We got up around one, got packed, had some water and a few nutrigrain bars and then with helmets and headlamps on, roped up at 2:30. It felt pretty exciting. I was on a rope team with guide Robert Link in front and me second. Cindy sat second on her rope too. We could see the headlamps of Matt's team up the mountain.
After a long walk we 'coiled in' and staying connected with about 5 feet of rope, ascended up this very rocky terrain. It was difficult as you were constantly turning and being pulled on and had a difficult time finding footing with crampons on rocks. Mar, the woman behind me said that my crampons were sparking the whole way. We made our first stop at the Ingrahm flats. I was feeling very beat and dehydrated, but not thirsty. I was starting to get very nervous about the rest of the legs left. Cindy decided that she was going to stop here. When they tucked her into a bag and tent, my mind started tempting me to to stay with her and sleep. But i decided to go on.
The next leg was over"Disappointement Cleaver". This was the most amazing part of the trip. It was straight up and you felt like you were hanging on the side of the mountain. The view was spectacular as the sun rose and you could see forever. The climbing was difficult, yet fun-it felt adventurous and different than just slogging up. I started to feel better, which is unusual, typically if you feel bad you only get worse. The problem is that it was twice as long as you could see and since you are breathing so hard to gain pressure your mouth turns into a cotton ball and you are soooooo thirsty. I was not used to being without my camel back and drinking at breaks was not cutting it for me. When we stopped there was a person from Team A that was bagged and two more from our team turned around. Robert kept asking, What say you Christine?" which i would respond, "Good". That was not entirely true, but i figured it's all relative. I was calculating in my head how much more i had to do, one leg was an hour and a half and the last was an hour. That seemed overwhelming so i just kept focusing on making it to the next break.
The next leg was brutal. I was exhausted and beginning to feel sick. When we stopped I was in a daze and now understood what they meant when the trainers told us that you would have to force yourself to do things, like drink. I could hardly bring myself to sip on water, much less eat. Robert was encouraging despite my lack of enthusiasm (read: tears). i thought, if i just start on the nxt leg, I cant stop and then i will have to make it. The wind was blowing about 40-50 mph at this point. I told myself, it's only an hour. You can hurt this bad for an hour. Then i thought about other times when an hour seemed trecherous, yet i made it through.
The last leg was frustrated as it was so slow and the wind often knocked me down. When i saw a group up ahead I thought, that better be it or they will just have to leave me. Robert encouraged me that that was it and hunched over my axe, i plodded my way to the top.