When all Hope is Lost the mind protects us with denial and my denial protected me from facing what I knew! That I had to climb out of this hidden valley on my own two weary slightly frostbitten feet.

Doubts reigned supreme, two voices very much my own began an internal dialogue
It was classic Gollum & Smeagol!!

Would I have the strength to trek in this wilderness? {Probably Not}

How steep were those slopes? {Very steep 70 to 80 degree gradient, almost vertical}

Would the footing on the ice be stable enough? {With all that new snow fat chance}

What path should I follow? {Toss for it matey you are effed anyways!}

What would happen if I fell? {Probably the best way to end the misery, though it would be painful and awareness would set it before the lights went out finally}

And always in the forefront: What lies beyond those black ridges that I needed to climb in order to get out of the valley....{An endless array of more snow clad mountains, not the green valley you hope for}.

But a decision beckoned and I knew I had to get moving quickly if I had to give myself any chance to survive at all