Today our expedition took
a new turn. Poor conditions on the West Ridge—in particular the
Hornbein Couloir—have made that climbing route unsafe. The West Ridge
leg of the climb has been officially called off.
Expedition leader Conrad Anker explains:
“It’s a very dry and windy season. Normally we have terrain
that’s snowy. Your crampons have good purchase, and you can move along
at a good clip. But what we have now is that that surface layer of snow
has been stripped away, leaving bare ice. It’s very ancient ice that’s
difficult to climb on.”
