After three consecutive days of trekking, the members of the Renmin University Mountaineering Team finally arrived at the C1 camp at an altitude of 4,800 meters and will begin their summit push at 1:30 a.m.
Within this day, they will climb to the top of Nama Peak at an altitude of 5,588 meters, return to C1, and then immediately descend to the base camp at an altitude of 3,900 meters. The long journey, through mountains and rivers, is a physical and mental challenge.
8.6 Team Records Measurements
(1) Departure
For some reason, I slept surprisingly well these past few hours. Maybe I was really too tired, so I fell asleep when I lay down, only to be woken up by Seven Seconds at 12:30 in the morning. When I woke up, there were no obvious symptoms of high fever, and I even had the illusion that I was okay again.
Put on thick clothes, put on the safety belt, buckle the main lock cowtail ascender, and climb up the mountain boots with great effort. Seeing that I still had plenty of time, I packed my sleeping bag and threw out all the unused weight in my backpack. I hesitated for a while while considering whether to bring trekking poles, but finally decided to take them (a move that saved my life).
We went out of the tent to look for food. It was still a bit cold in C1 in the middle of the night. I remembered the criteria for judging the thickness of clothing mentioned by Brother Gou: It feels cold when standing outside waiting for others, but it is just right when moving.
Today's breakfast (actually a late-night snack?) is milk cereal, which smells delicious and feels good after a few sips. Then, before I even got back to the tent, I vomited... Well, I thought I was being rebellious, but it turned out to be an illusion.
The captains then announced the AB group, and at the same time, the needle said that he decided to stay in the camp due to physical discomfort. As the team doctor for the injection, I hesitated whether to stay with her. She has not recovered from her cold since she went up the mountain. She is still taking medicine and needs someone to take care of her. Before leaving, I promised her that I would keep an eye on her situation. But of course I am not willing to stop here after walking all the way... At this moment, my heart is very shaken.
I asked Ant if I needed to leave someone with me to accompany the needle, and she reassured me that it was fine. Ah Li or someone asked if it was okay to leave the needle alone, and the needle said it was fine, so don't worry. As if I finally found a reason for myself, I chose to leave after struggling. Later I learned that Needle was afraid of the dark, and even more afraid of being alone. She was not having an easy time the night we summited. So even now I still feel guilty and suspect that I made the wrong choice. How stupid, reaching the top is not as important as your teammates.
Now I can openly say that I feel guilty, but the hesitation at that time was only for a moment. When I came back to my senses, Brother Gou was explaining the final precautions. The guide asked everyone to make one final check whether the rope on the cow's tail was tied properly. So many people took it apart and tied it again. Because the ants have just tied the rope for me. So I had to fix the headlamp on the helmet. At this time, Fahai reminded me that the leg loops of the seat belt were not turned over, so I wasted time and put them on again.
 |
 |
Check equipment before departure
The equipment that was supposed to be checked the night before now all had some problems. Brother Gou was very angry and scolded Ant for this, asking why he only said he wanted to check but didn't confirm each one? Ant was also very aggrieved, saying that the team members were no longer children, and there was nothing she could do if they couldn't do the things they had been taught and emphasized. Now that I think about it, similar things have happened more than once, and it really deserves institutional reflection.
After a double check, everyone was cleared. It was already 2 o'clock in the middle of the night, and the departure time was half an hour later than planned.
C1 Camp: Works by Impressionist Photographer Chun Jiao
Finally, with the blessing of the needle, we set off.
(2) Climb
Going up from C1, there is first a gravel road with a relatively gentle slope. The altitude of 5,000 meters is already a forbidden area for life. During the day, you can see the bare rocky mountains. At night, no vegetation can be seen under the illumination of headlights.
Looking at Nama from a distance during the day, there are large areas of exposed rock under the ancient ice cap.
Due to poor rest and being behind schedule, everyone was generally in a low mood and was speechless all the way, just climbing in silence.
I was in a bad state and Ah Li followed Brother Gou in front, neither too fast nor too slow. After walking for a while, Brother Dog asked us how our pace was. For some reason, I actually swelled up and said we could go faster. Brother Gou said something to Brother Zong Xiang and Guide Zaji in front, and then went to the back to join the team.
As the slope, speed, and altitude increase, you can clearly hear the gasps of those around you and yourself.
My breathing rate has increased, I feel thirsty, and my lips are peeling. I must be slightly dehydrated, I thought, hoping to stop and replenish water. The road ahead probably stopped every 20 minutes, but at this time it felt like time was passing extremely slowly. It finally reached 20 minutes, but there was a risk of rockfall on the road and it was not suitable to stop, so we had to continue climbing.
As it became more and more difficult to chase the guide, I realized my naivety and said that the old driver Gouge was still stable. Controlling the speed could actually allow the team to go longer and farther. Overall, fewer breaks and less time would save time. So when I stopped to rest, I expressed my wish to slow down.
I don’t know if it’s because I’m rested or because I’ve really slowed down, but I seem to be able to climb up again. But at this time, Ah Li was not in good condition. Her high fever worsened and she could not walk. She felt nauseous and had a lot of sweating. As we walked, we fell behind from the front to the back. From time to time, we encountered large rocks on the road that required both hands and feet to climb over, and our physical strength was expedited. I knew this, but my stomach felt so bad that I couldn't eat anything. We gradually got further and further away from the main group.
