I stayed with the German couple until we reached the ropes section. While on a narrow ledge, I wedged my foot into a crack and couldn't move it. They kept moving for their safety. It took 2 guides to help me dislodge my foot and get moving again. I was probably stuck for less than a minute, but it seemed like an eternity and really shook my confidence. I uneasily finished the rope section, feeling like I was about to fall in a couple of places.
When I finally got off that section, my entire body was shaking and all my energy was drained. I really wanted to turn around and go back, but that wasn't possible until all the climbers going up were off the ropes. So I forged forward, making my way to the Sayat-Sayat check point and registering. I was there plenty early and allowed to continue to the summit.
Slowly, I trudged upward, passing people too exhausted to continue.
I was still about 400 m from the summit as I started to see the sun rise. I continued forward, my fingers frozen in my gloves.
At 200 m before the summit, the sun was above the horizon and climbing. I could see other hikers crowded at the summit and a few were just starting their descent. The last 200 m consisted of scrambling and climbing up boulders. I knew I could make it to the summit - I just wasn't sure how I would get back down!
I decided to worry about one direction at a time, and continued forward. By the time I reached the summit, I could no longer feel my fingers and could barely move them. I pulled off a glove to check for frostbite, but they were just cold.
Smiling happily at the top, before making my way back down. I'm glad I climbed up in the dark, because had I known how scary it would be coming back down, I'm not sure I would have done it!(All the pictures are from the summit and back down, since it was too dark on the way up to see anything).
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