Left the trailhead at 3 a.m. under a moon that barely mattered once the stars came out. Glacier Gorge was quiet, the Loch just a black sheet of water, and we passed the Kelso sign as the first grey showed along the Divide.

The Boulderfield still holds a firm snowpack this early in October. Microspikes made the traverse feel safe and several parties without traction turned back. The Keyhole itself had a thin crust of new snow over slick granite, so slow hands and free fingers. We stood on the summit around 9 a.m. and could already see the storm stacking behind the Mummy.

Ten hours on the mountain, knees loudly objecting on the descent. Good enough dress rehearsal. Now I want the Ladakh season dialled before I book anything. If you have walked Markha Valley, tell me what you wish you had known about acclimatization pacing before the high passes.