It was very tiring to drive behind. The people in front had rested and we hadn’t arrived yet. We finally reached the resting point, but everyone was going to start again soon. Ant came back from the front and walked behind Ah Li for a while, suggesting that she should walk at the front. But Ah Li's strength had not yet recovered, and she could not walk fast in front. After the team stopped and walked for a while, they finally decided to let a guide (it seemed to be Brother Dan) to accompany her behind.
Seeing the light from Ahri's headlamp getting further and further away, the team stopped and waited. At this time, there was a faint light flashing in the distance. It took everyone a while to realize that it was our camp. Maybe the needle came out to use the toilet? Not only did I lament that it took more than an hour to cover such a distance (it was only when I got down the mountain that I realized how difficult this distance was).
We dialed the intercom in seven seconds, told the injector about our situation, and asked how the injector felt. Hearing the familiar tone of the syringe's summary of work, I felt a little relieved and quickly told her to take less medicine and replenish water (I don't know if she heard it). After a while, Ah Li also came up, and Brother Gou asked her how she felt and if she could continue. If it didn't work, it was still too late to descend now. The strong Ahri expressed that he could keep going.
We continued to climb in the darkness, headlamps illuminating only the road in front of us. Marching, resting, marching, resting...it was such a monotonous and repetitive two hours. On the right is the main peak of Gongga, hidden in the thick fog and night, looming.
The main peak of Gongga covered by thick fog in the distance
What it looks like during the day after the thick fog clears
The last rest in front of the ice wall was on a large platform with drafts from all sides and it was very cold. So I was going to add a piece of fleece to my jacket. The innermost quick-drying short sleeves had already been soaked with sweat. A gust of cold wind blew away the remaining warmth from my body. I quickly put on my fleece and put on my jacket. My body felt even colder against the clothes. I took out the thickest ski jacket from my bag and put it on, but I still kept shivering.
So cold.
I won’t be hypothermic. I’m still on the ice wall. I’m about to descend before I even see the snow line. Squatting on the ground, I was trembling while thinking about the first aid knowledge learned during the team doctor training. At this time, River Demon and Chun Jiao, who were hugging each other closest to me, extended a helping hand, and the three of them sat facing each other and hugged each other. But even so it was still so cold, it felt like my whole body was sticking to an ice pillar.
At this time, someone suggested that I eat something to replenish energy. Then I remembered that I hadn’t eaten anything (I vomited all the cereal I drank after getting up), so I endured nausea and swallowed a piece of Crunchy Shark and some kind-hearted person’s Jelly, drink some warm water that is almost cold. Then we moved on without stopping. After a while, we didn’t seem to feel cold anymore.
(3) Above the snow line
At 6 a.m. on August 6, we finally arrived under the ice wall. The ice wall in front of us is about fifty or sixty meters high and has a slope of 70 degrees. The two ropes of components A and B rise respectively.
When we got here, everyone was a little doubtful about life. When Teacher Six was interviewed by Fahai, he made the strongest statement about this mountain climbing activity.
Why did you come to climb? How do you feel now?
The sky gradually got brighter, and everyone started to change their small backpacks for the summit. If I didn’t have a summit bag, I threw down my big mountaineering bag, brought a big ice ax, and put a water bottle on my back in the river demon’s waterproof backpack. This was all my belongings on the way to the summit. .
The team members climbed up the rope one by one and began to climb the steep ice wall. You can go up faster by kicking the ice, but it will be very laborious if you only use the ascender and figure eight steps. The guides kept shouting "kick the ice, kick the ice" to us who were hanging on the ice wall and resting. However, because they had not experienced winter training or ice climbing training, many team members were not proficient in kicking the ice and still unconsciously adopted figure eight steps to climb upward. It took a long time to climb up the ice wall.
Ice wall climbing
on ice wall
After passing the ice wall, there is a section of mixed ice and rock climbing. Fortunately, the slope is not large, and the guides have already laid ropes, so it can be passed quickly and easily with the help of the ascender. It was a bit scary walking through the last section of the ice rock road without ropes. There were cliffs on both sides and there was no protection, so you need to pay special attention.
Mixed ice and rock section
Now, all that stood between us and the summit was the icy road in front of us.
The endless snow slopes resemble the winter scenery in the north. The difference is that the scenery in front of me is dangerous in its tranquility. There are crevasses hidden under the seemingly flat snow, which can be life-threatening if you fall into them.
It's not very strenuous to follow the footprints in front of you, but you will always miss the mark and sink into the snow. The shallow part is up to the calf, and the deep part is buried directly to the top of the thigh. I often see teammates in front of me suddenly kneeling on the ground and unable to get up for a long time.
Teacher Six Snow Hole Rescue
When kneeling down, the knee will touch the ground as the body leans forward. The alpine boot on the other leg has a sideways movement, which is equivalent to automatically locking and getting stuck in the snow. People instinctively want to pull it out in a straight line from the shortest distance, but the impact of ice and snow on the boot is The resistance will only be greater. It's not easy to get your legs out of the snow without a fulcrum, and it takes a lot of energy every time. The results of three months of physical training were tested at this moment.
