Sasser Kangri II Day 3

On the morning of day 3 we were already established on the major ramp system that angled up to the right side of the wall above. 

Climbing up the "Ramp"

Tsok Kangri - the peak we climbed about a month ago is below us now

We made quick progress up the ramp to where it steepened in a headwall.  At this point we needed to cut left through a feature we called the "Escape Hatch" onto some easier snow slopes and lower angled mixed climbing to the summit ridge.

Near the top of the ramp where we cut left through the "Escape Hatch"

The Escape Hatch was probably the most technical pitch of the route.

Freddie leading up through the "Escape Hatch"

Above the Escape Hatch we looked for our final bivy from where we could climb to the summit tomorrow.  Since we could leave everything except water, food, and some clothing behind in our high camp, we would be able to move faster on summit day.  At around 7000 meters we carved a tent platform out of some snow and ice under an overhang and settled into a bivy that was a bit roomier than last night.  I was not feeling that healthy and still weak from the sinus infection I couldn't seem to get rid of.  While Mark and Freddie built the tent platform I busied myself with the hanging stove to melt snow to fill water bottles and dry out all my clothing that had gotten soaked from a leaking water bottle in my pack.

In the tent at high camp

The weather was still perfect and we didn't see any signs of that changing.  We were only 500 meters from the top so things were looking good for tomorrow.