Karakorum 2010: Weather Delays On K2

It has been a busy week throughout the Karakorum range, where climbers have topped out on a number of mountains, but all eyes are now turning towards K2, as teams there prepare to make their summit bids, with a new weather window expected to open early next week.

According to ExWeb, a new weather forecast has now moved the K2 summit window to Tuesday of next week, and teams are adjusting their schedule appropriately. A number of climbers are planning on setting off tomorrow, with an eye on hitting the summit on schedule with the new weather window. Amongst them are Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner who is hoping to become the first woman to climb all fourteen 8000 meter peaks without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Fredrik Ericsson and Trey Cook are also hoping to go up tomorrow, with the eventual goal of making a ski descent of the mountain. On their blog, Trey has posted a story that explains how it is possible that Bulgarian cimber Petar Unzhiev died earlier this week while in Camp 2 on the mountain, without anyone knowing. It seems that Petar arrived at BC, but proceeded up the mountain far too quickly, skipping past ABC and moving on to Camp 1. After spending the night there, he would have normally gone back down the mountain to recover, but instead, he and his high altitude porter, chose to move up to Camp 2 instead. Other climbers heard Petar in his tent with very labored breathing, but they assumed that his porter was watching out for him. As it turns out, the porter had gone down to BC without alerting anyone, and it seems that Unzhiev developed and succumbed to HACE in the process. A very sad story that should provide a number of lessons for high altitude mountaineers. 


Also headed to K2 are the Field Touring Alpine Team, who have finished their acclimatization on Broad Peak, and are now moving to K2 Base Camp. While the team didn't summit on BP, they are now hoping to take advantage of their experience on that mountain to knock of K2 instead. They are eying the weather window for early next week as well, but are also considering a second window which is in the forecast for the 30th of the month, so it seems they are in no rush to scramble up the mountain. 


A few days back there was quite a bit of action on the Gasherbrums where Colombian climber Felipe Ossa became the first person this season to scale GI. Next door, on GII, the Altitude Junkies put several of their climbers on the summit, while the Czech team of Petr Masek, Radek Jaros, and Libor Uher also topped out, but are still only halfway to their goal. That team of strong climbers hopes to knock off GI yet this season as well, claiming a Karakorum double-header on the Gasherbrums.

It seems the teams on K2 are the ones gearing up for action now. This weekend will likely be spent heading up the mountain and waiting for the weather window to appear on Tuesday. Lets hope everything goes well, and everyone climbs very safely. We all know what this mountain is capable of.

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Karakorum 2010: Mixed Results and Tragedy on K2

It was a bit of a mixed bag for teams across the Karakorum this weekend. While the weather window opened as expected, copious amounts of snow high on the mountains prevented many from reaching their goals. Still, there were some successful summits and word of a death on K2.

ExWeb is reporting this morning that Bulgarian climber Petar Georgiev Unzhiev passed away on K2 this weekend, succumbing to altitude sickness at Camp 2. He was climbing as part of the Adventure Tours Pakistan team, and other than receiving word from his family to bury him at C2, not much else is known about the situation. My condolences go out to Petar's friends and family. 


Staying on K2, we received word over the weekend that Christian Stangl has returned to the mountain to make another attempt at a speed record. The Austrian climber turned back last year 316 meters beneath the summit, and he's hoping that he can finish the job this year. ExWeb says that now that he's set the speed record for completing all of the Seven Summits, he's going for the "Second Seven", or the second highest mountain on each of the seven continents. Next up, he'll return to Antarctica and go for Mount Tyree.


Meanwhile, over on Broad Peak, the Basque BAT Team hoped to complete their traverse of the mountain's three summits this weekend, and they were successful after a couple of very long days in the mountains. They also managed to establish a new route in the process, marking the first new route by a Basque team on an 8000-meter peak. Check out their video below for more. 


Also on Broad Peak, explorer Mike Horn and climbing partner Kobi Reichen reached the summit over the weekend as well. The duo climbed without the use of supplemental oxygen, topping out at 2 AM local time. The long climb followed nearly three weeks of waiting patiently for the weather to clear and for the massive amounts of snow on the summit to come down in the form of avalanches. 


The Field Touring Alpine squad weren't so lucky with their ascent. They called off their planned summit bid just below the Col on BP due to heavy amounts of snow along their route. On Saturday they were all back in C3 and in good health and spirits, and there has been no word yet if they'll have another go at the summit or if they'll just proceed to K2 now. 


On the Gasherbrums it was success for one team while another turned back. The Czech team on GII topped out on Saturday and was back in BC safe and sound yesterday afternoon. Don Bowie and Alexey Bolotov didn't have the same luck on GI however. The boys were forced back down the mountain due to chest deep snow. They're back in BC now too, with no word on another attempt for now.


A second weather window is expected this week and some of the climbers, such as Gerlinde and Ralf, were taking advantage of one more acclimatization rotation this weekend. They're likely to make their summit bids on K2 this week if the weather holds as expected. The next few days could be very interesting once again. 

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Karakorum 2010: Summit Push Begins!

It seems that the projected weather windows in the Karakorum are opening as expected, and a number of teams, on a variety of mountains, including K2, are now preparing to begin their summit push.

