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Chukung, Island Peak Summit to Chukung |
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| Final packing at Chukung before heading of
for Island peak base camp |
heading up the moraine valley to Island peak
base camp |
First glimpse of Island Peak |
On the short steep ascent to Island Peak High
Camp |
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Bright start to the morning for our move to Island Peak Base
Camp. Great views down to the valleys with cloud settled in the valley
bottoms, but all the summits were clear. Breakfast and final packing over,
we sat around at the lodge until 11:00, then set off for the relatively
easy walk to Island Peak Basecamp. Our route took us along the path
following a valley for a couple of hours, with most of the walk on the
moraine above the Imja glaciers. We arrived at Basecamp about 3 hours later by the side of
the Imja Glacier, below steep grassy slopes which mark the start of the
climb on Island Peak. The rest of the day was resting, eating and sleeping
as the wind increased. We spent an hour or so checking our mountaineering
equipment, in preparation for high camp, in the late afternoon.
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| Lazy start in the morning as it wasn’t a long walk, about
a couple of hours, up to the high camp at 5760metres. (High camp is on
some levelled ledges half way up the rock buttress which leads onto the
Island Peak Glacier.) We set off at 11:00 and arrived at high camp soon
after 12:00, a lot quicker than expected. Didn’t have a mess tent, so lunch was in our own tents.
The snow started during lunch, although didn’t seem too heavy. Afternoon
in the tent, and on getting up for tea, we were covered in snow .... had
to use one of our metal dinner plates to dig the snow away from the tent!
The snow wasn’t a good sign. Our guide said if there was an heavy frost
through evening/night, the snow may freeze giving us a chance to
summit. |
| Well, early bed and awake at 3:00am to the sad news, the
snow was too soft and would be unstable on the ice on the way to Island
Peak summit. Big disappointment, as I was really looking forward to the
challenge. However, at this altitude the conditions have to be respected,
so it was back to bed until day light. Heard a couple of avalanches
through the night, so right decision. We descended by the same route to the base camp, though care
was needed because of the snow, then continued through the valley back to
Chukung for a needy lunch. So that was all the mountaineering over, sad on
missing Island Peak, but there may be another day! |
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| Plenty of snow arrived during the afternoon
at High Camp .... as my tent shows! |
The view on the morning of what should have
been our summit bid |
Last look up to Island Peak base camp on the
way back to Chukung |
The face of Lhotse on the left as we get
closer to Chukung |
