Went on a 3-day, 2-night hike in the mountains by Mestia, Georgia. The plan was to hike up to the Guli pass (Гульба), look over the edge, then come down. But we started our hikes fairly late both days, so we missed the summit by about an hour or two (had to turn back in order to make it down in time). I’d never been on an all-out hike like this. We carried all our food and gear with us. We camped on the glacier both nights (first night on the rocks embedded in the ice, second night on the snow/ice itself). We used helmets, crampons, harnesses, and ice picks. It was pretty intense, but a lot of fun. The views were magnificent and the camaraderie was really gratifying. Plus it was great to see my dad and his friends relive the good old days of “extreme hiking”, and to meet the next generation of explorers.

By the time we came down on day 3, I was thoroughly exhausted. I hadn’t slept well for 3 nights (due to the cold, the snoring tentmates, and the late-night partying). The descent was pretty challenging, and since I got down first, I went back twice to help the rest of the crew with their packs. On the upside, my knee hurt a lot less than I expected. Maybe I need to reevaluate what triggers my tendonitis.