Starting on K2, Fredrik Ericsson is preparing to make his ascent, and hopefully ski descent, of the mountain, with the latest update on his progress coming today. Fredrik and his partner Trey Cook hope to head up the mountain for one more acclimatization run, but the whole expedition could be in jeopardy thanks to severe frostbite on Trey's fingers. He's been treating them with Amoxicilline for the past few days, and he's going to give them one last chance on the climb, but if they continue to be a problem, he'll abort his attempt, and possibly prevent Fredrik from summitting as well. He has already been advised by other climbers that he should give up and head home, but Cook seems determined to climb, even at the expense of his fingertips. 


Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Ralf Dujmovits have already climbed up to Camp 3 on K2, and found that their acclimatization on Everest this past spring is still serving them well in the Karakorum. The husband and wife team are now back in BC, where they are watching the weather, and preparing to make their big push. If successful, Gerlinde will be the first woman to claim the fourteen 8000 meter peaks without oxygen. 


Over on Broad Peak, the Filed Touring Alpine team is preparing to make a run at the summit as well. The team is currently in Camp 2 and high winds have been blasting the summit today, but they are expected to subside over the next day or two, giving access to the summit at last. A number of other teams have already tried, and been turned back by heavy snow, so hopefully they'll get a crack at the top while the weather is good. From there, they'll move over to K2 to make an assault on that mountain as well. 


Similarly, the BAT Basque Team has begun their second climb on Broad Peak as well, leaving BC earlier today. They hope to be in position to complete a new route, in alpine style, by Saturday, and if the weather holds, they'll continue on to complete a traverse of the BP's three summits before descending back to Base Camp.


On Gasherbrum I, Don Bowie and Alexey Bolotov have begun their summit push too. They've reached Camp 2 on that mountain, and will be planning on head up tomorrow. They hope to successfully summit in the next few days as well, and will then evaluate conditions on the other Gasherbrum peaks to determine if they'll continue to climb later in the season.


It's beginning to shape up like a busy weekend in the Karakorum with a number of climbers in place to make summit bids Saturday or Sunday, which is when the weather is suppose to be at its best. Another window is expected next week too, so those that aren't ready to go now will get another chance. 


Stay tuned!

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Karakorum Update: Summits On Nanga Parbet, K2 Climbers Push Higher

Even though this is the quietest season in the Karakorum for some time, the teams that are there continue to make progress and push towards their summits. Such was the case this weekend, when teams tried to take advantage of improved weather, some with more success than others.

On Nanga Parbet, the ninth highest mountain on the planet at 26,660 feet, there were summits by the Iranian, Nepali, and Korean teams, who, according to ExWeb, reached the top on Saturday. The Korean team reported back that the weather was bitter cold with high winds, but they still managed to put three of their climbers on top of the mountain.

The Basque BAT Team making an alpine style attempt on Broad Peak weren't so lucky however, as poor weather did prevent them from completing their expedition. While the team did reach the summit of BP's north peak on Friday, they were unable to continue on with their planned traverse that would have seen them crossing all three of Broad Peak's summits. Undaunted however, the boys have returned to Base Camp where they are waiting for the weather to improve once again, before making another attempt at the traverse.

Similarly, Mike Horn and Kobi Reichen abandoned their attempt on Broad Peak at 7900 meters (25,918 feet) on Friday due to heavy snow and high winds as well. No word on what Mike and Kobi's plans are for another attempt just yet.

On K2, the world's second tallest mountain, the teams have now established Camp 3, and ExWeb is reporting that Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner  has spent the night at 7000 meters as she continues to acclimatize. She and other members of her team, most notably husband Ralf Dujmovits, hope to climb as high as Camp 3 today, where they'll spend the night, then head back to BC before a round of bad weather is forecasted to hit tomorrow.

Finally, over on the Gasherbrums, a number of teams are focused on making progress as well. For instance, the Altitude Junkies established Camp 1 over the weekend, and even had the odd experience of seeing a glowing glacier while making the trek up from BC in the evening. High winds at the summit were preventing other teams from making their bids over the weekend however, so much like the rest of the region, they're all holding their breath and crossing their fingers for good weather. This includes Don Bowie and climbing partner Alexey Bolotov, who aborted an attempt on the summit of G1 at 7500 meters when conditions worsened as the winds picked up.

Lets hope weather across the Karakorum improves this week so the teams working hard on the mountains can finally get a crack at the summits.

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Karakorum Update: Summit Bids and Acclimatization

Things are starting to get busy in the Karakorum, where teams are starting summit bids on some peaks, while others continue the process of acclimatization on others. High camps are being stocked and the weather is deciding factor, as the season moves further into July.

We'll start on Broad Peak, where the action is underway with a major push by the BAT Basque Team made up of Alberto Iñurrategi, Mikel Zabalza  and Juan Vallejo. According to ExWeb, the boys headed up the mountain today on their initial summit push in the hopes that they can take advantage of four days of good weather that is currently in the forecast. They'll be making an alpine style climb, along a new route no less, that will eventually see them traverse all three of Broad Peak's summits. Apparently they're going as light and fast as they can, carrying no oxygen, and using no porters, fixed ropes, or established camps. They hope to summit on Saturday and complete the traverse on Sunday, if all things go according to plan. Stay tuned for more on this dramatic climb. 


Mike Horn and his climbing partner Kobi Reichen have begun their second summit attempt on BP as well. The two turned back due to bad weather a week or so back, and have been patiently waiting for a weather window ever since. It seems they'll try to take advantage of the four days of good weather ahead too. 


