The hardest thing to do in the mountains is to know when to leave the summit for another day. Our group had to make a very difficult decision today and based on a very poor weather forecast we have decided to head back to Base Camp. Our first priority in the mountains is always safety and we all agree the best choice in these super cold temps and high winds is to take care of ourselves and head down the mountain. Juan said that the birthday celebration with beers and pizza at Base Camp made up for skipping the summit. Tibor said he felt like fighting the dragons on the upper mountain was enough for him. Steph said we are all in good spirits now but the decision was a hard one. Ongun's sun burnt nose has spoken for him. Doug called, full porter. It has been an amazing journey and we've recognized that learning more about ourselves is far superior than reaching the summit. The ultimate destination is to be home safely. RMI Guides JJ Justman and Christina von Mertens

On The Map