Trekking Poles and Crevasses

I just got off the phone with Black Diamond. I was ordering a *single* Black Diamond Compact Spire Trekking Pole.

You see, my last day on McKinley, while we were walking down from 14k camp to camp 3, I had switched from two trekking poles to one trekking pole and the ice tool, and I had slid the second trekking pole behind me, bewtween my pack and the small of my back. Small of my back? Who came up with that name?

Anyway, I was right behind the guide in the rope team, and he had a sled behind him. Of course, we're going down hill, so, instead of his have to pulling the sled, I actually have to slow it down and direct it. Uggh. It sucked. I made an awkward step over a crevasse after directing the sled around it, and my trekking pole slipped out from behind my back and apparently did one of those pin-drop tink-tink-ploomp things down into the crevasse. All gone. Bye bye.

So, I nicely asked the guy at Black Diamond if I could order a single trekking pole. And he let me. I should have it in time for my Grand Canyon trip next month. Hurray!