The Field Touring Alpine Team is also working the normal route on BP, and are expected to finish fixing the lines up to Camp 3 today. They expect to spend the night there tonight and then descend back to Base Camp tomorrow. They're hoping to then rest for a few days and decide the best time to make their own summit bid. The Broad Peak climb is being used as a warm-up and acclimatization process before heading over to K2. 


Speaking of K2, Fredrik Ericsson and his partner Trey Cook, have checked in from that mountain, giving us some details of their recent climb up the mountain that resulted in them descending back down, on their skis, in bad weather. They had hoped to spend more time acclimatizing themselves, but a predicted small storm turned into a raging blizzard, forcing them back to BC for awhile. Upon their arrival back in Base Camp, they learned that their missing supplies had finally arrived, and that the Polish Team is planning to head up the mountain tomorrow, with Gerlinde and Ralf going up on Saturday. They also report that a Korean team working the Abruzzi Spur, dismissed their high altitude porters, creating a bit of a stir in their camp. They'll now join forces with one of the other teams to work the route. 


Summit bids are underway on other mountains in the region as well, including a Korean Team going for the top of Nanga Parbet and the Altitude Junkies are reporting that teams are preparing to make their bids on Gasherbrum II as well. Nearby on GI, Don Bowie and Alexei Bolotov reportedly had to navigate their way to C2 using a GPS due to the incredibly bad weather that has plagued the area of late. In fact, the weather has been so bad that one French team has elected to call it quits, going home early, calling the weather "exasperating". 


Seems like it's going to be a challenging season once again in the Karakorum. Weather conditions are, as usual, very nasty, and the peaks there are unforgiving to say the least. Lets hope these teams get a crack at their respective summits. 

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Karakorum Update: Gerlinde In K2 BC, Progress On Broad Peak

While the U.S. enjoyed a long holiday weekend in celebration of Independence Day, the teams in the Karakorum continued to work towards their ultimate goals, namely to climb some of the highest, most challenging peaks on the planet.

The latest update from Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner has her safely into Base Camp on K2 yesterday. It has been a whirlwind affair for her and her team, as they barely spent a day in Islamabad before setting out on the 500+ mile road trip to Skardu, where they would begin the long trek to the Baltoro Glacier and BC itself. Today, Gerlinde and Ralf will make their first acclimatization climb today, going up the Cesen Route as they get acquainted with the mountain once again, and scout out the challenges that are ahead for this year. If she manages to reach the summit of K2, Gerlinde will become the first woman to successfully climb all of the 8000 meter peaks without the use of supplemental oxygen. A huge accomplishment to be sure.

When last we heard from Fredrik Ericsson a few days back, he was lamenting the weather at Camp 2 on K2. At the time, he and his climbing partner Trey Cook were hoping to make the hike up to C3, but poor weather was preventing them from going higher. They reported 40 mph winds with blowing snow on the mountain, which was keeping them in place, huddled inside their tent, and enjoying their sleeping bags. That report came on July 1st, ands since then we've heard nothing, so at this point it is impossible to know where they are on the mountain. Fredrik and Trey are hoping to summit soon however and then make a ski descent of the peak.

Over on Broad Peak, the teams are waiting to get a crack at the summit as well. Mike Horn has updated his Pangaea Expeditions Blog with the news that they are waiting for a weather window to give them the go ahead to move up the mountain, but with high winds at altitude, they've stayed off of Broad Peak thus far.

The Field Touring Alpine squad is on BP at the moment too, using it as a warm-up for K2. The team has cached their gear and equipment all the way up to C3 at this point, but are also reporting bad weather and high winds. In fact, Brian Block posted an audio dispatch in which he says that the forecast calls for 45cm (about 17 inches) of snow over the next few days, which will make an approach to the summit rather challenging. The hope is that things will improve later this week, and the team can make a summit bid before making the jump to K2.

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Karakorum 2010: Bad weather on K2, Teams into C2 on Broad Peak

More teams are now en route to K2, while those already on the mountain have gone up to Camp 1 and are reporting bad weather in the region.

Fredrik Ericsson posted a new update over the weekend with the news that he and his teammate Trey Cook have gone up to Camp 1, and had actually been planning on making the acclimatization trek up to C2, but weather conditions turned for the worse, so the pair have now made the descent, by ski no less, back to BC. They reported high winds and blowing snow, and thought better of pushing it up to C2 at this point.

Meanwhile, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner called her home team today to let them know that she is well into her trek to K2 BC. She, and her team, are expected to reach the Baltoro Glacier tomorrow, and will most likely be in camp on Friday. If everything goes as expected, and she makes a successful summit on this very temperamental mountain, Gerlinde would become the first woman to climb all of the 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen.

The Field Touring Alpine Team is hoping to pull off a Karakorum double-header, nabbing both Broad Peak and K2. The team managed to fix the ropes up to C2 on Broad Peak over the weekend, and they are now in the midst of their acclimatization process, with everyone taking a turn at sleeping in Camp 1. The team is being led by Fabrizio Zangrilli, and counts Meagan McGrath as part of the team, as well as Brian Block, who is sending out audio dispatches to his blog. Brian is the owner of Ames Adventure Outfitters and a former Iowa Boy like myself.

Finally, Mike Horn and Kobi Reichen were making attempt on Broad Peak today, but were turned back due to heavy snow. The pair went has high as Camp 3 before resting, and then were prepared to make their summit bid, but got just another 200 meters up the mountain before they decided to turn back. Reportedly they were wading through waist deep snow and new that, at least for today, the summit was out of reach. They have now returned to Base Camp, and will await better conditions. 

