At the summit of Pagoda Peak...

At the summit of Pagoda Peak on a very cold climbing day, September 10, 2005. Notice the encrusted ice on the rocks. The weather was bad overnight, and we camped through one of the worst thunderstorms I have camped in. Everything got soaked and tree branches broke off in the wind and blew into the tent. The weather in the morning was better, but it was very cold and windy, and the class 3 rock pitch was iced up. Never-the-less, Kessler wanted to continue to the summit and he finished the climb.