Against the wind

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A new challenge

What a day it was today! This day can definitely go in the books. The wind was blowing hard, wind force 7 or 8, and we were faced with a difficult choice: should we pack up our tent and head out, or stay in the tent for another day? Finally, we decided to rise to the challenge and face the day.

Against the wind

When you have the wind at your back, it’s nice. But we had the wind coming from diagonally right in front. Moreover, the day also began with another white-out condition. Fortunately, it got a little better during the day and we even got the occasional sunshine. But the wind persisted. All day long, so we continuously felt the wind slanting right from the front in our faces.

Navigating with the help of the wind

Despite the challenging conditions, we discovered that the wind can be an excellent navigational tool. If the wind is blowing straight into your face, it means you have turned too far to the right. If you no longer feel the wind at all, you have gone too far to the left. By paying close attention to the wind, we were able to determine our route and stay on the right course. When I was ahead, I also watched the snow crystals and drifting snow to see which way they were going.

Walking by feel

The day was tough and we were so busy surviving that we couldn’t even look at the clock. After all, we were wearing as many as four layers of clothes, so we couldn’t easily check our watches. We walked by feel and paused occasionally. The strong wind was also quite cold as it came directly from the polar cap. We had to pack thick and I even walked all day in my down coat, something I normally never do. So it was really draining today.

Highlight reached

Despite the tough conditions, there was also a highlight: we reached the highest point of our route, at a whopping 2,504 meters above sea level. We dragged our sled up over 2.5 kilometers from sea level. It feels like an accomplishment to be at this point, even if we can’t ski down alpine right away. Every day the sled gets a kilogram lighter, but we still have to lug around 50 kilos. We should gradually go down toward Rai 2 and eventually our final point Point 660.

A well-deserved break

After this challenging day, we will first rest and eat in the cooking tent. The storm has abated slightly and the forecast for tomorrow is better. We are anxious to see what the next day will bring and how we will continue our adventure.