It was inevitable that I would stumble along the way, but kneeling again and again was something I never expected. Looking up at the front, I saw the continuous snow slopes of Nama, but at this time I couldn't appreciate its beauty at all. I just wanted to climb over the snow slopes in front of me and reach the peak quickly.
However, when I climbed up this snow slope, I saw another snow slope. Ant and Chunjiao followed the guide at the front and gradually disappeared from my sight. I could only follow the river demon and Seven Seconds ahead as much as possible to avoid falling behind.
In the heavy fog, only the river monster and Seven Seconds can be seen in front of me.
At this time, I heard exclamations from behind. Looking back, I found that the sun came out, the thick fog dispersed, and the main peak of Gongga revealed its true face. In the past, I only viewed Gonggar from a distance, and only had simple stereotypes of snow-capped mountains such as holiness, beauty, and tranquility. But now I was in a trance. She was so close to me, as if I could fall into Gongga's arms with a single leap (no). Viewing Gonggar from above the snow line is indeed a different scene.
Looking at Gonggar above the snow line, how insignificant human beings are
In a daze, the morning fog covered Gonggar again, and we fell into the white forest again. I got up and continued moving forward. Seven seconds and the river demon were already far ahead, so I had to pick up the speed. After seeing the beautiful scenery, I seemed to have more energy and could continue to kick on the snow slope. Although this is more strenuous than walking, it can effectively avoid falling into the snow and actually improves the traveling efficiency a lot.
I moved forward slowly in a 100-meter sprint, and finally caught up with the seven seconds sitting on the ground resting in front of me. I thought it would be better to walk a little longer before resting while the iron was hot. Unfortunately, there was white ice and snow on both sides of the footprints, and occasionally there was a deep streak. The bottom of the ice crack.
It's too dangerous to go around, so walk slowly. Thinking this way, the person relaxed, exhaled with all his strength, and sat down on the ground...
I vaguely heard someone calling me, and it turned out to be my aunt who was catching up behind me and asked me to take pictures for him. So, did I fall asleep just now? He fell asleep on the spot unconsciously, probably because his brain was starved of oxygen. I looked up and saw that I couldn't see it for seven seconds. How long had I been asleep?
"Measurements, measurements, take a photo for me! Or record a video." The little aunt shouted again. Oh, by the way, I wanted to take a photo, so I quickly took out my phone and took a video of him going uphill while panting.
Aunt climbs the snow slope
My aunt continued to move forward contentedly, and I slowly climbed up to catch up.
(4) Summit and descent on snow slopes
The memory before reaching the summit is too blurry, and I don’t remember how long it took me to climb there. When we reached the top, we couldn't see the distance as we imagined, and we didn't even have time to marvel at the great rivers and mountains. I just remember being surrounded by fog and unable to see anything clearly. After hurriedly taking photos of the summit and group photos, it was time to descend. In a daze, the waterproof bag was also returned to the river demon.
Top photo with stiff expression
It was so difficult to go up, so it should be easier to go down. I stopped thinking that way when I took my first step and fell into the snow. Going downhill is far more difficult than I thought. On the one hand, the slope is too steep. On the other hand, it may be because my weight is too heavy. Every time I step on the foot, I will sink about ten centimeters, and I will fall if I lose my footing.
He looks like he's about to fall asleep while standing, and can easily fall over.
The descent video shot by my aunt, recording the beautiful and dangerous snow slopes
Later, I learned to put the center of gravity back and use my heels to exert force, but my whole leg would sink in accidentally.
The snow pit left after pulling out the leg
Due to poor physical condition, I followed the guide Zaji and the river demon in front when descending, but I fell uncontrollably all the way, and became farther and farther away from them.
As I walked and fell, I found that I was gradually becoming confused. My eyes, which were originally small, could hardly be opened and I could fall asleep at any time. So I subconsciously called to the river demon dozens of meters ahead, telling me to wake me up if I accidentally fell asleep.
The river demon turned around helplessly and said that she couldn't see me if she was walking in front, and she should tell the people behind me. Maybe I was really confused at the time and didn't even think of this. When I looked back, it seemed like no one had come yet, so I continued to stumble forward.
When I woke up again, I just felt thirsty. Water, I really want to drink water. The water glass seemed to be at the river demon's place. When he raised his head, the river demon turned into a small swaying dot in the distance.
"River Demon, I want to drink water," I shouted while sitting on the snow. She seemed to pause for a moment and said something I didn't hear. "Wait for me while you rest up front." When I said this, my voice became smaller and smaller, or maybe this sentence just stayed in my mind and did not really say it. Can not remember. Now that I think about it, I must have been very annoying at that time. I just remember that I wanted to drink water and didn't pay attention to her state at all. She was not in a good condition at that time.
I slowly got up, trying to catch up with her quickly. I heard someone coming from behind, and I saw it was Fa Hai and Lao Bao. In my opinion, Fahai is simply an outdoor tycoon, and he is good at all kinds of physical equipment and skills.
