Hey MountainZoners, this is Matt Szundy calling from 14.2 once again. This is for Alp 10, the Da Fine Dieter team. We are still pinned down at 14.2 with one of the most amazing storms I have ever seen on this mountain in my 8 expeditions up here. Winds today up above 17.2 have exceeded 130 miles an hour, based on the Japanese weather station that's up top, on Deber Rocks above high camp.

There's about four feet of new snow here at 14.2 and wind speeds of up to 50-60 mph regularly here in camp. Today was a reprise, it was a lighter day. There is call for more storm weather coming in, the south looks really scary right now, but the winds are out of the north, which are bringing cold weather.

The new system that is coming in is supposed to be through the weekend, and at this point we have decided to stay here at 14.2 because we can not climb higher, the ridge or to high camp, not that we would want to. But the whole upper headwall is avalanching and is loaded with snow right now so our next step is to climb to 16.2 to get our cache and bring it back down. We will do that as soon as the headwall is safe enough to travel on.

Other teams here at 14.2 have been retreating down the mountain, and we've decided to hang here for a few more days. We have about four days worth of food here with us, and seven days up high at the col.

That's the update for now. Everyone is hanging in really well, we're trading off books and entertaining ourselves with cards and music and that sort of thing. So we're just doin' the art of the hang that climbing forces you to do. So once again, for now, this is Matt from 14.2 and we'll touch base with you soon. Take care.

— Matt Szundy, Alpine Ascents International Guide and MountainZone.com Correspondent