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Karakorum 2010: The Girls of K2

It looks like K2 is the mountain of choice for the ladies headed to the Karakorum this season. ExWeb is reporting that a number of female climbers have set their sights on the world's second highest peak, including Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who is hoping to top out, sans oxygen, and become the third woman to climb all of the 8000-meter peaks. The first without oxygen however.

Joining Gerlinde on K2 will be Polish climber Kinga Baranowska, as well as Leila Esfandiari, who is leading her Iranian team. A British climber named Katrina is on the team with the Field Touring Alpine group, and Canadian Meagan McGrath is also setting her sights on K2. You may recall that Meagan started the year off with a successful solo ski to the South Pole as well.

Elsewhere in the Karakorum, a number of teams are still arriving at their respective mountains. The Basque Team on Broad Peak have reached BC, but their porters are still arriving. The supply train was slowed greatly by the snow that continues to fall around that mountain. Similarly, the Altitude Junkies Team, which is hoping to climb the Gasherbrums, began their trek to base camp yesterday and are hoping to arrive by Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Polish Team on Nanga Parbet has been plenty busy already. The team has fixed the ropes up to Camp 3, but the weather conditions have been extremely cold, and that has not made the experience a pleasant one thus far. They're back in BC now, resting up before proceeding higher on the mountain.

More to come soon. The Karakorum is just now starting to heat up.

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Karakorum 2010: A Quiet Season in Pakistan?

As I mentioned last week, the climbing season is about to get underway in the Karakorum Range, where a few climbers are already making their way to mountains such as K2, the Gasherbrums, and Broad Peak.

According to ExWeb it may be a very quiet year in that part of the world, because as of now, only 25 climbing permits have been issued for the entire region, and that includes all of the 6000, 7000, and 8000 meter peaks. My hunch is that the economy is keeping some climbers from traveling to the Karakorum and even sponsorship dollars are still at a premium. The 2009 season was considered a quiet year as well, but even then 70 permits were issued. Guide Fabrizio Zangrilli, who has just arrived in Islamabad ahead of his attempt on Broad Peak, believes that economy, as well as recent flooding in the area, may be helping to keep the traffic down.

Meanwhile, a number of climbers are already in Pakistan and are either en route to their mountain of choice or are already there. Fredrik Ericsson is in Skardu and still making plans for the trek to K2 Base Camp, where he hopes to ski down the mountain. Keep an eye out for updates from Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who should be arriving in Pakistan soon too. She has just K2 left on her list before she becomes the first woman to summit all 8000 meter peaks sans oxygen. Explorer Mike Horn is also trekking in the region right now as he continues his Pangaea Expedition. On Nanga Parbat, the Polish Team climbing there has worked it's way up to Camp 2, while the Altitude Junkies haven't even gone home from Kathmandu from their Everest climb, and will instead head straight to Islamabad.

I guess one good thing about this season will be that with so few teams, at least it should be fairly easy to keep track of everyone.

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Karakorum 2010: A Season on the Brink

It seems like things are still quieting down in the Himalaya, and already the Karakorum is beginning to see signs of life for the 2010 season. ExWeb is reporting that teams have already begun to arrive in Pakistan, and are now making their plans for the weeks ahead.

One of the teams currently en route to the region consists of Alberto Iñurrategi, Juan Vallejo and Mikel Zabalza. This very experienced Basque team is hoping to make a complete traverse of the 26,414-foot tall Broad Peak. That mountain gets it's name from the fact that the main summit is more than a mile in length, and there are actually three summits to conquer on the traverse itself. The team will go in alpine style, carrying all of their gear with them on a single push, after they have properly acclimatized of course.

Meanwhile, Swedish climber/skier Fredrik Ericsson has returned to the Karakorum, and is on his way to K2, where he hopes to become the first person to ski the three highest mountains in the world. He's already knocked off Everest and Kangchenjunga, and now has just this mountain left to finish his quest. Of course, K2 is more than just any mountain however, and it will be quite treacherous to climb and ski. He, and his partner Trey Cook, an American climber/journalist, are reportedly already in Skardu, and will begin the trek to BC soon. This will be a bittersweet return for Fredrik however, as he had hoped to climb and ski the mountain last year, but his friend Michele Fait fell to his death while skiing down the mountain from Camp 2 following an acclimatization climb.

Finally, ExWeb is also reporting that an Italian team by EV KK2 CNR has arrived in the region and will be conducting two expeditions to clean-up both K2 and the Baltoro Valley. They'll first hike through the valley, collecting garbage and other solid waste, and later they'll head to K2 and do a sweep of the high camps, bring down refuse from there as well.

Personally, I always appreciate these stories of teams cleaning up the mountain. Both K2 and Everest have a lot of junk on them, and these efforts from a number of teams and organizations to help clean them up is always good news, especially for future climbers who hope to visit these places.

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Karakorum 2009: Getting Organized on Latok I

ExWeb has some good updates today from the Karakorum, where things are mostly winding down, as teams depart and begin preparations for the fall season in the Himalaya.

The biggest piece of news is that climbers are still getting organized on Latok I in an attempt to go up the mountain and look for Oscar Perez, who has been stranded above 6500m for six days now, and there hasn't been any contact with him at all since the weekend. At this point, his home team has no idea what his condition is, and everyone is just hoping for the best. ExWeb says that five other Spanish climbers have left their home country and are headed for Pakistan to try to help out, but considering the remote nature of the mountain, time in transit, and so on, they won't be in a real position to assist for some time yet.

