113 - 27th Tuesday 113
Andy Waddington
Having calculated all the tackle to the nearest inch, the rigging in was bound to be superbly efficient and smooth - WRONG ! The entrance pitch was easy, then Andy tried to pioneer a new route to Fox's Glacier. Once a safe route was relocated, life got complicated since Point Five Gully was completely iced over - exit one 50+m rope meant for lower down. More big ice formations in Barnsley Methodist Chapel then cock-up no. 2, a 15m rope for a 14m pitch with a 10m belay. A 22m rope didn't quite reach, much to Andy's annoyance, so exit another 50+m rope meant for lower down. The next rope was perfect though, and the smooth efficiency started to appear. Rigged right on down the Opera House and Purple Pit to -210m and dumped remaining tackle (just one short rope) before muesli crawl. Then up and out to a rainy, dark, grotty evening. 7 hrs.
Desperate walk back in wet black gravity. Missed pub but beer in car.
~ 7 hrs.