View slideshow 25-01-2013, Tochal (3962m) with -30C...
After so many attempts to get to Tochal in the winter this time I was desperate completely.
I woke up at 03:00 and at 04:00 started climbing from Darband. Shirpala shelter (2700m) I made in 2h15min, still 45min before the sun rise. Light breakfast in the shelter and start to the peak.
Beginning was quite easy: snow started only at around 3000m. The horror started a bit later: the temperature was around -15C and then wind started.
But what a wind! Later I got to know (in the shelter on the way back) that it was 15m/s.
Checking the Wikipedia it shows that the wind chill temperature was at around -30C. Wow!
Wind was left-front what means: disturbing to climb and making climbers to fall down. Many did but I had crampons and poles ;-).
Finally when I got to the peak I got incredible emotional - yes, being 40, doing almost the whole life no sport and now... just after around 4 months I could reach this.
Honestly: I'm proud: 18.6km, 13 hours up and down, "almost" 4km high mountain, such conditions... ;-)
OK, enough is enough. Just few pictures today as I was not in the mood to take any.
And again Mr. Damavand appeared - does it mean anything?