I hiked to the base the next afternoon, drank a few beers and promptly fell asleep. That evening I arose to the scent of frying vegetables. Nico had spent the day climbing several pitches up the wall with his girlfriend Sanam, and now they now were preparing dinner. Her voice trembled as she recounted the dangerous falls he had taken onto small copperheads as she hung from natural belays. I nearly picked up my bag right then and hiked back out to the Valley floor.