So I shouted with all my strength, "Fahai, please call me if I fall asleep." Fahai seemed not to hear clearly with his eyes half-opened. I repeated, "I'm a little confused now. If I accidentally fall asleep while walking, it's troublesome." Wake me up." Fahai still didn't say anything and moved his head to indicate that he must have heard me.
I continued to go downhill with one foot deep and one foot shallow. When I got to the back, I didn't fall asleep. I just dozed off and moved downhill in a daze. I vaguely heard the voice of "Don't sleep" coming from my ears. It might be Fahai and Lao Baochao should go over there. I nodded and continued to doze down the mountain. I fell down again, it was so troublesome, and I felt really sleepy, so I just took a short nap. Thinking about it, I fell asleep with my head buried in my knees.
I don’t know how long it took, maybe one minute, maybe five minutes or ten minutes. Brother Dan called me from the side, "Are you asleep?" I squinted and said, "I'm too sleepy, I can fall asleep if I fall." . Brother Dan didn't say anything more and stayed with him quietly. After a while he said he should leave after resting." I nodded and wanted to get up.
I sit on the ground and don't want to get up
Instead of getting up, I sat down and slid forward a short distance. I supported it with my hands and tried sliding again. I was suddenly surprised. It saves effort to move like this! No need to worry about your feet sinking into the snow. I asked Brother Dan if he could sit and walk forward. He said no, it was too dangerous and he had to stand up and walk. I reluctantly got up and continued downhill with great effort.
Not long after walking, I started to doze off again. No, I can't do this. What if my foot slips and I don't fall into the pit but rolls down from both sides of the "road". Shake your head to force yourself to wake up, take a breath and start the "100-meter sprint": focus on your heels, don't step too hard with each foot, quickly change feet, so that you can maintain a little balance, and then jog all the way.
I felt like I couldn't stop running, so I quickly slowed down. Sure enough, it fell again. And after rolling for two or three times, I stopped with an ice ax. Brother Dan quickly caught up with me from behind and asked me if I was okay. Although I fell a little badly, I finally found a way to go down the mountain. Now it is a race against time, so as not to drag down the mountain. Troops, going down early is better than anything else.
He climbed up slowly, took two steps and continued to trot, then fell down, and then continued. During this period, except for the fact that I fell down once and my whole leg got stuck in the snow and it took me a long time to pull it out, the rest can be said to be smooth. Brother Dan walked to the front because he had to take care of other people. Brother Dog walked behind me all the way and held the line, shouldering the heavy responsibility of waking me up.
The snow slope is almost over, and the retreat front has been stretched out.
In a daze, I finally saw the end of the snow slope. This endless road was too difficult to walk. After trotting to the boundary between ice, snow and ice rocks, I started to slow down and finally stepped on the solid ground. Somewhat dizzy, I walked through the unprotected "dragon's spine" and breathed a sigh of relief when I fastened the main lock on the rope.
I bent down and walked along the rope, passed the nodes, and got on the belay. The dog brother was behind to remove the station (I really fell behind). I walked to the ice wall and sighed. Going down was a laborious task. For me who is not skilled in technology, descending is more troublesome than ascending.
Teacher Zaji, who had been waiting for a long time, saw my confused look and helped me set up the ATC. I shivered (this time it was because I was unsteady, not because I was cold) and faced the ice wall, holding on to the life-saving rope with both hands, and slowly Release the rope to descend. I lowered my head and saw why it was still so high. I had no strength in my hands and had to go down quickly. Then I remembered the rappelling during ice climbing in Yunmeng Gorge. I wanted to quickly let go of the rope and jump down (it expanded again), but I jumped twice and got scared. The guide below finally came down honestly, found a stone, sat down immediately, hugged himself and took a nap, falling into autistic state.
stuck in autistic state
(5) Endless gravel slopes
After resting like this for about 10 minutes, it was time to set off again. Due to slow reaction, I didn't have time to catch up with the first wave of descending companions, so I dragged my big backpack behind. Teacher Six also looked tired, but seeing my poor appearance, he helped me share the big ice axe.
I can’t remember how I got down the rocky road that was almost straight up and down.
The cliffs are steep and gravel slopes. It’s not easy to get up and even harder to get down.
The high mountain boots filled with ice and snow made my feet hurt, and my legs were shaking with every step I took. The worst part was that I was still in a state of falling asleep at any time, my eyes were too sleepy to open, and I even started to have hallucinations ( Or maybe I was just dreaming while walking): I felt like I had fallen into a well-like pond. I could see the trees and figures swaying on the shore, but I couldn't climb up or reach it.
When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by rocks of the same color. My head felt heavy and I had no strength to raise my head, so I could only look down at my feet. I bent down and held up my hiking poles to keep from falling.
I can't sleep. I have to go down the mountain quickly. I can rest when I get to the camp. While thinking about it, he staggered and followed the person in front of him. He fell to the ground again in a hurry. The familiar plot played out again. While I fell, I took the opportunity to take a nap until I was woken up by someone behind me.
