Healed, ready, steady, go...

"Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy..."  - Lennon–McCartney (and the crooner at the hut)

Nearly 4 months ago my friend Greg Sadowy asked me if I wanted to join his team at climbing Gran Paradiso (4061mt/13300ft) by the normal glacier route in August this year. Apart from Mont Blanc, which is shared between France and Italy, Gran Paradiso is the the highest peak fully contained in Italy. Back then, every morning when I woke up I was still limping around for half an hour like a one-legged dog. I would join my office-mates for an occasional run, only to wake up next morning in more pain. Gran Paradiso this year, or perhaps even next year, seemed out of the question.

But then, my 30th birthday was looming, and the impending quarter-life crisis got me thinking very very hard. I am too cheap to go through actual physical therapy (apart from after my accident, I have not visited a doctor in last 8 or 9 years), and the no activity/gentle activity approach seemed to be proving futile. I had to take the remaining Hamikesque option: increase the intensity level of activity and push through the pain, secretly hoping it will eventually get bored and go away letting me play again.
 

The Eiger, with the distinct Mittelegi ridge in the skyline and the famous North wall. The Eiger Rotstock is a 500 metre via ferrata in the bottom right hand side of the North wall.

This new plan started with increased running mileage, then meeting Stephen and the Beckers in Grindelwald to climb the Eiger Rotstock via ferrata on day 1, some more running later that evening, and on day 2 hiking up to 9000 feet (with a heavy pack) in the Bernese Alps. The ankle seemed fine! Hooray to stupid absurd plans! And, I saw the stunning Mittelegi ridge on Eiger. That sealed it. I wrote to Greg, 2 weeks remaining, and asked if I can join for Gran Paradiso. He said yes!

Totally stoked now, I ramped up my activity levels in the next 14 days. I ran close to 50 miles, including a half marathon with my officemate Ali, did several local hikes, watched Rocky 1 and parts of Rocky 2, and climbed the local (30 mins by bus from my home!) San Salvatore via ferrata on my 30th birthday! I later read in a guidebook that this via ferrata is technically the hardest in Switzerland, with a rating of KS6. Federico, whose gear I borrowed, tells me there are harder and longer ones in the Dolomiti.

Half way up the San Salvatore via ferrata. It is short (1.5 to 2 hours), but pumpy, and I went on a 90F day. Good thing I have been doing my pullups regularly! 

 On 15th August (buono ferragosto!) I was hiking up with 5 others in our team (Greg, Marilee, Lillie, Carsten and Kathy) from the stunningly picturesque Aosta valley to the Vittorio Emmanuele hut at 2715 metres with a 20kg backpack. I had left my ice axe in India, so I took Kyle Dempster's ice tool out for a spin. If you don't know who he is, check this video of him on a most inspiring multi-week solo biking and first-ascent climbing trip through remote parts of Asia. I have those very tools as in the video now! It makes sense to get accustomed to doing snow/glacial approaches with it instead of an axe given my future objectives.

At the trailhead

At the hut, 7PM. The hut itself is a popular hike destination. On this sunny evening, when we reached there this guy was playing and singing "All you need is love". Good omen.

La Trescenta and Ciarforon (left to right) at bedtime

The hut was quite posh (by my cheapo standards). Great food, nice beds, and I made 3 new friends! Virrna, Matthias and Chongma. If you go there, please tell them hello from the shaven-head Indian guy who came in ferragosto. If you get lucky, maybe you too will get a free macchiato or free apricot pie :)

Per usual, I upped my garlic intake (I had it high for 5 days or so before the climb). My teammates did not protest much, or at least were kind enough to not punch me. You can explore the scientific literature on garlic and tell me (and Messner/Twight/countless sherpas) if it just a placebo or not.

We had dinner at 8, and were in bed by 9ish. Next morning, Friday, we woke up at 4, to find that Greg had been up all night powdering his nose. Carsten as well was not feeling great. This was a bummer. But perhaps for good, since we had all come up from sea level the previous morning. So we decided to postpone summit attempt to next day. We instead went up to the beginning of the glacier, and scouted out the route amongst moraines for tomorrow. There are a few scary and bad ways you can go if not careful! We were back by lunch. I had a voracious appetite on the entire trip, and ate 1.5 meals. Then, some good icing in the lake next to hut. Later that evening we practiced some crevasse skills and got ready for next morning. Greg and Carsten were thankfully starting to feel better.

Carsten chilling before the snow/glacier begins, around 3150 meters.

Don't fail me tomorrow, ankle! I have waited 1 and a half years to come back for this.

Next morning, Saturday, we woke up at 0330, and were on the road by 0440. Marilee, the ever so trooper, pushed it till the glacier, and following her we were soon at the base of the glacier and roped up. On one rope team, it was Greg, Marilee and me, while the other three were on the second rope. We went past a few clearly visible crevasses, not too many. We reached the summit ridge by 0845, to some most excellent views. The ridge had now started to get crowded. This ridge, with some exposed class 3 scrambling, is the major challenge for especially the guided teams, and is a clear bottleneck. We were early enough to not get too badly stuck. The rest of the story through pictures:

we go UP!

sunrise as we climb the glacier

so good to be back. I smiled, whistled and sang most of the way.

Nearing the summit, visible beyond the dirty ice here. our route avoids this and goes to the right.

Mont Blanc and Grand Jorasses. The ice tool I carry today has been to quite a few of those places!

from summit ridge

little bit of fun easy but super exposed scrambling to reach the summit proper. Here Marilee on a "belay" by Greg.

The handsome couple Marilee and Greg at the summit

The punk in crampons at the summit

This one's for Kyle: to love, respect and adventure! Hello from your old cobra!

We then downclimbed the ridge, and jumping a few little crevasses, were soon back at hut. ~8 hours round trip hut to hut, with 45 minutes plus on the crowded ridge. Beer and cake was consumed at the hut, and then a quick hike out.

back on the ridge

Kathy jumping over a crevasse on the way down

La birra

Until next time! Time to get stoked for some metadynamics now, but only after I eat a gelato straciatella by the lake Lugano and dream a bit more.