Climbing Mt Rainier |
 We returned to the spot where we’d cached our gear, and sometime after 8 o’clock we hoisted our packs on our backs and began our descent. Eric initially led our rope-team down the mountain. Around 9:30 am he paused, turned round, and took this photo looking back up at the rest of us. It shows just how right Eric had been to oppose adding the two newcomers to our rope (they are the two people who were nearest to Eric when he took this picture). The two young men were tired and clumsy. The one closest to the camera was standing with his crampons on the rope. Both were a very real threat to their own lives, as well as to ours. |