Namaste friends, family and loved ones,
Up at 3:00am and on the trail at 4:00, we made our way up broken shale white granite. Crampons and ice axe were mandatory above 19,000 feet.
We wove in and out of gaping crevasses and onto the glacier just below the summit headwall. Another 400 feet of steep (60 *) snow and ice put us on top of Imja Tse (Island Peak). At 20,240 feet it’s just shy of Denali in height.
We carefully picked our way back down and beat feet all the way back to Chukung where we ate and drank to our ravenous delight. Tired and exhausted we trundled off to bed. We are sleeping in tomorrow.
All my best, Vern Tejas
