Mount Galatea attempt – October 9, 2004

Mountain height:     3,185 m (10,449 ft)
Elevation gain:         approx. 1,100 m 
Roundtrip time:        7:45

Scrambling with Mark.

At 10:30 am , Mount Galatea appeared to be a completely feasible ascent. Five hours later it had turned into, “Not on your life, Jose!” Sparing everyone the boring details, about half way up the ascent slope, we were hit hard by heavy snow and strong winds. We persevered up to the summit ridge, but the snow had no intention of letting up and, in the present conditions, the difficult scramble to the summit would have been risky at best and downright stupid at its worse. Also, the whiteout conditions meant that there would have been no summit view and we, therefore, would have been compelled to return anyway. Without too much debate, we make a slow, tedious, and painstaking retreat down the steep rubble slopes, covered with a fresh layer of snow.      

Mark, with Mount Galatea in the background - a little snow, but certainly nothing to worry about

Mark, at the summit ridge - alot more snow...definitely something to worry about!

Me at the summit ridge. 

Looking back the the ascent route on return; a slightly different look than the scene 6 hours earlier

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