Tent and stir crazy

Helliker has lost it. Too much coffee and too much time sat on his ass. He is singing Mano Chau at the top of his voice and between laughing til tears steam down our face the rest of us are wondering what our chances are if we escape this blond polar bear and walk out to Talkeetna and take our chances with the Grizzlies in the tundra...

The weather isnt really bad - if this was the 'gorms" we'd be out there aving it. But it isn't. It's the Ruth Gorge and even the lightest snowfall transforms the surrounding towers of granite into cascades of powder charging down the gullies and drifting in waves down the steep slabs. It was truely awesome sight this morning with the powder plastered mountains looming malevolently above our base camp.

After a caffeine come down we pull our socks up and re-pitch the Megamid. This is now harboring a subterranean palace dug deep into the bowels of the glacier with a tight weather proof slot to access the womb like interior.

The barometer has bottomed out but we might be waiting a bit longer for the quest we have come for.