Struck by lightning on the Aiguille du Chardonnet - 12546ft (3824m) | ||||||||||||
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Introduction | ||||||||||||
-Leaving summit | ||||||||||||
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JC and I stopped immediately below the summit rocks. There was the briefest of exchanges to agree that descending by the west ridge was the right thing to do. We checked the guide book's description of the way off. With distant thunder providing a backdrop to our conversation, we kept our heads down. We were scared that we could be struck by lightning at any time. The summit of the Chardonnet is surrounded by extremely steep terrain. We had to find a particular couloir which leads via difficult mixed ground to a high snowy shoulder. Below the shoulder, pure snow and ice slopes descend steeply to the easier going of the Tour glacier. A giant rimaye and crevasses complicate this icy descent. We had to find the shoulder if we were to get off successfully. We set off down the gently descending west ridge closely followed by the Dutch. We peered continually down the steep cliffs which disappeared from sight into swirling cloud looking for our couloir. As the minutes passed we were acutely aware of the growing invisible threat within the dark cloud around us. We'd read that the couloir was fairly close to the summit yet 10 minutes or so later we were still trapped by rocky precipices. Concerned that we may have missed it we stopped to read the guide book. To keep low the other three sat down, ducking their heads below the ridge crest. I pulled the book out and stood so I could view the ridge. The south facing slopes were just inches from my feet. They plunge nearly 4000ft to the Argentiere glacier below. I made a mental note that whilst reading I must not forget my footwork. I never got the chance to read the book. | ||||||||||||
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