To add to my troubles, I was belayed
(as end man) by Kit, just above me, and he
didn't do it very well, thus making me feel
even less secure. Around 11:30 A.M., he let a
piece of ice fall, I managed to duck. A
moment later he dislodged a fair sized stone
or rock. I couldn't duck this one and it hit
me. A glancing blow, almost knocking me out.
The pain was so severe and I got quite a cut.
Blood was caked on my hair Sunday when I
washed it.
The 3 chimneys and the steep scramble
above (done without ropes and moderately
dangerous - a fall not too likely but in some
places it would mean a fall clear into the
Cascade Canyon 5,000 feet below) to the
summit are only 700 or 800 feet out of the
whole peak, but they make all the trouble. I
was terribly exhausted as well as scared and
half frozen, hanging desperately to the rope
for so long sapped my courage. And yet, we
made it.
A bit after noon and we were up, finally
getting into the sunlight. All morning it was
cold shade. The view is indescribable. The
Grand dwarfs everything around it. The
Cascade, Paintbrush Divide and Lake Solitude
below it seem far below, in another world...I
snapped all my Kodacolors...and ate lunch on
a protected, warm sunny ledge, looking down.
The delta was very pronounced in appearance.
Started down at 1:15 P.M., reaching the
Upper Saddle by 4:30 P.M. I climbed much
better going down. The highest and middle
chimneys we rappelled down on a double fixed
rope and a safety rope around waist. I was
scared stiff for a moment but soon (in a
nervous wort of way) learned to love this
effortless descending of the steepest
pitches, with only the slightest, momentary
footholds necessary.
The lowest chimney wasn't suitable for
rappelling. I went first (I was second on
rappelling, which all four of us tried for
the first time), belayed by Bob Turner
(strong and sturdy, he did very well and I
felt very confident with him). He belayed me
down this and over the Crawl and Belly Roll,
etc. Then we climbed continuously to Upper
Saddle and below, taking off our ropes.
Reached Lower Saddle about 6 P.M., having
been delayed by a wind that reached 40-50
mph, according to Fred, and I can believe it.
At one time or another it blew all of us off
our feet. Stopped a bit. I had some
strawberry Jello powder - everyone averred
this stuff I brought was good.
We reached Petzoldt's Cave by dark, 8
P.M. or so. I was pooped (nervous as well as
physical exhaustion) worse than others,
almost decided to try to spend night there,
or at mouth of Garnet Canyon, since I was
delaying others and felt so far gone. The
wind followed us clear to the cave and the
constant buffeting on the rocks were almost
too much. I was sick at my stomach from
weariness.
However, some of Bob's grapefruit juice,
water and sugar revived me (and us all) and
we started out. I was o.k. to mouth of
canyon, though the Boulderfield in the dark
(only 2 weak flashlights in the party) was
wearying. Bob went on ahead. The rest of us
soon followed. Cyril had dropped his
flashlight, which soon went out. Fred dropped
mine and it went out. So we stumbled along in
the dark.
About halfway down, Kit noticed my pack
was gleaming. We found my flashlight had
started to work again! Thus luckily, for the
darkest half of the hike (it was a moonless
night and the high winds made a dust haze
that made the night even darker) we had light.
I thought we would never get down, but by
1:30 A.M., after 19 hours of almost
continuous walking, we reached Lupine
Meadows, where Bob had just that minute
managed to return with his car. We went back
to Skyline Ranch...Mrs. Turner had soup,
hamburgers, potatoes, tomato and lettuce (in
chunks) salad, bread & butter, seedless
grapes and watermelon. In bed at 4 A.M.
Original Photo: Outdoor Gear Exchange