By Blaz Verhnjak

 

I climbed Everest

 

Almost.

 

One year at SCA is weirdly similar to climbing Mount Everest. Well if you are in my head, I suppose. 

 

The more you approach the summit, the harder it gets. 

 

Reaching Camp 1 is easy, the same goes for Camp 2, apart from the occasional avalanche here and there.

 

Once in Camp 3 you already feel confident, but toilets are few and far between and privacy is a bit of a problem. 

 

“The camp here is a true eagle’s nest, placed right out of the wall. Going to the toilet at night is a tedious task to dress and secure oneself. In addition, just to find a spot for it on this narrow platform is tricky enough. But the view is grand and by now you are well on your way to the summit.”

 

As you start your way to Camp 4,

 

“… the climb will be either easy or hard, depending on weather. A dry, cold season means sheer, blue ice. Maintain your crampons sharp. Deep snow makes the climb easier, but increase the risk of avalanche.”

 

Safely in camp 4 you realise that

 

“…this is also the place where the media, fame and fun of BC definitely are gone. Only fear remains on everyone’s face. People don’t talk a lot. Resting in your tent, feeling weak already, you try to get some sleep as night falls outside.”

 

And then it’s time to go on for something you went whole way up to here – the summit.

 

“Finally, the hour is come. At about 11 PM we put on the final gear and stepped into the night. There, in the distance, we can see a worm of light slowly moving up a dark wall. Climbers head torches flickering in the dark. It’s completely silent. Nobody talks. If you do, you whisper. It is absolutely terrifying and you climb and climb, awaiting the first ray of dawn. It’s desperately cold. It’s steep and at parts very icy. The ice axe and the crampons cut skin deep into the ice. You need to pee. Forget it. Someone turns around. “Can´t go on, good luck”.

 

“You might eagerly look for the summit now, yet all you’ll see is a white edge on the horizon. You will not know how far you have left and feel frustrated and tired. “

 

“Then you reach another white edge, but this time – it doesn’t continue. Behind it, there is instead a slope down. You are peeking down at the North side of Everest. You have reached the summit, friend.”

 

 

 

Hopefully you can see how our camps are terms, avalanches are partnership breakups, oxygen confidence and storms could be mentors’ opinions or Marc’s bollocking.

 

Can we reach the summit?

 

(bit about everest taken form here -> http://www.mounteverest.net/expguide/route.htm)