Photograph- Louis H. Kohlman- Antarctica 1958, taken during whiteout conditions.

I enjoyed writing this one, I remember my father telling me about this and I told him that I hope to find myself in something so cool. He mentioned that it is like taunting the devil and I should not wish to be subjected to such dangerous experiences. But I was, and took all of the cool thoughts back. I was amazed that Antarctica didn't get a lot of snow, usually it was too cold. Year after year the snow laid and built up and occasionally whipped up by the winds. On my mountain endeavors in winter I was subject to subzero weather as well. Suffocated by your own breath means that it is so cold that the breath deposits on your face and freezes. Talk about an ice cream headache! I refer to the devils grip, on a mountain you push it. I usually go until I see the blood vessels pumping in my eyes and then tone it down until they go away. A deliberate slow and steady pace. You still feel your heart pounding. If it is very cold and you exert too much, you take in too much cool air, ice crystals will start to form in your lungs. Think of the effects of smoking, it's like smoking three packs of cigarettes and then running. But it happens very quickly, if you don't head this, then there is intense pain and you better remedy it fast! My father told me of a story where he was leading a plane in and the pilot lost sight of him, but kept coming. He had to run for his life and thought that because of the ice crystals forming in his lungs, he was still going to loss it.

I use the term whiteout and describe a storm. In life there are many conditions that can be like one, I lost my first love, of a sudden loss of a family member. This poem might be a good one to remember so that you don't permanently loose your way through it.

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