Darkness
Nightly approach to Königspitze from Rifugio Casati. The valley is deserted and navigation through the terrain difficult. This same week, a woman has slid off the summit glacier to her death. We mourn her death, reminded of our short time here.
Sunrise at Königspitze
At 5:30, 4 hours into the climb, the sun rises and gives me a warm feeling of being in the right place, despite the infamous reputation of this 400 meter flank where a woman slid off to death just a week before.
The exposed summit ridge
Stepping across a steep patch of ice more or less unprotected headed for Königsspitze summit, while keeping in mind the people who lost their lives sliding off the mountain flank below us.
Rainy day
Rock fall is one of the largest objective dangers at Königspitze, and tension is tangiable as it's time to descend the couloir.
