Yangle Kharka to Shersong:
The Anger Of The Gods
| This
had originally been a long day, one that exceeded the height gain recommendation
for altitude. By stopping early last night, we had made it into a very
long day: we were going from around 11,700 feet to 15,300 feet.
It was simply a case of gritting your teeth and keeping going. I remember little about the scenery or weather, just that Pat and I arrived first, to my surprise. |
Pat and Mike looking weary |
Although Shersong was our highest sleepover at 15,300 feet, there was no snow here. Hurrah, we said, we wouldn't be sleeping on snow tonight.
We had been there just long enough to delight in its absence, when a foot of snow descended on us in under an hour. The danger now was of snow sleeping on us!
 |
The Sherpas
and kitchen-boys began going around the tents every few minutes beating
the sides and roofs to shake off the snow. (The effect of all
these blows raining in on the tent from outside was of some yeti or angry
mountain spirit pawing away impatiently on the tents).
Sherpa Dawa was due to come round at 5 am to confirm tomorrow's plan of action, but I began to lose faith in the early morning ascent of Makalu's south ridge ever taking place. |
| And that was
before the thunderstorms. We had become accustomed to hearing thunderstorms
at night, but never we heard such loud and sustained peals as we heard tonight.
In the tents, the lightning was visible through tightly shut eyes straining
for sleep.
I estimated the epicentre was about 5-8 miles away - about as far away as the summit of Mount Makalu. The Gods of the mountain were displeased. |
 |
 |
The sound of
thunder gradually disappeared, only to be replaced by louder, sharper sounds:
great, crashing avalanches: crackling, breaking, and ultimately burying.
Because of the mist and the lateness of our arrival, we had not been able to see our surroundings. At this very moment, was there some great slab of ice breaking away directly above our heads? Each of us in our separate tents was united by the same fear. |
One avalanche in particular was louder and was heading precisely in our direction. You just know. We were resigned to the worst, but it just stopped. We became blasé. Nothing had happened to us. Maybe we were safe after all.
I fell asleep with great difficulty, only to dream that I was awake and was trying to get to sleep.
Lots of
'Steep'!