<photo: abseiling training>
approximately once every 4 years, one day is added to the month of February. with that we have 29 days in February and 366 days in that year. how did the leap year come about? it's a complicated affair but the net effect is that birthdays, anniversaries and other important dates that fall on 29 February can only be celebrated once every 4 years. 4 years seem to be a long time to wait for an important date to come around.
when climbing a mountain for the first time, a commonly asked question is - when is the best time to climb? beginners always can't wait to get to the summit and see the spectacular views. obviously the answer is not once every 4 years.
when to climb? it depends on the weather, whether you've had enough training, and whether you realise that "mountain climbing is extended periods of intense boredom, interrupted by occasional moments of sheer terror".