Back to Camp 1 and the ICE FALL

Tuesday May 4th
We get up early (3:30am) and Nima and I head for the Ice Fall. The weather is cold but no snow and w began our accent. Nima is a bit quicker than I like for my pace but we are doing well and making progress. Not too many people in the ice Fall as most people are still at camp 2 and camp 3 for the last time.

It is always amazing to me what has changed in the Ice Fall just in the last few days since I was there last. In this case, on the lower end (The popcorn) I think the changes are better. They might be a little steeper but it also cut off some ups and downs that to me are the killers.
We made it to top of the Popcorn to an area called the “Football Field” and area that at some point collapsed and it looks like a football field, and we were there in about 3 hours, my best time yet and I was feeling pretty good.
Then the sun came out and really started slowing me down along with the steep ups we have to climb to the rims with the 3 vertical ladders and the 2 straight up faces we have to climb to complete the Ice Fall. They continue to evolve but after slugging my way up these faces I had been on my feet for almost 6 hours, again my best time but I was beat and I still had almost 1.5 miles left ‘zig zagging” the ice field. This should have taking about 30 mins or so but it took me 1.5 hrs as I told Nima to go to the camp and I would be there when I go there. After all was said and done I was there in 7:30 mins total or about 30 mins quicker than the last time. I was happy about this but disappointed after such a good start to the “football field” area. I was dead tired and ready for bed. Since Camp 1 is only a tent site there is nothing to do other than sit in the tent. Nima gave me some food and I went to sleep we had to move up to camp 2 the next morning and I needed the rest.
I did talk to Jim and Wally by radio which made me feel good about the day but I knew my time was still too slow. I still didn’t understand why I just couldn’t sustain any stamina over the long haul but hopefully tomorrow would be better.
Weather was cold as we continued to get hammered by the snow in the Western Cwm, more than what they have seen in the past years.