At least it's relatively safe to sleep on a rock, so you won't lose your footing and fall off the cliff. But there were bumps and bumps along the way, and even though I continued to wear several layers of long sleeves and jackets, my arms, backs of hands and knees were still scratched one after another, and blood flowed from the joints of two fingers on my right hand. This is the difficulty of climbing a gravel slope. If you fall down, you will be injured. It is not like a soft landing on a snow slope, where you only have to climb up.
I'm so tired, I feel dizzy, and I can't walk anymore. Brother Dog urged me from behind, saying that it would be good if the altitude dropped, but the problem was how could I get down there...
I was really tired and a little aggrieved at the time. At that time, I felt that only a needle could understand my feelings. I want to call her and ask her to write a prescription and tell me what to do. I used my trekking pole to stay on the spot (I really didn’t have the strength to sit down), took out my mobile phone, and saw that there was no signal from China Mobile or China Telecom, but I still dialed the number of the needle. Sure enough, it couldn't get through. Okay, I've given up, my temper is gone, let's keep going.
I don’t know how slow I was walking at that time. Anyway, every step was wobbly. I had to rest for a few seconds to stabilize myself after taking two steps. Now it is judged that the reaction is moderate or above, and even the series walking test cannot be completed.
I thought that hallucinations/walking dreams were the peak of symptoms of high reflexes, but a sudden circumferential headache made me realize what torture is. One second I was napping in a pond, and the next second I felt like my head was being pricked by dozens of needles. It hurts the same. I held my head and it hurt so much that tears flowed out. The boss quickly ran over from behind and asked me what was wrong. I was talking nonsense at that time and shouted, "There are so many syringes, so many syringes are pricking me", leaving my boss at a loss and looking confused. Alas, I didn’t feel this uncomfortable when I came up.
In fact, Teacher Bao has been feeling uncomfortable since yesterday afternoon until C1, but he still felt uneasy when he saw me walking with my eyes closed, so he stretched out his hand to help me walk. Unfortunately, my weight is 1.5 times his. It was too dangerous for him to support the two of us and swing together on the gravel slope. Although I was not far from being stupid at that time, I still had this common sense, so I continued to move slowly on crutches, shaking every three steps and falling every five steps. It was really hard for my dog brother and a few other people who were with me at the back. I've wasted everyone's time.
Just now I vaguely saw Chun Jiao on the top of the mountain ahead. She is my team doctor. I want to see her for treatment of the abrasions on my hands first. I left the small first aid kit at the camp. The medical kit of Group B is nowhere to be found. The medical kit of Group A may be at Spring Reef. Just give me a few band-aid packs. It would be better if there are rehydration salts or something, although I have already drank them all. I drank the last drop of water, just thinking about it, but when I raised my head, I couldn't see them.
Disappeared in the mountains in the blink of an eye
Chunjiao and Guide Zaji were clearly in sight just now. I couldn't help but wonder if I had fallen asleep again in a daze. I shouted twice to Spring Reef, but I didn’t get any response. Maybe it was because it had gone far away.
We can only keep moving forward and find a way to catch up with them during the break. But now a new question arises - where to go?
The gravel slope ahead was twists and turns, and there was no concept of a "road" at all. In which direction did they turn? Are we going to make matters worse now and get lost on the rocky hill? The first reaction was to turn around and ask Brother Dog, but Brother Dog was actually on the cliff far behind. Looking around, Teacher Six and Lao Bao were all drowsy. Only Fahai was still holding on, climbing up high, trying to position himself and find the way.
We just groped and walked, and finally saw them on another hill after climbing over one hill. Unfortunately, they are too far apart, and a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people will not be able to get across for a while. After waiting for a long time, they left their aunt to show us the way while the others continued to rush to the camp. Under the leadership of Fahai, we advanced towards the platform where they were before.
My memory about this stretch of road is too vague. I only remember that I fell many times and walked slower and slower. Brother Gou asked Fahai to go back to the camp to find someone to pick me up. Teacher Six and Lao Bao also left one after another.
After that, Brother Dog walked with me for a long time, but no one came. At this time, the camp in the distance could be vaguely seen, but Fahai and Lao Bao were nowhere to be seen. Teacher Six was sitting on a rock at the foot of the mountain, seeming very uncomfortable. Brother Gou was a little worried about the situation of Fahai and the others. In addition, the weather seemed to have changed at that time. Brother Gou judged my condition and said that I would not be able to reach the campground after another hour and a half of walking. I needed to find someone to help me before it rained heavily. So he left me a hiking pole and hurriedly left (I lent my other one to Teacher Six).
The descending gravel slope is more painful when falling
Ah, now I am the only one left on the mountain. I stopped in place to adjust the length of the trekking pole and looked ahead. I could vaguely see two small flags marking the trail. The slope of the road doesn't seem to be very big, just like hills, and it seems that you can go down it in a short jog. So I gained some confidence again and walked along the road that Brother Gou took down the mountain.
But after walking only a few meters, I felt dizzy again. Thanks to the support of two hiking poles, I didn't fall. I tried to open my eyes and tried to take a step forward, but the stone that was only 20 centimeters high in front of me was like a cliff and I couldn't step over it. What was wrong with me? He supported himself with trekking poles and stepped sideways before he could barely step off the rock. But there are countless stones waiting for me in front of me.