Fabrizio Zangrilli is already on the scene however, and a fly over of the campsite resulted in no visual confirmation of Oscar's condition. Fabrizio will attempt to climb up to Oscar's position tomorrow, and assess the situation and possibly aid in bringing him down. Once again, lets all keep our fingers crossed for a happy ending here.

Meanwhile, in other news, the Arash Mountaineers team that has been working a new route on Broad Peak reportedly has abandoned the route after running out of supplies and time. They had established the route up to Camp 3, but now say that they'll have to return to give it another go in the future. They do, however, plan to make a summit bid along the normal route before coming home.

And finally, fresh off of her 13th 8000m peak, Korean climber Eun-Sun Oh is expected to return home tomorrow, where she'll take a much deserved break before returning to the Himalaya in September. At that time, she'll set her sights on Annapurna, her final obstacle before becoming the first woman to complete all of the 8000m mountains. She is firmly in the driver seat now to claim that honor, as this story from National Geographic Adventure points out, but Annapurna won't yield up its summit easily. In fact, many consider it to be the second toughest 8000m peak to climb, behind only K2. But the other contenders, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, Edurne Pasabán, and Nives Meroi have all hit snags in their bids to be the first woman to join the elite list of men to have topped out on the 8-thousanders. Miss Oh has come out of no where to knock off four of those mountains his year, and seems poised to claim her fifth in a few months.

Update: Mountaineer and author Clyde Soles has posted more info on the Oscar Perez story. Seems that the Spanish climber is actually on Latok II not I and that he is suffering from a broken arm and leg, which is why he is stranded at high camp. A radio malfunction or dead batteries might account for the lack of contact as well, so there is reason to believe that he is hanging on and waiting for a rescue. Hopefully we'll know more tomorrow.

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Karakorum 2009: Over On K2? More Summits on GI

More updates from the Karakorum today, where the season is rapidly coming to an end, and teams are either topping out or packing up to come home it seems.

We'll start on K2, where Kazakhs Maxut Zhumayev and Vassiliy Pivtsov were hoping to make another summit bid today, but high winds near the top have forced them down, along with a Japanese team they were hoping to work with. The weather forecast calls for "hurricane force" winds on the summit over the next few days, which prompted the hasty retreat back to Base Camp. The question now is, will they hang around for another go?

It seems that most of the teams are preparing to give up on K2 this seaons, and Everest News has already declared "No Summits this Year". The latest update from the Field Touring Alpine Team says that they've elected to go home. Their porters have arrived in BC and packing has already begun. They hope to exit Base Camp on Friday to begin the trek back to civilization. The team is healthy but tired, and although there were no summits from FTA this year, they still consider it a successful outing.

We'll probably have to wait a few days to find out if any teams plan to stay behind and make one final attempt on the summit, but it seems that BC is going to be very empty by the weekend. If I were to venture a guess, I'd say Max and Vasso are the most likely pair to try again, but with high winds and very deep snow up near the summit, it seems that the chances of topping out are very slim. If the Karakorum season does end with no summits on K2, it just underscores how difficult it truly is to climb this mountain.

Meanwhile, the Altitude Junkies have updated their blog with the confirmation that Spanish and Korean climbers made successful summits on the 3rd. This includes Oh Eun-sun, the Korean woman who now has 13 8000m peaks to her name. The AJ team is completely off the mountain now, and their porters have also arrived on the scene, so they are packing up and preparing to head back to Skardu as well. It seems that the season is over on the Gasherbrums as well.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that a team still remains on Broad Peak, and they are attempting a new route on that mountain. They're into C1 right now and will be proceeding upwards to C2 and 3 tomorrow. By the end of the weekend, they may be the final team in the Karakorum.

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Karakorum 2009: Tragedy on Broad Peak

Sad news once again today from the Karkorum, as we begin another week with a tragedy in the mountains. ExWeb is reporting that Italian climber Cristina Castagna has perished on Broad Peak, after falling on her descent from Camp 4 following a summit bid. It is unclear if she had successfully topped out before her fall, and as of right now, there is no word on any successful summits on the mountain.

The news of Christina's death comes just one week after the news that Kroean climber Go Mi-Sun was lost on Nanga Parbat. Christina's climbing partner, Giampaolo Casarotto, says that she was walking about ten meters in front of him when she slipped and fell into a crevasse. By the time he could scramble to her assistance, she was already gone, and there was nothing more he could for her. The 31-year old Italian woman, nicknamed "El Grio" or the Cricket, already had Shisha Pangma, GII, Dhaulagiri, and Makalu on her resume, with plans to knock off Broad Peak and then make a run at Gasherbrum I this year.

While there have been no confirmed summits as of yet on BP, and the rumors are most teams turned back due to high winds, the Field Touring Alpine Team released an audio dispatch on Saturday that confirms they had no summits and were returning to BC. One of their climbers, Paul Rowntree, did reach the point known as Rocky Summit however, which sits at 8013m (26,289 feet).

On Gasherbrum I, the Altitude Junkies are sitting in BC, looking up at a cloudless sky and what appears to be great weather, but all the reports indicate that there are high winds on the summit, and will be for the next few days. After that a weather window is expected to open that should allow access to the top of the mountain, something that Veikka and Kazuya are counting on as well.

