All kitted up ready to hit the hills!

Where the risk of crevassing exists we have to be roped together as an Alpine pair. The picture above is the equipment we carry for being able to rescue your partner if they go down a creavasse. Two snow stakes, ice axe, ice hammer, harness, a 50 meter dynamic climbing rope, jingly janglies (13 different caribeners with lots of different tools), a climbing helmet, backpack, crampons to fit on plastic mountaineering boots and of course a backpack with first aid kit, extra gloves and warm clothes, water and food.

This is Clive and I roping up we have walked away from each other in order to divide the rope into three. We then carry a third of the rope around each of us in coils and are connected by a third of the rope. This ensures a gap of 10meters or more between each person and allows us to have sufficient rope to set up a system of rescuing our partner out of a crevasse.

On Sunday we climbed Badger’s Butress which had amazing views to the mountains on Alexander Island over 100 miles away. Around my body I am carrying 1/3 of the rope in coils which shortens the rope and creates a chest harness so that I would hang the right way up if I fell in a crevasse.

At the end of our little climb it was fun making a snow angel! I have to admit to lI am looking forward to rolling around in a carpet of green grass.