Just like that, I stopped after walking three steps, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. This might look like he was motionless from a distance. I saw Teacher Six at the foot of the mountain stand up and shout to me. But it was too far away, and it was difficult for me to concentrate. I couldn't hear what he said at all, so I could only wave my hiking pole to signal. Teacher Six sat there again and held his head, wondering if he could no longer walk. Brother Dog's route down the mountain should pass in the direction of the teacher. At least he can be seen, so Teacher Six is safe for the time being.
If you stand still and don't move your head, you can at least think, but as soon as you walk, you'll feel dizzy. After walking a few steps, I sat down on the ground to rest. I was fascinated by the sliding movement on the snow mountain. There were many stones on the gravel slope, and it was indeed slippery. , the sitting position can only be used when going down a steep slope. After thinking about it for a while, I got up and continued walking. My body was in pain but my brain was still chatty.
I wonder if I have become accustomed to moving at a slow pace in small steps, so I could go faster but cannot go faster because of my mindset or muscle memory (I'm using the word randomly again)? Just when I thought about trying to walk faster, I fell down on the side of the road... There were too many lice but I wasn't afraid of itchiness, and if I fell too many I wasn't afraid of the pain. I patted my dirty and unseemly pants, got up and kept walking.
After probably walking for more than two hundred meters, I turned onto a slope and saw what I had mistakenly thought were hills. It turned out to be a rocky hill with a slope of nearly 40 degrees. It looked so flat on the mountain. Under normal circumstances, I could probably climb over the big rocks, but for me now, it was like climbing to the sky, so I could only walk around along a relatively gentle path. The gravel on the slope is getting finer and finer, and you will slip if you are not careful. Reminds me of junior high school physics "change sliding to rolling, friction decreases". Just as I was thinking about it, it started to rain.
No, why are the raindrops so heavy, making people’s heads hurt? He picked it up with his hand and found that it was hail. To be honest, it was a bit novel for me at the time. After all, it was my first time to come into contact with hailstones: translucent, oval-shaped, flaky ice with a certain thickness. It is indeed a snow-capped mountain. Although it is bare and devoid of plants, the climate is still diverse. After the excitement passed, I began to worry a little: there was no place to hide from the rain (hail) in the mountains and plains with rubble.
At this time, I suddenly saw two people walking towards me from a distance. One was Brother Karma, and the other looked familiar but I didn’t know what his name was. Is this the rescue team? How are they going to take me away?
They stopped when they were almost in front of me and asked me if I could walk. I said I could walk, but I couldn't walk fast, couldn't stand steady, and kept falling. After hearing this, one of them came closer and put my arm on his shoulder, dragging me forward. The other person had no idea what to do and could only escort me from the side.
How should I describe this experience? My forward speed suddenly increased more than 10 times, but the pain in my feet also doubled. Originally unable to move my legs, I was dragged forward, my calves were slightly bent (otherwise I would have walked away with my two elder brothers in my arms), and my alpine boots kept hitting the ground. At first I could endure the pain in silence, but then I couldn't help but feel the pain. My brothers thought the speed was too slow, so they held me on the left and right, and ran on the gravel slope. I had no time to admire their physical fitness and their dexterity in climbing over the rocks. When the speed picked up, I was the only one left on the road, "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts." "It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, hiss, ouch" sounds. Later, I vaguely remembered that the two of them only stopped to rest once, changed positions, and then continued running with me on their backs.
In this way, with the help of my big brother, I completed the mountain road in 15 minutes, which may not take me several hours to complete.
(6) C1 descent
It was about 3:30 in the afternoon when we returned to the base camp. We set off at 2 in the morning and reached the summit at 8 o'clock. However, it actually took me longer to descend than to reach the summit. At this time, everyone was already packing up their things and preparing to break camp.
I was wise enough not to get into the tent. I found a stone tied with a windproof rope and sat down to rest. At this time, I had no energy to dismantle the tent. In the end, Ali Chunjiao was the one who helped to pack it up. I would like to thank them.
After struggling several times to take off my soaked mountain boots, I found a blister half the size of a palm on the back of my right ankle, with two smaller ones inside. The big toe of my left foot turned black due to congestion. There were also some gravels poured out of the shoes. I don’t know if they were from melted ice cubes or leaked in when I fell. No wonder my feet hurt along the way...
The largest sizes of the association's alpine boots are these two, with size 44 for the left foot and 43.5 for the right foot. I wore this pair of mixed shoes when I went ice climbing in Yunmeng Gorge last year, but I didn't walk so much, so it was okay. Alas, when you make money, you must donate equipment to the association. At least the shoes must be the same size.
I was dreaming about updating equipment for the association when I came over and poured me a capful of hot water from her 2L extra-large thermos cup. She watched me drink it and gave me a glucose injection to replenish my energy. Wow, I couldn't help crying when I saw the needle. After drinking water and replenishing sugar to stay alive, I got up to pack my hiking bag and backpack. Along the way, I disliked the heavy weight of this hiking bag, but every time I fell, the bag would hit the ground first to protect me. Alas, pat it, it’s not easy for this bag to follow me.
