summit left for the return.

The challenge is now only half finished though. The descent is always more tricky. It is downhill, more stress to the knees. Your are getting tired and you have to concentrate even harder to prevent a stumble.

However, on the descent a little bit of sun warming the snow and ice can make it easier, softer snow, less impact on the knees. Our descent would be quicker if we maximised the time on the snow, we chose to come down the glacier.

So many hurry on the descent, keen to get back to the hut. Not us, slow. Plod, plod, plod. Plenty of time.

Make the time to take in the views. This frozen wall of ice should begin to grow soon as the conditions get colder.

And the glaciers should stop their retreat and also get bigger.

Eventually, at 14:15, after seven hours, we got back to the hut. It had been a good day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GDR