Free Seven Summits by Dick Bass, Frank Wells, Rick Ridgeway

as though in his limited experience he could not realize just how slow and awkward he really was. Frank knew he was the weak link but what he didn't know was how easy it would be for him to push himself into a position he couldn't get out of.
    “I’ll take the others here back to camp,” Wickwire told Marty.
    “You're giving up on a summit try, then?” she asked.
    “No. I might solo the Polish Glacier route in the morning.”
    Now it was the others’ turn to be incredulous, but they knew Wickwire was experienced enough to judge such matters. Without further discussion the team split, Marty and Geo continuing on the traverse, the others descending to high camp.
    They were quiet as they worked their way down a broad slope. Back at camp the mood was glum. Even Dick was too disappointed to strike up conversation. Frank collapsed outside his tent in the sun and was soon asleep. Wickwire got the binoculars and starting scanning the upper slopes to see if he could locate an alternate route on the Polish Glacier free of crevasses so he could make a solo attempt the next day. One way looked possible but still would involve crossing the bergshrund, the wide crevasse where the head of the glacier separated from the mountain.
    To keep his mind off his disappointment, Dick concentrated on reading an account of a previous climb up the Polish Glacier, figuring such background might prove helpful. But he knew his chances were slim. If Marty and Geo came back too tired, and if Wickwire was going to solo in the morning, there was no hope that he could climb the mountain by himself. Obviously, Frank and Goldmark, both having trouble with the altitude, were out of it.
    Maybe I ought to tell Wickwire how much I’d love to go with him, Dick thought.
    But he hesitated.
    No, he thought, I’m the neophyte and I’d better stay in my place. Dick read the article for the third time, then noticed Frank was getting sunburned.
    “Frank, wake up,” Dick yelled.
    “Huh?”
    “You've got to learn to watch after yourself. You're getting sunburned.”
    Frank wouldn't move, so Dick got Wickwire to help drag him inside their tent, where he lay motionless the rest of the afternoon. Dick went back to the article. About 5:30 Marty and Geo returned, looking exhausted, and sat down on their packs without saying anything. Dick wasn't sure how far up they had made it, but he figured they looked so wiped out there was no chance they'd want to try it again tomorrow. Wickwire started the stove to make the pair a hot drink.
    Marty looked over to Dick and said, “Whoever said this mountain is an easy walk up is full of it.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I mean it's a long way up there.”
    “You mean you made it?”
    “Yeah, we made it.” Marty was too exhausted even to grin.
    “Well why in the heck didn't you say so?” Dick hooted.
    Dick's excitement was dampened a moment later when he realized that now there really was no way they would go back up. He looked over to Wickwire, who again seemed deep in thought.
    The bergshrund was bothering Wickwire. There was no safe way around it, and he had promised his wife he would never again take an unnecessary risk, not after he had nearly died on that high bivouac on K 2 . That time he had spent the night out alone at 28,000 feet with no sleeping bag or tent. At dawn he had been so exhausted from the ordeal all he had wanted to do was lie back and go to sleep, but an image in his mind of his wife and kids going to the airport and seeing all the team except him returning home gave him the strength to get up and continue the descent.
    Wickwire looked toward Marty and said, “Do you think Bass could make it?”
    Marty was still bent over with exhaustion, staring at her tea cup. Without looking up she said, “Bass can go, he can make it.” Dick wanted to hug and kiss her.
    “Hey Bass,” Wickwire called over. “You want to climb this thing with me in the morning?”
    Dick moved to Wickwire's tent that evening,