Because the blisters were so painful, I ended up wearing sandals to descend in order to avoid putting pressure on the wound. After descending about 800 meters from the top, I supplemented my diet with water and sugar, and I was finally able to walk normally. Although I can't walk fast with a limp, at least I don't have the splitting headache and confusion anymore.
When descending to break camp, we were still left behind because our movements were still slow. Walking with me was Teacher Six, and Fahai and Ant walked behind to hold the line. Looking ahead, we can see the two good brothers Ah Li Chun Jiao walking very fast, one hillside ahead of us, while Lao Bao follows them not far behind, walking alone. The teammates further ahead can no longer be seen. I really envy their physical strength and condition.
Slowly, Fahai caught up, and Ant also came over and asked me how I was doing. In this way, the four of us traveled at a relatively stable speed. I passed by the stream and the alpine meadow where I came up yesterday. When I passed by here yesterday, I was startled by a marmot that suddenly jumped out of the cave at my feet. I didn’t see this little guy again today.
Looking at the base camp in the distance - the light-colored grass in the middle of the picture above
We walked and walked along the road down the mountain. Teacher Six would turn to me from time to time and ask me how I was doing and if I could still move. He also said that he would help me with my backpack. He came up lightly and was clearly already carrying Ahri's bag when he descended. Tsk, since being dug out of the snow pit, Teacher Lone Wolf Six has become so caring about people, hahaha.
The ants played music along the way, most of which were pure music, but there was also one song with lyrics. The ants mumbled and sang, which impressed me deeply——
"There is a little frog in the happy pond. It dances as if it is possessed by a prince. Its cool eyes are as beautiful as any other frog..."
The magical and brainwashing melody accompanied us on the way down the mountain.
When we reached the halfway point of the mountain, we saw Ah Li and Chun Jiao by the river at the foot of the mountain being picked up by Zong Xiang who had returned to look for someone. However, the old man was still nowhere to be seen. Ant was worried that he would get lost alone, so he went down to look for someone first. . Liuqi, Fahai and I continued to move at the speed of the senior group.
Not long after we left, the three of us couldn't help but stop. Not because of fatigue, but because I saw Gongga. Gongga is exposed on the top of the mountain, and everything below the snow top is wrapped in clouds and mist. It looks like it is floating in mid-air. "Gongga Sacred Mountain", these four words come to mind.
This was my first time to see Gonggar seriously. At other times, I was either in a hurry or blocked by clouds and fog. On the top of Nama Peak, which is known as the best viewing platform, I only saw a white mist. Although it was already past 7 o'clock in the evening and the sun was about to set, we couldn't help but stop and take out our mobile phones to try to record this scene.
Gongga Shenshan floating in mid-air, the camera cannot capture its beauty
Going further down, a long white flag floated in the mist, like a hada magnified dozens of times, hanging on the opposite mountain, from the mountainside to the foot of the mountain. Under the banner are two white tents, looming. At that time, I thought of the foggy town in "Spirited Away".
"Is this a mirage?" I asked. The two of them were silent and didn't speak. We stared blankly for a while, unable to tell whether it was true or false.
Continuing to walk down, and getting closer to the foot of the mountain, I found two horses beside the tent, and it seemed that someone was talking. "This is the base camp that the ants said," I shouted. It should not be far from our base camp.
It felt like we had walked for a long time before we reached the foot of the mountain. In front of us was a wading road. The water was fast but not deep. We crossed the shoal and walked to the tent to see Ant and Laobao. I think it would be fine if I could rest here tonight. It is already dark and it would be too inconvenient to travel at night. Ant said that she had just asked Brother Gama to settle the payment for the horse-drawn pack tonight and see if she could ride back by the way. Hearing this, I felt relieved. The old horse knows the way, and we will be able to return to the camp soon (really on a horse).
At this time, my stomach was already growling, and I remembered that I had eaten almost nothing this day. I didn’t even have time to disinfect the injuries on my feet, so I was thinking about what I would do when I arrived at the camp.
After waiting at the entrance of the tent for a while, we didn't see Garma coming. We guessed that he might have taken the horse. There were already two elder brothers living in the tent, preparing to climb to the summit tomorrow. Seeing us standing in the cold wind, they quickly called us into the tent to warm up and wait, and even poured hot water to drink. After sitting for a while, the sky was getting darker and darker. Ant said we should wait at the intersection, so he said goodbye to the two enthusiastic brothers. They sent us out of the tent and waited until we were far away before going in. One of them kept urging me to put on hiking shoes when it gets cold at night.
We walked along the river for a while, but we didn't see Brother Karma coming. It was getting darker and darker, and I needed a headlamp to see the road. Since there was no signal on Ant’s mobile phone, I used my mobile phone to call Garma, hoping that he could guide us. After a while, a flashlight came on in the distance, and we responded with our headlamps and cell phone lights. Brother Karma walked steadily alone, it seemed that he still hadn't waited for his mahahaha after all. The ant warned us that Karma was walking very fast and we must follow closely. Seeing that I didn’t have a headlamp, I was given a headlamp (later I found out that it belonged to Teacher Six, who didn’t have a light along the way).
