How did Holly surprise Peak on the descent and why did she feel that way?

• A. She forgot her backpack and arrived late.
• B. She traded packs with Sun-jo and set a new record.
• C. She carried her own backpack on the descent and beat them back to base camp by 30 minutes; she felt this way because she hadn't carried the backpack up and she went to sleep fast.
• D. She carried Peak's backpack for him and felt tired.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is how load and pacing affect performance on a hike, especially when switching from ascent to descent. Holly surprised Peak by moving faster on the way down and arriving back at base camp 30 minutes before him because she carried only her own backpack on the descent, avoiding extra weight that could slow her down. The reason she felt that way is that she hadn’t carried a heavier pack uphill, so she had conserved energy for the descent and could push a quicker pace, leaving her feeling accomplished and ready for rest. The other scenarios don’t fit the timing or the motivation behind her feeling, since they involve swapping packs or missing weight in ways that wouldn’t explain the 30-minute lead.