After nine days of destroying our guide through rain, cold, vert, slot canyons and razor sharp volcanics, it came down to an alpine-style assault on a profile of a ram that was a mile and a half away through the spotting scope. We dumped everything in our packs. Rationed power bars and one Mountain House, with the expectation that we weren't stopping until we got it done. It was 2 p.m.
Cliff bars, scree fields, open bowls, rock ledges and the greatly appreciated patch of alpine grass and lichen. Crunching rocks, slides, hand signals, hushed whispers.
We had the amazing opportunity to watch him, sky lined from one peak to another, as he looked down at the world below him. Five miles later, who knows how much vertical, it came to a foot race down a ridge line at 2 in the morning.
The images are incredible. The experience was military. The video is insane. It all ended at 60 yards. Seacat captured the entire mission.
And then we had to pack it up and out.
All of it without a wink of sleep in 36 hours.