After Brother Karma came over, he told us that we would cross the path in a while and it would take about 35 minutes (or was it 15 minutes?). The wind was strong and the water was strong, so we didn't hear clearly. He looked at us again and said that it would take about 50 minutes to arrive with you.
Alas, we still have to walk 50 minutes at night. Before I could react, Karma strode forward along the river. Fahai and I followed at the end. Since there is a forest on the shore, there is only a small passage to walk through. I always step into the water from time to time while wearing sandals. Mr. Hai seems to be unable to bear to get his equipment wet, so he walks more carefully and falls behind. Seeing the headlights in front of me flickering on and off until they disappeared, I was a little anxious and shouted to wait for us. After climbing over a small slope, they saw ants and they stopped and waited. As soon as we appeared, Brother Garma moved forward again. Ant was worried that we wouldn't be able to keep up and would get lost in the fog, so he came to the back to join the queue.
When walking among the cliffs, I became a little unsteady and could not see the road very well. I almost fell into the river at the foot of the mountain, which made the ants frightened. After I got up, I saw her holding two hiking poles in one hand and holding a mobile phone for lighting in the other hand. I asked her where her headlight was, and she said she gave it to my boss. I said you can't do this. It's too dangerous to walk at the end without lights. If you wear a headlamp and walk behind, I can see it from the front. Unexpectedly, Ant suddenly got angry (trembling) and said that I was unsteady when walking with a headlamp on, and it was even more worrying if I didn't wear one. I thought so. As the captain, the safety of her team members was her biggest source of pressure, so I didn't mention it again.
As the road conditions became more complicated, my condition became worse and worse. He walks unsteadily, cannot keep up with the people in front of him, and often takes the wrong route. There was obviously a relatively gentle trail, but I didn't see it, so I took a detour and climbed up the rocky hills. After losing track of the people in front again, I told Ant that I should follow Brother Garma to the front. She told everyone to stop and asked Brother Garma to help me with my backpack. After changing positions, Liuqi and Fahai were behind me, and Laobao and Ant were at the end.
Following Brother Garma is less scary, but it is not easy either. Branches blocking the road, stones on the river, paths on the rock walls... No matter what obstacles he encounters, he will not slow down, as if he is driving through a wall. Goldfinger, I walked forward quickly, even chatting on the phone with my friends for a long time.
And I was behind, trying my best to catch up with his pace. I would look back from time to time to see if my teammates behind me were catching up. Some roads would be difficult to pass without looking at how the people in front were walking. I was often busy chasing Brother Karma in front of me. When I looked back, I couldn't see any light, so I was very anxious. I could only keep shouting to my elder brother to stop and wait. Later, Brother Gama was too bored to wait, so he actually started watching the video (I don’t know whether it was because of the high speed of the Internet or because it was downloaded in advance). I doubted more than once along the way that I shouldn't have walked in front, which would have slowed down Garma and failed to lead the way for my teammates behind me.
The most embarrassing thing is that I fell seriously twice on the road. The first time I tripped over a branch, I fell upside down in the bushes on the side of the road, getting stuck in the branches. I heard the sound of the river hitting the rocks below. Thanks to Brother Karma, he came back and pulled me up. Another time when I was crossing a river on rocks, my feet slipped, my knees fell into the water, and the trekking pole in one hand flew out. Since the current was relatively fast, I was worried that the staff would be washed away, so I quickly called my eldest brother to save the staff first. But he, as expected, calmly pulled me up and jumped over the rocks to retrieve the staff.
Later, the elder brother may have felt that I was not very reliable as a foot skater, so he consciously controlled the speed. When I was far away, he stopped and waited for me, and even turned around to use a flashlight to light the way for me. The eldest brother was silent all the way, only saying a few words and not having dinner yet. I understood the idea and said that we would go to the camp and eat together soon. My eldest brother smiled honestly.
After walking for about an hour and 50 minutes, I finally saw the lights and heard cheers from the distance. Ah, it's our teammates waiting for us. I was immediately very moved and wanted to see them quickly. But after walking out of the forest, I discovered that there was a wide and fast river in front of me. The river demon was waving from the other side, and Teacher Zaji and Brother Zongxiang seemed to be there too.
We'll be home after crossing the river, I thought as I used my hiking pole to test the depth of the water. The force of the current was so strong that it almost took away the hiking poles stuck at the bottom of the river, but the camp was right in front of us and we had to go there no matter what. I didn’t have any worries about wearing sandals, so I rolled up my trouser legs and went into the river. The water was so cold that I couldn't feel it, but the wound on my right foot was painful. After resisting the impact of the current and barely standing firm, I crossed the river first.
Crossing the river at night
Ant was not suitable for contact with ice water due to her physical discomfort. It would be best if someone could carry her across the river, but the guides said that the water was too fast and it would be dangerous for both of them. Helpless, with the help of Fahai, the ants could only swim over. Brother Garma put on the rain boots prepared by Teacher Zaji and came over, carrying my and Ant’s hiking bags. Then came Lao Bao. Since Teacher Six did not bring any shoes, he finally decided to cross the river barefoot.
At this point, everyone returned to the base camp safely but not smoothly.
ps. I had spicy duck and potato beef at night