After the Wind by Lou Kasischke

Author:Lou Kasischke
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9781940877013
Publisher: Goodhart Publishing
Published: 2015-10-25T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

THE BALCONY

“WE’RE ON TIME,” I overheard Rob say. His first time way-point was to be on the Balcony on the Southeast Ridge at about daybreak. Pace management brought us there on schedule. The sun had just come up. Being on the Southeast Ridge meant we were off the Triangular Face. Now we start the final part of the climb—the ridge to the summit.

Oddly enough, I was feeling much better than I’d expected. Climbing to the top was happening. Climbing at a steady pace through the night, in a good rhythm, was good for my mind and body. And now for the morning reward. I got to sit down. The Balcony was a small, flat surface of snow a few meters wide, and one of the only places on summit day where you could actually sit down to rest.

When Everest was first climbed in 1953, the Balcony was the site of the last camp. At that time, no one believed climbers had the physi­cal capacity to reach the summit and return all the way down to the South Col in a single push.

Two particular jobs needed attention. Since the sun had come up, eye protection was critical. At that high altitude, the intensity of the ultra-violet rays was very dangerous. The biggest danger was sunburn of the cornea—snowblindness. I always carried two pieces of eye protection. One piece was dark-lens glacier glasses with side shields designed for climbers. The side shields are leather patches so the sun’s rays cannot hit the eyes from the side. My alternative piece for protec­tion was ski goggles. I preferred the glacier glasses because there is less tendency for the lens to fog.

The final chore at the Balcony was changing the O2 canister. The O2 plan was that the first of three canisters would be about gone by then. We each carried two, and a Sherpa carried a third to leave at the South Summit for use on the way down. I told Rob again, as I had mentioned to him earlier when we were on the move, that my system was not working. That I actually felt better without it. Rob was aware I had taken the mask off for most of the time in getting to the Balcony. He was an expert with this equipment. He fussed with the regulator and banged on the mask a couple of times and said it should be better and to try again.

“According to the gauge, my first canister is still over half full,” I said.

“Good, that’s great, leave it in the bank, mate, and change it later.”

I had no explanation for why so much was left in the canister. I looked at the other climbers, for signs that we were about to go. And to see how everyone else was doing.

Doug. There he was, at the Balcony. I was surprised. But I was too busy focusing on my own readiness to talk to him or to think much about how he’d gotten back in the climb to the top.

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