Finally, Don Bowie has posted the second and third parts of his report on the team's summit bid on G3. Not only did the climb get a bit hairy, and then stall out due to extremely poor weather, the descent back to base camp became quite an ordeal as well. Very good read with a glimpse of what it's like on the mountain at the moment.

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Karakorum 2009: Gasherbrums Turn Back Teams, More On Go Mi-Sun

The Karakorum climbing season is evolving quickly in no small part because of the weather conditions there. While many of the teams are remaining patient and hoping for the best, others are electing to call it a day and head home for the year. Take for example the Jagged Globe team, who were hoping to summit Gasherbrum II, but have now decided it is time to go home. They blame the shifting jet stream that has brought a ton of snow to the mountain and are now preparing to leave base camp on the weekend. Apparently they won't be the only ones fleeing the Gasherbrums, as ExWeb is reporting that other teams are planning on packing it in for the season too.

Don Bowie and the rest of his crew having been struggling away on G3 for the past few weeks, and he posted the first of his summit bid dispatches today.

Over on Broad Peak, the summit bids are underway for the Field Touring Alpine team, who are on their way to Camp 2 today and hope to top out on Saturday. From the sounds of things, there is a mass summit push underway, with nearly every climber on BP giving it ago. Winds are expected to die down tomorrow, opening a weather window through the weekend.

Snow continues to fly on K2, but the weather is also said to be quite warm in base camp. The climbers are still finishing up their acclimatization process for the most part, while Kazakh climbers Maxut Zhumayev and Vassiliy Pivtsov have just arrived in camp and well be climbing under the same permit with Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who is going for her 13th 8000m peak.

Finally, ExWeb posted a story a few days back that shed more light on the death of Korean climber Go Mi-Sun. In a dispatch sent out from Joao Garcia, we learn a lot more about the conditions on Nanga Parbat and what led to the tragic fall that took the life of Miss Go. Joao doesn't pull any punches when he explains how the process for fixing the lines worked this year, and how a certain Austrian team didn't really pull their weight. It was because of them that the lines were removed between Camp 2 and Camp 3, which led to Miss Go not being roped in when she slipped and fell. Joao stops short of accusing the other team of being responsible for her death, but he makes it clear how he feels about the whole incident.

There is another report today on the state of climbing in Korea, where a culture of competitiveness has built up. ExWeb received word from someone in Korea that talked about the rivalries between the mountaineers, in this case Miss Go and another female climber named Miss Oh. It's a rather revealing look at the drive to be "first" in some capacity in the mountains.

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Karakorum 2009: Summits on Nanga Parbat and G2

Great news from the Karakorum today as word on successful summits have begun to trickle in, starting on Gasherbrum II where Ueli Steck has topped out yesterday and returned to BC today according to the Hardwear Sessions blog. Not many details are known yet on the climb, but it is being reported that Ueli was using this as a training climb for Makalu in this fall.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that Joao Garcia has summitted Nanga Parbat, claiming his 13th 8000 meter peak and leaving just Annapurna on his list. Joao's climbing partner Amin Ulal also topped out as well.

Korean climber Go Mi-Sun also reached the summit of Nanga Parbat earlier today, but had to use supplemental oxygen to do so. Miss Go has generally climbed without the O's, but perhaps her ambitious climbing schedule is getting the best of her. After resting, she'll move on to the Gasherbrums to have a go at both G1 and G2 in her bid for a second 8000m Triple Header this year.

The summits aren't quite done yet on NP however, as Gerfried Göschl's team is moving up along a new route, and if everything stays on schedule, they should be topping out tomorrow. They're climbing alpine style and established a fourth camp today where they are waiting for the winds to die down before proceeding up.

Moving over to Broad Peak, the Field Touring Alpine team is now in place and ready to begin their summit bid as well. All of their camps are established, and the climbers are finished with their acclimatization process, and now they are watching for a three day weather window that will give them access to the summit. Reportedly conditions are very good on the mountain, and it is only a matter of time before they move up.

The Gasherbrums are abuzz with activity besides just Ueli's successful summit. The Jagged Globe Team set off on their summit bid a few days back, while the Altitude Junkies are in BC and keeping an eye on the jet stream, hoping for a window. Don Bowie and his team have their sights set on G3, and their latest update has them all at 7000 meters and waiting for the winds to die down as well.

Jumping over to K2, it seems that weather has cleared up enough for teams to begin establishing the route to C2. Most of the teams have spent a night at C2 at this point, and are anxious to get higher on the mountain, but conditions have been really dicey so far.

Finally, Kazak climbing legends Maxut Zhumayev and Vassiliy Pivtsov have arrived in Pakistan are reportedly in Skardu. They'll begin the trek to K2 soon and are expected in base camp around the 22nd of the month. I'm not sure what their plans are, but they will no doubt be making some spectacular attempt, alpine style, on the mountain. Stay tuned!

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Karakorum 2009: Teams Go For Nanga Parbat Summit!

While the weather remains iffy throughout the Karakorum, ExWeb is reporting that teams have begun their summit push on Nanga Parbat, with the plan of reaching the top on Friday, July 10th, provided everything remains on schedule. Both Gerfried Göschl and the Korean team that includes Go Mi-Sun have set off for Camp 1 today. Another team, led by Giuseppe Pompili, is setting off in their wake with the intention of going to C3 to acclimatize. From there, they'll return to BC, rest up, and push for the summit around the 15th of the month.

