A WOMAN’S CLIMBS IN THE HIGH ALPS 665 
ment after some 20 or 30 
foot sheer climb. It was 
like going up a wall, pull- 
ing with both hands on 
the fixed rope and feeling 
about: for the occasional 
footholds.. But just a mo- 
ment’s halt to regain my 
breath: was all I ever 
needed, and at last we 
gained the final steep and 
snowy rock-pile, up which 
there are no ropes. All 
the way from the shoulder 
to the top one is exposed 
to the bitter north wind. 
The summit was now a 
cornice of snow, an over- 
hanging shelf, up and down 
and along which we had 
to walk for 20 minutes to 
reach the highest point. 
The wind came in freezing 
gusts. 
Twice the guides reached 
quickly toward me, fearful 
that I would be blown off 
my feet, as | took my hand 
off my ice-pick to use my 
camera. So cold was it 
and so windy on top that 
after all our exertion we | 
could not stop to eat, and 4 
there was no other place to | 
stop until we were past the 
shoulder again. The diffi- 
culties of changing films, 
adjusting a color screen, 
and of photography in gen- 
eral may be imagined. 
After ten minutes we 
could stand it no longer. 
It was late, too, and the 
leader asked me to take 
no more pictures that day. 
To go down the rocks to 
the ropes was appalling at 
times, so steep and slippery 
were they. It was here that the fatal 
accident occurred on the first ascent. 
But, once at the ropes, we could take 
occasional short slides down them, cau- 
tiously, lest we miss the footholds at the 
end of each bit. Down, down, down we 
helmet. 
hide, with half-inch soles and nails. 
are wound around from ankle to knee to give warmth, and 
to keep snow and stones from getting into the boots, causing 
blistered feet. 1 
ing two very thick pairs of stockings. The rope is 100 feet 
long, to give 50 feet of leeway between each two persons tor 
difficult climbing. 
head guide is about to tie his end around his waist also. 
The author and her two guides preparing to leave the 
Rifugio Torino, 10,900 feet, below the Col du Géant, for the 
Dent du Géant (see page 671). 
The goggles and mask are to protect eyes, face, and lips 
from snow blindness and blistering when on snow on which 
the sun is shining. 
Mittens are of the heaviest wool. 
The woolen cap will pull down like a 
Boots are raw- 
Puttees, or cloth bands, 
All clothing is of warm, light wool, includ- 
Th e 
The tourist is always in the center. 
went for eight hours. At 7.30 it grew 
quite dark, but we feared the deceptive 
shadows should we light the lantern. By 
8 o'clock we were off the rocks, and at 
9.30 back at the hotel, my clothes torn 
to shreds, but not really tired except a 
