The final pitch below the great roof at half height initially looked OK from below but on viewing from our last belay was shown to blank-out, this leaves us with the predicament of how to cross it to get into the system of cracks that will lead us through the roof. The blankness of the slab is also echoed in the total lack of protection and for that matter after three or so metres, the lack of even the most minute edge to hook.
Our woes, or my woes in particular, were compounded when hanging on a hook, primed for a swing back into the belay if it popped, when my index finger became the meat in a 22oz. hammer sandwich, the blow intended for a fiddley number one bird beak (piton) split the pad of my finger and the end still remains numb three days later further adding to our growing list of ailments! Matt is also enjoying a numb big toe after the sole of his right shoe decided to delaminate and split - have a look at the picture attached, along with the broken pump for the MSR Dragonfly, which is currently being re-glued together (crudley). Let's hope the fuel leak doesnt catch light and set the portalegde alight as we dangle in it, really would suck both fiscally and physically!
Matt and I have decided that a pendulum will pass the slab and get us across to the roof and into its cracks with the minimum of fixed gear being left.
We completed another water run of 106 litres (kg) to top up our depleted supplies. I (steve) tried to ride the pig full of the majority of the water down the ab stuffing any spare into my rucksack, with a combined weight of over 200kg including me it was a less than graceful descent and I shredded any skin that came between the pig and the gulley wall, I also got a rather nasty burn off my grigri to keep my attention off my numb index finger.
After 10 days of no rain there was finally a storm this afternoon, which should hopefully fill our rain water collection system at camp... We plan to head up again for the push early friday morning and should hopefully be down by the end of next week.
Thanks for tuning in,
Matt/Steve
