We lay huddled together for warmth and comfort. The tent fabric collapses against our faces leaving trails of cold wet condesation and as the wind eases it spings back flicking droplets of ice cold water everywhere. As the hours pass the snow fell steadily building up a layer on the tiny tent. You hear each flake hit. Pit pit pit pit and then ...quiet. The first time you think its stopped snowing. But no the tent is fully covered with snow. Quickly you shake the tent vigourously and hear the snow slowly slide down and light comes once more into your tiny space. Hours and hours go buy. Shake the tent... shake the tent... keep it clear. It is possible to be entombed and suffocate and wake up dead. Not the best of nights. Fitful sleep. Shaking the tent. Dripping condensation. Soggy sleeping bag.The roar of rocks falling then the smell of sulphur. That was big .That was Close! Nerves are on edge. Is there more . Oh yes. another and another crash and another smell .And all for that moment of glory when you stand on the summit for the first time. The first time for anyone on the summit. I awake its quiet! I must have been asleep? I shake the tent. No sound if sliding snow .No Pit pit pit. I struggle to unzip the door .Its frozen the tent fabric crisp and stiff like carboard. I peer out into the night. What light the full moon sheds is amplified and reflected on the snowscape. The glacier clearly visible below shimmers. Beautiful. Our summit bid is put off. The threat of avalanche is very high with 9 inches of fresh snow. We should have started hours ago to have had any chance. But not in that storm. I close the tent zip and snuggle down into my pit and try for some sleep. Angie lies there breathing softly. Great holiday.