Tradecraft — ropework before the climb

I was given medical clearance to climb today. Tomorrow the ascent begins.

Much of today was spent practising tradecraft. Safety first on ascent, safety last on descent. Prussik knots and crevasse self-rescue. Figure-eight descents with rope locking. Ice axe technique and fall arrest. Using the jumar and dealing with it when it jams. How to correctly fit and walk in crampons. To my surprise, plastic double boots are actually fairly comfortable.

The afternoon went on rigging gear and double-checking ropes and knots. Our two main climbing Sherpas, Pemba and Narwong, arrived back at basecamp late, having installed all the fixed rope across the exposed sections of the climb. Apparently the route is more technical than last year's reconnaissance climb due to ice movement and snowfall, so we should be in for a good challenge.

We do have concerns about Dora — she displayed dangerous incompetence with techniques today. I counted five separate occasions where she was free of both safeties, plus a collection of other terrible errors. She'll climb under the watchful eye of our leader, and absolutely nowhere near any of my anchor points. She's a danger to herself and every other climber around her. But she paid her expedition fee, and clearly lied about her mountaineering experience.