DAY 19. June 16th. GORIZ TO SOMEHWERE IN AÑISCLO VALLEY

1. Leaving Góriz. Where are the marks? 2. The way down is to the left of the ridge. 3. Three little piggies in the tent.

14 hours. Worst day so far. Seriously consider going home, possibly in a helicopter. People in Góriz refuge all seem to go home instead of going up Monte Perdido due to the fog. We set off in the rain and cloud without asking any questions. Cold and tired from little sleep, no shower, no toilet. After challenge of finding our way through snow with no visibility start to go down wet, narrow canyons basically clambering or on our bums. Crossing high rivers in our boots as there just seemed to be no way our feet could get any wetter. Practically no food as it’s too wet to stop and cook. Over into Añisclo Valley and up towards Collado….more rivers, colder, toes begin to freeze. Fog, rain and snow starts at 2000 when we know we have to reach 2500m. Starts to get dangerous. Can’t see much, cold, frozen feet, don’t know if the snow will hold us or if we will slide into an abyss. Worst of all don’t know what’s on the other side of the peak but we persist since we’ve come a long way already. Sandy slips, grips a stone, I secure myself and hold her up with my stick until Colin can get down to help too. We persist along the ridge. I can’t feel my feet and am entering into that state of too cold to care. Hail, wind, fog. I want to go home, can’t react properly. Colin finds a path along the ridge and over to the left it is sunny but turns out to be a sheer drop and we are balanced on rocks and ice. I feel too cold to go on. Colin and Sandy see that the way down is blocked with snow and head back. We have to turn back. Reach where Sandy slipped and I slip too but Sandy and Colin are in front and brake me. Retrace steps as well as we can although the footsteps are not clear any more. Luckily the fog clears so we can figure out the way. Down, down, down, down. We decide against going back to Góriz and going back up all those canyons so our only choice is to follow the valley down. Colin’s book says there is a camp-site in the valley but we have no maps now so don’t know how far. Thunder but blue sky ahead. Follow the river’s edge which gets steeper and steeper as it eventually turns into a gorge. Very tired and negotiating the water-falls on the river’s edge gets harder and harder. Path gets thinner and thinner and light starts to fade. Realize that we are going to have to stop but there’s just a narrow path and then slope and river. Pass one tiny gap between some rocks and know that this might be the only place. Carry on for 10 minutes and decide to turn back. Only room for one tent. Pasta and sleep, all 3 in one tent. Glad to be alive and warm. Don’t know what tomorrow will be like.