Jock's crew's tents had been completely flattened, damaged but recoverable. Guess that settled that argument. Jeff and I lost our packs and all of our gear, sleeping bags, parkas, most everything. The others lost equipment too, but not so much. Driving snow and cold now.
Avalanches roar in the mist.
Without crampons, some without axes and others using shovels as a substitute, each in turn fades with weariness and misery as we make our way down. For a long time our survival is in question. They could never have survived this. There is no way. We reach the base of the face where we had left a cache on the ascent.