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On the way to the Siguniang Mountain, more commonly known as the Four Sisters.Our first look at the Four Sisters with the First Sister just out of view on the right.Dan, Roland, and Mat with two trekkers from Shanghai who insisted on getting in the photo, with the Fourth and Third Sisters in the background.The local pool hall in Rilong (3200m).The local Rilong ladies on their way to a wedding.Mat, Roland, and Dan enjoying an acclimatization day in Rilong.Mat, Dan, and Roland before heading up to Base Camp (4500m).Dan, Mat, and Roland say goodbye to Rilong with the goal of reaching the summit of the Third Sister in the background.The horses that would lend their muscle to getting the all important duffle bags up to Base Camp.The huge and majestic yaks.The two Sherpas cooking up a storm at Base Camp.Lee, Roland, Dan, and Mat (with a Sherpa in the background) enjoying a civilized dinner at Base Camp.Roland (with thermos in hand) sporting the look invented by Mat in the Himalayas with down jacket over thermal underwear enjoying the morning sun at Base Camp.Roland (sitting with Dan) gives the okay sign while enjoying the “luxury” of the dining tent at Base Camp.Mat, a Sherpa, and Lee ready their equipment as they prepare for a training session at the rock ridge above Base Camp.Dan brushing up on his rappelling skills (while a Sherpa looks on).Lee, Roland, and Mat jumar up to a waiting Sherpa.Mat rappelling down the rock ridge with a beautiful mountain range in the background.Roland leaning back into his rappel with a Sherpa and Lee looking on. Roland was to take a spectacular but thankfully injury free fall on this ridge moments later.Roland, Lee, Dan, and Mat perfecting their “Pruskit” knots which would come in handy for forward rappelling off the summit, where rock fall is a constant danger.Many peaks (like this one) for future climbing expeditions were identified on the way to the top of the Third Sister.Our first close-up look at the Third Sister. Our summit push would involve free-climbing up the near vertical rock and snow pitch on the right of the photo to the saddle that separates the Third and Second Sisters. From there we would free-climb up the vertical ridge until 50m short of the summit where we would set-up the fixed ropes for the final pitch.Roland, Dan, and Mat with the Third and Second Sisters in the background.Mat and Dan looking down at the fall that awaits them if they don’t successfully navigate the snow ridge behind them.Roland looking up at his goal. The summit of the Third Sister.Mat with the steep snow ridge behind him that leads to Camp 1.Dan (with a massive drop behind him) on his way to Camp 1.Mat preparing to negotiate the snow ridge.The steep snow ridge on the way to Camp 1.The steep snow ridge would take immense concentration and patience to cross safely.The dots of the MATADOR eXtreme Team can be seen carefully navigating their way across the steep snow ridge. Every step had to be checked and re-checked, while a watchful eye was on the lookout for possible avalanches.Dan, Roland, Mat, and Lee take a break after successfully crossing the snow ridge.Roland, a Sherpa, Mat, and Dan enjoy the views of the distant mountain ranges as they close in on Camp 1.The Sherpas setting up the rock platforms for the tents at the desolate Camp 1.A Sherpa helping to set-up Camp 1 (4800m) with the summit of the Third Sister in the background.Lee and Roland relaxing at Camp 1 with the summit push route in the background.Mat’s boots and his “room with a view” at Camp 1.The cold, windy, and exposed Camp 1.Roland and Mat above Camp 1 checking out the route to the summit.Mat with Camp 1 in the bottom left corner.After a cold and windy night at Camp 1, the MATADOR eXtreme Team can be seen heading into the early morning darkness to commence their summit push with Mat in the foreground performing final equipment checks.Roland, Dan, Mat, and Lee heading up the first of many snow pitches with the orange tents of Camp 1 barely visible in the background.Dan, Roland, and a Sherpa relax at the mouth of a very deep ice cave.Roland, a Sherpa, Mat, and Lee taken from inside the ice cave.Roland and Mat prepare to begin the next phase of the summit push.Roland (with Mat and Lee in the background) catching his breath during the snow climb.A Sherpa, Dan, Roland, and climbing the snow pitch on their way to the near vertical rock and ice cliffs.Dan and Roland keep a close eye out for crevasses like the one in the foregroundEnjoying a beautiful view from high up on the Third Sister but bad weather is moving in fast.Roland, Dan, and Mat working their way up the difficult rock and ice wall.A Sherpa, Roland, Dan, and Mat have the saddle in sight.A Sherpa, Dan, and Mat climbing the steep snow pitch. Due to the dangerous nature of this pitch, it was decided that we would not rope together. Basically it was every man for themselves and “slowly slowly, catch a monkey!”Roland in a common position for most climbers. Bending over your ice axe trying to catch your breath!Dan takes a breather as he contemplates the route ahead.Mat digs deeps into the snow as he hydrates from his camelback.A Sherpa, Dan, Roland, and Mat reach the saddle which joins the Third and Second Sister. The steep summit ridge to the top of the Third Sister is in the background.Roland takes a break at the saddle (with the Second Sister in the background) as the bad weather swirls around him.Mat sucks in what limited oxygen is available as he starts up the summit ridge.Mat in good spirits with the spectacular scenery behind him.The steep, rocky, and unstable summit ridge.Dan, Roland, and Mat make their way up the final pitches of the rocky and steep summit ridge.Mat closes in on the summit.Dan negotiates the final steps to the summit.Roland also making his final steps to the summit as a Sherpa takes a photo.Mat, Roland, Dan, Lee, and a Sherpa celebrate as they make it to the summit of the Third Sister (5350m).Mat, Roland, and Dan give the “thumbs up” on the summit.And the flags are out!Mat, Roland, Dan, a Sherpa, and Lee straddle the tiny summit platform.Giving the mind and body a chance to rest as the MATADOR eXtreme Team take in the spectacular views.Dan becomes the first Singapore PR to successfully summit the Third Sister.Roland becomes the first German to successfully summit the Third Sister.Mat becomes the first Australian to successfully summit the Third Sister.Now the hard part. Getting back down. Roland, A Sherpa, Mat, and another Sherpa prepare to forward rappel down the vertical summit face.One of the amazing views from the summit.Mat negotiating the last part of the fixed rope, as Roland and a Sherpa unhook themselves.Dan and a Sherpa hang onto a precarious ledge on the vertical summit face.Dan rappelling down the rock and ice face with Camp 1 barefly visible in the distance at the top of the picture.Mat arrives back at Camp 1 but with no intentions of staying very long.Dan too gets ready to return to Base Camp.Deciding not to spend another night at the exposed Camp 1, the MATADOR eXtreme Team make the exhausting trip all the way back to Base Camp. Dan and Mat reflect on the climb as they take their boots off in the dining tent.Roland happy to arrive back at Base Camp.Dan, Roland, and Mat pack up their equipment as they prepare to leave Base Camp.Dan, Roland, and Mat arrive back at Rilong exhausted, tired, and very hungry!Having bribed a young man from Rilong to give us a ride we encounter a flat tire on the way back to Cheng Du.Lucky Roland is their to save the day with Dan offering his support!The amazing road leading back from Rilong to Cheng Du.Climbing Company Director, the 2 Sherpas, and Lee, present Roland, Mat, and Dan with their certificates commemorating their successful summit attempt.Recovered and back in Cheng Du.
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