CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - 2024

Plan was to go to Iceland, survey the stuff we'd found earlier, push until we ran out of rope, and derig so we could relocate to somewhere more interesting. Didn't move my arse out of Top Camp until 12:20, so we knew we were in for a late finish. Changed at 161d, walked to 161e and were under by 3 pm. Survey went reasonably well, but at no great pace owing to verticality and lots of loose shit around. Rigged the undescended pitch which we'd bolted on the last trip, to find our rope didn't reach the bottom. I set off down with another one, but the pitch needs another bolt to avoid a bad rub, and Julia was now very cold, so we jacked. Looks like there may be a way on at the bottom through a fairly narrow rift (probably another pitch).

Derigging went smoothly and we emerged from 161e at 11:45. Changed at 161d and left there at 01:20 carrying my gear and a bag of rope. Arrived Top Camp 03:00. The walk was grim, and it later transpired that I'd also carried Julia's SRT kit inadvertantly, which didn't help matters.