Lots of uphill climbing and downhill hiking with scree, making it very treacherous and slippery. Libby was a godsend......he straightened out my gloves and hat - tied my hood for me.....I felt like a little girl getting dressed for school in the winter. The gaiters continued to be a challenge and he helped me with that as well. He was at my side as we were descending, offering his hand when I needed some balance. We maintained our trekking line-up and I continued to follow Nives.....and I couldn't help but notice - are her hiking pants getting loose?? I thought so.. and she was very pleased that this incredible journey may result in some weight loss!
The terrain was changing dramatically and it felt like we were on a different planet with cactus type plants, ferns and huge boulders. I could feel my knees with the impact of each step down - not a good sign, but once we started uphill again, it felt much better. We hiked for 7 hours - up and down......at the end of the day, we actually descended from 13,650 ft. to 12,850 ft, which allowed us to acclimatize to the thinner air.
We finally arrived at the Barranco camp which is situated on a ridge at the foot of the great Barranco Wall......my nemesis......and there it was - the WALL - in all it's glory - breathtaking, icy cold and steep! Since signing up for the climb last July, I have been fretting about the Barranco Wall, the steepest and scariest portion of the trek for me. It's the one part of the trip that would keep me awake at nights wondering why am I doing this???
THE GREAT BARRANCO WALL
THE BARRANCO CAMP
We settled in and rested before dinner.......I was in my tent listening to all the hoopla - sounded like a huge party going on. I came out of the tent expecting to see all the trekkers enthusiastically sharing their day - but, there were no trekkers - the trekkers were all too exhausted and were napping in their tents. It was the staff from all the various tour companies - laughing and singing! The Barranco camp is where a number of different routes up the mountain converge, so many of the crew were meeting up with old friends and greeting each other with great affection. It was a sight to behold!
My appetite has been terrific - we enjoyed another hearty dinner and Francis briefed us about the next day. We will take it slow and steady with lots of breaks. Poles won't be necessary, as we will be scrambling up boulders - GULP!!
After dinner I tried to take my mind off my fears by reading my Kindle - so glad I brought it. It holds a charge really well and I have been reading every night with no problems. I was intent on staying warm tonight and donned 2 pair of socks with toe warmers in between them, 2 pants, 3 tops and my toque.
I have so much stuff and it can be overwhelming trying to remember where I've packed everything. It took a couple of days but I did get a system going......I used my gaiters as a mat for my boots....crawled into the tent and immediately set up the sleeping bag in the middle of the floor... while sitting in the sleeping bag and staying warm, I would begin unpacking and organising everything........right corner near the door is for garbage out & my day pack - right side of the bed is what I'll need for the night (headlamp, kindle, etc)....all clothing has to be packed away in my Tusker bag on the left side, otherwise everything will be damp in the morning. It's quite the nest and I've grown fond of my little space that I temporarily call home.
ELMER FUDD - HAPPY IN MY NEST!
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