According to the Field Touring Alpine site, their teams on both K2 and Broad Peak are back to work today following a break in the bad weather. Both teams are working the route and planning to climb high to acclimatize. On K2, the plan is to move up to C2 and spend the night their before going back to BC, but on BP it is being reported that there is more snow on the slopes, creating more of an avalanche threat. The FTA BP team will be more cautious in their approach of course.

The Altitude Junkies are on the Gasherbrums, and are eying both G1 and G2. Their latest update indicates good weather may be on the horizon, at least for the next few days. Snow is predicted to return at the end of the week however, so the team is sitting tight in BC for now, and letting the snow settle. They say that the route from C2 to C3 is quite dangerous at the moment, and the idea of more snow coming by Friday does not sit well. There has been so much snowfall on the mountain that all the ropes from C1 to C3 are buried, and if they can not be retrieved, they'll have to be refixed.

Both the Jagged Globe team and Don Bowie haven't posted an update in the last day or two, but they are also aiming at various Gasherbrum summits. Presumably they are waiting for the snow to settle on the higher portion of the mountain as well, but with more snow in the forecast, it doesn't seem like things are going to get better soon.

At least we have some movement on one off the big peaks. Hopefully we'll hear word on successful summits on Nanga Parbat later by the weekend. If the Koreans, and more specifically Go Mi-Sun, top out, they'll move turn their eyes on G1 and G2, making their bid for the Karakorum Hat Trick. If they pull them all over, Miss Go will have bagged six 8000m peaks in a matter of a few months. Should be fun to watch.

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Karakorum 2009: Bad Weather Everywhere!

It's been nearly a week since I posted any updates on what is happening in the Karakorum, but for the most part, aside from more teams arriving, the biggest news it the bad weather that is making it rough on the climbers at the moment.

Last week I reported that Elisabeth Revol , Antoine Girard, and Ludovic Giambasi were making a weekend run at the summit of Broad Peak. Unfortunately bad weather turned them back for the second time, and they are now back in BC resting up, and waiting for the weather to pass. The commercial teams on the mountain, such as Field Touring Alpine, have begun fixing ropes, and have established C2, but their latest updates indicate that heavy snow and high winds continue to buffet the mountain. Progress has been steady so far though, and if the weather breaks as expected, they'll push all the way up to C3, and are eyeing a summit bid in about 10 days time.

Switching over to the Gasherbrums, a similar story is being told with snow and winds hitting the various peaks that make up that massif. Don Bowie reports that he, Bruce Normand, and David Falt set off last week to stash some gear at 7000m, but after spending the night in C1 and trying to climb higher on the mountain, they were turned back due to high winds causing "spindrift avalanches". They did console themselves with a bit of ice climbing on a face that was protected form the storm though.

The Altitude Junkies have checked in from G1 and G2 as well, and they report that they have both Camp 1 and 2 established, and they are just waiting out the weather as well. They hope it'll pass in the next few days and they can turn their eyes on the summit, in the mean time, they're finding it impossible to recharge their gadgets the past couple of days thanks to the complete lack of sunshine. The Jagged Globe team has just returned from C2 and are reporting "thigh-deep snow" and unstable condition on the upper portions of the mountain, which means it may be awhile before they can get a real crack at the summit.

Weather seems to be the issue on Nanga Parbat as well, where, according to ExWeb, Gerfried Göschl is acclimatizing on the normal Kinshoffer route, but fully intends to climb a new route when he makes his summit bid. Gerfried also reports that Korean climber Go Mi-Sun has arrived on the mountain, and simply passed on through BC on her way up to C2 where she stayed for the night to begin acclimatization. You may recall, she is the Korean climber that pulled off the Himalayan Hat Trick in the spring, and is looking to knock off three more 8000m peaks in the Karakorum this summer. She'll start on Nanga before heading to G1 and G2.

Finally, on K2 the Field Touring Alpine team is hoping to begin working the route once again on Friday, when winds are expected to die down and allow access to the mountain. So far, it seems that teams have established Camp 2, and are eager to get working on the route to C3, but for now, they sit and wait a storm that is blasting BC.

Hopefully the storms will clear soon, and these climbers can finally get going. But as a base of reference, last year the main summits on K2 didn't take place until the end of July. Still plenty of time.

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Karakorum 2009: Preparations Underway on BP, K2, and Nanga Parbat

While the mountaineering world is still reeling over the death of Italian skier Michele Fait, teams continue their preparation for their upcoming climbs. Base camp on all the major Pakistani peaks now have teams in place, and the long, challenging work of fixing the lines and setting the camps has begun.

On K2, as you can imagine, the mood is a bit subdued with the passing of Michele. But the teams no that the best way to keep their minds off things is to stay busy, and with plenty of work to do, that's just what they are doing. The word is that teams are shuttling supplies up to C2 today, beginning their acclimatization process at the same time.

Meanwhile, on the Gasherbrums, Don Bowie reports that the team has been resting in BC, and watching a long line of porters bringing supplies up the valley. He says that the scuttlebut around BC is that as many as 13 teams could be climbing on multiple Gasherbrum peaks this summer, which could make for a crowded camp to say the least. Jagged Edge has a team looking to summit G2, and their latest update says that they've moved into the icefall, and their porters have already begun stocking C1 and will proceed to C2 within a few days time. Likewise, the Altitude Junkies are in BC, and held their Puja Ceremony a few days back. They're now ready to start their climb as well. They hope to top out on both G1 and G2.

