Imagine you are a snail for almost two months. More, imagine you are a super snail who travels fast, so that over the two months will experience temperature ranging from minus 20 to plus 60 Fahrenheit. Now think about everything you need to pack inside that small shell of yours.
Event though for a business trip I can pack in half an hour, I’ve been staring for few days now at the two duffle bags in my bedroom and wondering if I’ll ever get this done. Two sleeping bags - one for the trek and one for the climb, with liners inside and compression sacks, foam cell mats, 8000 meters boots and crampons, ice ax, harness and jumar and carabiners, all kind of medicine, snacks and electrolytes, headlamp and climbing helmet, water bottles and thermos, vapor socks, base layers and jackets and all kind of sock and gloves…you name it.
Even if I am excited to embark on this journey, the thought of trading this warm spring with a harsh winter for almost two months and sleeping outside in cold while my bed is warm and soft, made me think again about how dreams are constant pushing you out of your comfort zone. How will I cover my face while sleeping so that I don’t get the frostbite? The wind burn mark from Quandary is still fresh on my face and I don’t want another one…How will I keep my feet warm? How will I sleep on the snow, with the wind howling all night? A Denali guide I’ve been talking too told me that one of the biggest challenges when climbing in the winter is being able to sleep through the night. So many people are good climbers but they can’t manage to get any sleep while being outside in the cold and this foils their plans to get to the top of the mountain. Will I be able to do it or not?
