Actions
(43.25 KB, 980x296)
(127.99 KB, 768x518)
This winter I hiked one of the high peaks of the Atlantic seaboard of the Americas - so not high at all, just 2 to 3 kilometers over sea level. This was my first experience with real cold and naturally ocurring ice. The weather forecast was -1 °C and wind speeds are very high near the top. All the ice I could find would barely fill a bucket, but it was there. Several of my teammates had already conquered this mountain. I never had any doubt I could get to the top, but from everything I had heard from the veterans, it can be a very uncomfortable experience if you're careless. Around the camp, at about two thirds of the way up, daytime temperatures were just above ideal for sunbathing, but gusts of cold air would blow randomly. When I tried to read a book, I could never settle for either the shade or direct sunlight. I also immersed my hands for a couple minutes at the ice cold water in the streams and I could feel them going numb. Not like I was scared, I touched it as much as I could without a bathing suit. Nobody here would dare to jump straight into that water, but I do know hikers with no prior experience swim in these waters sometimes. It's just a matter of dipping slowly. Temperatures drop fast once sunlight isn't hitting directly. I was warm in my tent, but the walls were colder to the touch than the water in daytime. It was a dreadful touch. When I woke up, the whole tent was covered in frost. As was the car. We soon figured that ice was immune to cloth but could go away with water from our flasks. There was more frost on the vegetation along the way and a couple streams were frozen over bare rock near the top. It's demistifying. Natural ice is just the same material as the one in my freezer. At least I have bragging rights now. I began the climb in full cold gear and immediately realized how much warmth physical effort provides. I had heard of it from everyone, but did not expect to face it in the first 30 minutes. I did most of the climb with a single coat and no hand or head protection. The wind forced me to cover my head in the last stretch. I think for every combination of clothes and wind speed there must be a degree of physical effort which preserves thermal balance. At the top everyone rests to wait for the sunrise and that's when the full cold can be felt. I heard this was a miserable experience. My veteran teammates covered themselves in their blankets and stood still. I got into my full cold gear again but walked around looking for the best views. -1 °C is nowhere as bad as they say. It was uncomfortable but I could tough it out. The route we took was the shortest, but also the most demanding. I could still have climbed another half a kilometer above sea level without tiring myself. The best part after the views was the comraderie, stopping for short rests and sharing snacks.