Things are heating up on Nanga Parbat as well, where Gunther Unterberger and Gerfried Göschl are in the final stages of their acclimatization process. The duo will spend the night at Camp 1 today and if everything goes according to plan, they'll begin their summit bid in about 10 days time.

Finally, on Broad Peak, rope fixing is underway as well, although, as ExWeb reports, there are two teams already high on the mountain. Neither of those teams are using fixed lines however, so it has been left up to the commercial teams to place them. We do know that the team of Elisabeth Revol , Antoine Girard, and Ludovic Giambasi are in the midst of their summit bid at the moment, and are out of radio range, so hopefully everything is going well for them. We will likely not hear any news on the team until the weekend, summit or not. Good luck team!

More news from the range as it comes in.

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Karakorum 2009: Another Summit Bid on BP

The Karakorum is getting down right crowded! Well, at least by Karakorum standards. More teams are arriving in base camp and setting up shop, as the season really gets underway. On some of the mountains, the acclimatization process is already underway, and all eyes are turning towards some of the highest, most beautiful, and most challenging summits in the world.

Over on Broad Peak, a second summit bid is underway for Elisabeth Revol , Antoine Girard, and Ludovic Giambasi who made an attempt last weekend but were turned back due to weather. According to ExWeb, the team would be setting of for the South and South East Ridges today and they'll leave their sat phone behind, so we can expect no communication from the team for the next six days. With any luck, they'll be topping out by the end of the week.

Staying on Broad Peak, the word is that other teams, including larger commercial teams, are now making their way into base camp. That includes the Field Touring Alpine squad and a team from Iran who will attempt to concentrate on mountaineering while their homeland is in turmoil.

K2 is getting plenty of traffic these days too, with a number of teams having reached BC, including Frederik Ericsson who hopes to ski the mountain. He'll be joined on the mountain by Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner who is continuing her bid to become the first woman to bag all 14 8000 meter peaks. With two to go, K2 may be the biggest hurdle she has had to overcome.

Gerfried Göschl has his sights set on Nanga Parbet, and has already climbed up to C1, establishing camp there and starting the acclimatization process. Joao Garcia has joined him in base camp, along with a team from South Korea.

Finally, on the various peaks of the Gasherbrums teams are beginning to establish high camps, despite continued bad weather. Don Bowie reports that his team is in good health and good spirits, and that they are preparing to go after either G3 or G4. They hope to have camp 2 established at 6000 meters in the next few days.

The Altitude Junkies made it to base camp on Sunday and are reporting that the bad weather has taken its toll on the porters, who are often woefully prepared for harsh conditions, lacking the proper gear. They do report good weather today however, and are preparing for their Puja Ceremony tomorrow.

Exweb reports that another Iranian team, this time 11-members strong is also on their way to the Gasherbrums and should be in BC for G2 soon. They will no doubt be climbing with heavy hearts with the events taking place back home as well. We wish them, and all the climbers in the Karakorum, good luck. Climb safe!

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Karakorum 2009: Teams Gearing Up

Things are starting to heat up in the Karakorum, as more teams are arriving in base camps across the range now that flights have resumed between Islamabad and Skardu. But before I report on events in Pakistan, there is one more story to update from the Himalaya.

Sadly, the search for Micah Dash, the third climber missing on E Gongga, has been called off. The bodies of his climbing partners, Jonny Copp and Wade Johnson, were discovered amidst the rubble of an avalanche more than a week ago, and a search and rescue team turned into a recovery operation instead. Now, after combing the mountain, the team has called off the search and headed home. At this point, I think everyone knew that Micah had likely perished along with his friends, but it's still sad for the family that they haven't received the closure that they may have wanted. Lets continue to keep them in our thoughts.

Meanwhile, moving back over to the Karakorum, last week I reported that the first summit pushes were a go on Broad Peak, but bad weather turned back the team of Elisabeth Revol, Antoine Girard and Ludovic Giambasi.Elisabeth and Ludovic attempted the summit last Friday, but heavy snow turned them back, while Antonie suffered with altitude sickness in BC. The weather reports don't look good for the near future either, so for now, the team will sit and wait, and hope something opens before the 12th of July, their projected date to leave base camp.

Things aren't looking much better on K2 at the moment either. Teams are still making the trek to the mountain for the most part, but they are already finding a lot more snow on the trail than last year, and the storms have been dumping plenty more on the summit itself. It's going to take some time before they have established their high camps, but at the moment, there are no impending weather windows on K2 either.

On Nanga Parbat, Gerfried Göschl and the rest of his team, are the first to reach base camp and have already begun setting up their base of operations. They've spent the last three days trekking into BC and are now at 4250 meters (13,943 feet).

The Altitude Junkies are just one of many teams who are in the trekking phase of their journey at the moment. They're on their way to the Gasherbrums, and their latest dispatch gives you an idea of the scope of the operations they are undertaking. The team has contracted 140 porters to carry all of their gear to BC, and they note that they expect to use many more in the re-supply process in the weeks ahead. They report great weather conditions at the moment, and if all goes well, they'll reach the mountain by Friday.

Seems like we have a lot of teams still in transit or just arriving and scoping out the scene. Hopefully there will be good weather in the near future and they can get down to climbing, although the heavy snow sounds like it could be treacherous on a number of the big peaks. Stay tuned!

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