And there we were, at the gunsight tree. Again.

We had simulclimbed the approach, several pitches of steep but easy snow, in good time. I went out front and had a nice time getting my feet under me again. I was sort of shocked when I got to the tree. It always seems like it should be further up. It's a nice place.

Brian came up behind and we took a look at the 1st pitch. It looked like... the same 1st pitch from the last four visits. Nope. No one had moved it anywhere.

Brian and I discussed belay options, and he offered to go on up a short ice step and build an anchor below the first real pitch. We were underway.