Jumar, jumar, jumar…. read so many times about it that I die of curiosity to learn how to really use it. My harness is prepared, with a safety rope and a non-locking carabiner on one side, and an arm length rope for the jumar, on the other. After a quick easy climb on the Meadow trail, we get to the top and start setting the rope: three anchors and a very small Everest lies in front of me. Jon shows me the descent techniques and then the ascent one. It seems you always need to have at least the non-locking carabiner on the rope which seems like a good idea. I feel like I should have practiced this earlier, to get it imprinted in my mind. We do four-five ascents and descents, also with the ice ax and I can picture myself up there doing the same movements over and over again. Thinking about having a right hand jumar and also a left hand one to avoid the monotony and over tiring one arm, but the extra weight to carry is a factor to take into consideration.
- Otilia