Correspondence - ICO Library

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Binocular Vision & Correspondence FIRST Quarter of 2011
Strabology Quarterly©
Volume 26 (No.1):
A Medical Scientific e-Periodical Page 03-20
After more than 7-8 hours of climbing, we
came within 100 yards of the summit and we hit a
wall; a wall of people. There was a group of 10-12
climbers on the route just ahead of us, below the
summit. We were so close that we could see
people on the summit looking down. The group
ahead of us was spent; they appeared to have
nothing left in their tanks. At just
under 23,000 feet, we were all
moving very slowly, but these
people were moving even slower
than slow, or not at all. They would
struggle to move a couple of steps,
then stop, sit or fall on the ground
and then after several minutes,
individuals would get up and inch
forward a few more steps only to
stop again.
Our head guide asked them to
step aside and allow us
to pass, but was
refused. At this point,
it was getting late,
weather was moving
in, and we had a
discussion among our
group about turning
around and going back
even though we were
within sight of the
summit. We decided to
keep an eye on the
weather and maintain a
low threshold for
turning back. The
group ahead of us
probably added an
hour to an hour and a
half to our summit
day, but we finally did
make it to the summit.
Ultimately, 5 of 10
climbers and 3 of 3
guides made it. I
remember being up there and taking photos and
looking around at this very small piece of real
estate, 22,840 feet in the air, but I do not
remember everything. I do not remember looking
off in the distance, do not remember how long we
were there or what was said while we were there,
but I do recall that it was all very exciting.