Yesterday our ski team had another active rest day. They climbed up to the bottom of the Rescue Gully, one of the gullies (or couloirs) that drops from the ridge above 17,000′ (5181m) back into Camp 3 at 14,200′ (4328m). Often used as an alternate ascent or descent instead of the Fixed Lines on the Headwall, or for skiing down. The team went out to scout conditions in the Rescue Gully and evaluate if they will be able to descend it from above. This also gave them the chance to get in some skiing! At this attitude, the skiing is rarely good, but as long as there is snow skiers should be stoked! Alternatively, there can often be so much blue ice as so significantly inhibit skiing above 14,000′ (4267m)
Here’s Ed with the update:
