Paul Pottinger’s Adventures from the Top of the World
Category Archives: Descent
Forbidden Peak via North Ridge Day 3
Cascades • September 5
The day’s climb, condensed to 13 minutes. My favorite segments are at 3:44, 5:00, and 9:42. For those who want to see all the footage I shot that day, about 2 hours of our 14 hour day, here it is. Language cleaned up, otherwise raw footage: Here’s the blog. I slept well on the bivvy … Continue reading Forbidden Peak via North Ridge Day 3
Deliverance From 27,000 Feet: Clarifications
Everest 2016 • May 22
On December 19, 2017, the New York Times published an article called “Deliverance From 27,000 Feet” by John Branch. It is excellent. I am glad to have contributed information and images that I hope will provide some sense of clarity and closure for the families of the fallen. Comments on the story have fallen into … Continue reading Deliverance From 27,000 Feet: Clarifications
Elbrus: Top of Europe
Elbrus 2017 • July 24
I slept for about two hours in total that night, rolling and shifting in the sleeping bag, checking my watch by the red tactical light every 20 minutes or so. I listened for a storm like the one we had the night before, but things sounded quiet outside. Will we go? Traveler’s diarrhea had hit … Continue reading Elbrus: Top of Europe
Down
Everest 2016 • May 21
My fingers were becoming painful in the cold. Getting the photos I wanted meant wearing just the merino liners, and they could only stave off the wind for so long. I’m not sure what the temperature was on the summit, but would guess circa -10F before the wind chill. Actually, the wind was not too … Continue reading Down
Helivac
Everest 2015 • April 27
I slept poorly that night, thinking about the next morning’s move to C1. How would conditions be on the glacier? Would we find the crevasses impassable? Would the weather hold and allow us to fly to EBC? It was bitterly cold when we woke up. Hasty last minute packing, a very quick breakfast, and we … Continue reading Helivac
