Yesterday the team left camp at 14,200′ (4328m) and descended to their cache site at 13,200 (4023m). After digging up their supplies, they packed them up and climbed back up to Camp 3. The team took the rest of the day to practice some skills. The next step in the expedition will be to put in a cache at 16,200′ (4937m). To get here, the team will need to ascend the 800′ fixed lines. The fixed lines are 800′ ropes that span the length of the Headwall. There is one for ascending and one for descending. The team will go over using ascenders and running belays. Ascenders are attached to each climbers harness, and the rope which they are ascending. It is a progress capture device that glides up the rope, but when pulled down its teeth engage and do not allow descent. This prevents an unplanned fall. Running belays are done using snow pickets. Snow pickets are a roughly 2 foot long piece of aluminum, hammered into the snow typically at a perpendicular angle. There is a sling on this picket with a carabiner, and the rope team will run their rope through this carabiner. The picket acts as an anchor point on steeper slopes. A special technique is used to pass each climbers knot (where they are tied into the rope) through the carabiner as efficiently as possible, especially with big gloves or mittens on.

Here’s the update!

recording