Today, we woke up at 7:30 a.m. and made some final preparations before heading to breakfast at 8. We were treated to some tasty cinnamon buns to fuel us for the day ahead. After breakfast, we went to the other dome to put on our double boots and finalize our bags, including adding the ice axe, which brought my bag’s weight to 16 kg.
It took us a bit longer than expected to get everything ready, but by around 9:30 a.m., we set off for our trek to Camp One. The first step was walking through base camp to the edge, where the climb began with a rocky hill. The ascent took about an hour, and though the weight of the bag was noticeable, it wasn’t too difficult as we kept a slow and steady pace.
At the top of the first hill, we encountered penitentes, which we carefully crossed before reaching a glacier. The path here was rocky, with more penitentes and zigzagging trails. We continued back and forth along the glacier until we reached the base of the hill leading up to Camp One.
Midway through the hike, I realized I had miscalculated and brought only 3 liters of water, which ran out after about two and a half hours. Thankfully, like an oasis in the desert, we reached a section of penitentes that had melted into a small pool. I refilled my CamelBak there, adding Aqua Pure tablets with the help of Kira. With water replenished, we pressed on to the base of the final hill.
The climb to Camp One became significantly more challenging. The hill was steep and mostly a scramble, requiring us to zigzag our way up. Though the camp seemed deceptively close, this final stretch took about two hours. The first third was manageable, as the rocks were stable enough, but as we approached a set of penitentes to cross, the terrain became more difficult.
The last stretch was the hardest. The slope became steeper, and the rocks got looser, making it tricky to find secure footholds. We had to stay close together, but this increased the risk of rocks sliding down onto the person below. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and after a tough effort, we finally reached Camp One after five and a half hours of hiking.
At Camp One, we took a much-needed hour-and-a-half break, enjoying what was left of our snacks, including a delicious empanada and some chocolate. Unfortunately, I had a persistent headache throughout the hike and even during the break at camp, likely due to the altitude, the effort of carrying a heavier load, and the fluctuating temperatures between the cold and heat.
After our acclimatization time, we began the descent back to base camp. The return trip was much faster, taking only three hours. For the first third of the descent, we were able to slide down sections of loose scree almost like skiing, which made it quicker and more fun.
We finally arrived back at base camp around 6:30 p.m. and immediately rushed to take off our double boots, which had been uncomfortable the entire way down. Then, we connected to the internet during the precious minutes before dinner to catch up on the world.
Dinner consisted of soup, a Thai-style lentil dish, and cinnamon pineapple for dessert. Afterward, we decided to take photos of the stars. However, since it wouldn’t be dark enough until 10:30 p.m., we had to wait about an hour and a half before heading out to capture the night sky.