Stupid, Stupid, Stupid

My fingers are getting better. I think if I have any permanent damage it will be the ring and middle finger of my right hand. Four days later they feel like the tips are huge callouses, which probably means dead skin.

Reviewing the trip, I have some good ideas what the cause was.

It certainly wasn't that I didn't have the right gloves. Here you see I'm showing Jen my awesome new down mittens I was wearing at the top.

The injury probably occurred when I wasn't wearing the mittens like this.

Yeah. Holding that little metal clad camera in just my glove liner is probably one of the reasons my fingers feel funny. Not to mention the GPS I was using to get waypoints. I should have known I was screwed when the waypoint at the Lionshead rock didn't come out accurately (I'm assuming) because of the cold.

Also notice the little triangle of skin on the left side of my face under my goggles?

When we got back down to the lean-to to take off our crampons, the guide pointed out a small triangle of frostnip on my face. Now I see the source. My balaclava doesn't fit my face tight enough for such conditions, thus exposing some of it to the elements. My nose was fine, since I had warmth breath rising up from my mouth and over my nose, but that little triangle under my eye was "left out in the cold".

The fix for frostnip is easy enough. You simply hold your hand over the area a few minutes for it to warm back up. No damage done.

I've already ordered a new balaclava that should fit and cover more. Now if I could just get a heated camera or one that works easily with down mittens.

- b