We got up early doors and had an interesting scramble up to the base of the climb in very icy conditions but fun just getting to the start. Things were looking good but as we got over the lip of final wall, we saw a couple of young turks kitted up and about to start the route - bummer. However, after a brief chat they were off and climbing fluently.
Mark took the first lead and we were all booted and suited, ready to rock. Mark headed up the first pitch but near the block shouted down he was unwell and light headed. No dead heroes motto came to mind and he quickly set up a double checked abseil and came down to the start. He was pale and a bit shitty looking...no change there then...but we sat down and had a sarnie and some statutory tomato soup. He brightened up a little but it didn't make sense to keep on, so we bailed off another abseil to easier ground and trekked over to the bottom of the chute from Crowberry Gully and Easy Gully.
There was some clear evidence of serious avalanche activity and sluffs running down the gully. We moved quickly and safely over the exposed ground to the safety of Curved Ridge line and had a final abseil, after some serious excavations and off my abandoned prussik loop, further down and then had a comfortable walk down to the Great Water Slab, thence to the car.
All in, still a good day out and sensible decisions made, resulting in a fight another day...another seven years - shoorly not.
Short video showing the conditions on the day - lots of ice about but melting fast in the warm front which won out over the lovely chill from Siberia :(
Nice one, good decision making is the most important thing on the mountains. I hope the adventure company is taking off.
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