Ballet Dancing,and nimble feet -above the clouds at 7,000+ feet !

It had been a wonderful starry night, although very cold, and I had managed to see three differing shooting stars ,whilst lay in bed, looking out the window, so it was going to be a great day!

I was up bright and early, having decided that as long as the weather was favourable I was going to climb the mountain the ‘easy way ‘ (by cable car),and then attempt the Hdos Rios ridge – I wasn’t sure whether a route existed on it, but looking at the map it seemed like it should be a reasonable proposition.

So, I was at the cable car ready to go at 9 –15 a.m.although it didn’t start until 10 a.m.- I wanted to beat the traffic, and I knew I would be short of time, as the cable car finished at 6 p.m., otherwise I would have to walk down …

I was first on the cable car, up to the top station at 1832 mts, and ready to go by 10-15 a.m. The weather was clear, sun shining, and hardly a cloud in the sky as I looked up to the mountains above, which I expected to climb.

No one else was coming on this route, so ,once again, Jotown was on his own, leading the way – although no one was following !

I kept climbing up to the finish of the track that was well marked, and at 2401 mts, I ascended the pass of Hdos Rios, and as I looked to the North East , could see in the distance Naranjo de Bulnes (which I may be climbing next week ?)

But for today, my path was to the right, with the appearance of a faint track, up onto what I hoped would be a climbable ridge, and I would be able to traverse it.I made quick progress ,up and onto the first top at 2502 mts, at which point the track disappeared…but undaunted I continued, and the ridge became exactly that ! a very thin crest of rock, which was shattered and falling off, to both sides, with steep drops on either side… so,nimble footed ballet dancer that I am -I kept going, deciding that I would climb anything, as long as I could go back the same way (should have remembered that later !), down along more shattered rock, and along spires in the rock, some of which I had to climb, others I avoided .  I soon made it to the second marked top at 2506mts, then down and along a really narrow ridge ! to the third top at 2518 mts…at which point I had the bulk of Picos Santa Anna 2602 mts in front of me, and the clock ticking on.  I decided that I should stop on the ridge traverse, and start to make my way back…..what I should have done (and didn’t !) was just reverse the route, back up and down across the tops , where I knew I could safely go. However, I dropped to my left, onto the North face of the ridge and quickly ended up on rotten rock, treacherous snowfields, with long dangerous run outs below them…..Oooops ! this is a picture of just one of the gulleys I ended up going down rather quicker than I wanted to !

There then passed 2 very dangerous hours, where I was constantly battling to stay either on rock, which fell to pieces,in quite large lumps, or traversing snow fields, several times sliding several hundred feet downwards, although fortunately I always managed to avoid the rocks, well at least the ‘big bangs’, although both my arms were ‘shredded’ by the end of the day…. and I’ve got lots of it on video ,whether anyone’s got time to watch!

After 2 harrowing hours of death defying (well I’m still here !) ballet dancing I managed to get back on to my ascent track, and quickly, and thankfully scurried back down to the pass,and on to reasonable ground…..phew !

I had 2 hours to get back to the cable car station, so made haste to get there, although very soon I bumped into a Mountain Chamoix          ( I think ), who kindly stood still whilst I took their picture !, and carried on descending…

I managed to get back to the cable car for 5-40 p.m., and the attendant seeing the state of my arms didn’t bother with my ticket…and took me down below. I staggered into the campsite for a painful hot shower (grazes sting!)..and some cold beer !

1055 mts ascended (and back)in 7 hrs 40 mins- a great challenging day..although maybe a bit more dangerous than it should have been….but still here to tell the tale !

  Sad news when I arrived back at the campsite, the old boy who I’ve had several conversations with, neither of us really knowing what the other said, had fallen during the ,very cold night, and lain freezing on the stone floor, until discovered late afternoon,by some new arrivals, probably broken his hip and been whipped to Hospital,another day he’d have been OK as the people that run the site arrived this afternoon, so things may be starting to get busier !