K2/BP 2010 - summit push in C2 on Broad Peak!

From Stu in the USA office
July 14, 2010

Just off the phone with Fabrizio and had a great conversation about everything that is happening on K2 and Broad Peak and I am as excited to follow them as they are to climb!

Broad Peak Summit Push

Everything is aligned really nicely and if the conditions allow we’ll be seeing our team off late on the 16th or early on the 17th for a summit bid!

Today Ben, Rob, Brian, Meagan, Asgar Taqui and Ghulam made it up to C2 and got down to the work of resting, eating and hydrating! They are feeling great and hope for a great sleep in anticipation of a key push to C3 tomorrow. On the 15th Fabrizio, Chris, Mike, and Jo will head up to C2 while the first group with Ben will move up to C3.
On the 17th they will hop again as Ben’s group will go to C4 and Chris, Fab, Jo and Mike will replace them in C3. As Chris and Fabrizio have been moving well and Jo and Mike will be utilizing O2 they will leave a bit earlier for the summit bid (on the 17th) than the C4 group and hope to join them for the move up the col and with luck across to the summit!

At this point Aziz and Farhad are resting after their hard work on K2 and will plan to join the team on K2 for the push to C4.

The remaining members are all using this push up the hill simply to acclimatize for k2 and will be taking it easy and clearing gear as they come down, This includes Ed, Garth, Katrina, Lhakpa, Luis and Tshering.

We have one BC services member only, Ian, and he’ll be making his own decision about summit timing but at this point looks to be joining along with the second group.

First Norwegian?
Jo Valseth is trying to become the first Norwegian to summit Broad Peak so we all wish him and his country great success. There are other Norwegians on the hill so with good luck there may be more than one countryman atop Broad Peak in the days ahead!

Over on K2
As always we try to play nice with other teams for fixing routes and sharing tents whenever possible and Fabrizio has been working very hard with the other climbers on the Cesen to ensure we all minimize our load carrying. So tents he and Aziz and Farhad carried up will be shared with at least one other team and we’ll likewise be spending a few nights in their tents during our push. The hope is to save as many resources for all teams as we can. Really nice to see this good cooperation and we’ll hope it continues throughout the summer!

As I continue to read Ed Viesturs book on K2 he comments a number of times about the differences between teams and groups and how they respond during times of crisis or challenge. I think that this is certainly an issue to be taken very seriously and I believe that we have a large enough team coming together and enjoying each others company that we have a strong team headed up Broad Peak and will have another on K2. The more dance parties and Jenga games we play the safer we are up high…go Jenga!

Fabrizio or Chris will drop a Gabcast every night so be sure to check the gabcast page as well as here for news each day!

Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches at Gabcast


Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches #92: Fabrizio calls in From BC with the Summit Push update for the 14th July!

Enjoy!






ps: Rewatched the classic flick “K2” last night and while so much of it makes no sense at all logistically and practically it does have numerous poignant moments and does offer a lot of insight into the old question of why we come to these high, cold and steep mountains.

Harold: It's beautiful
Taylor Brooks: Course it's beautiful, did you think I'd take you to an ugly mountain?

A few quotes

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102178/quotes

full text

http://www.angelfire.com/movies/closedcaptioned/k2.txt

K2/BP 2010 - July 13: Summit Big under way for Broad Peak!

from stu in the usa office

13th July, 2010

It is a rare thing to be climbing an 8000m peak and even rarer to be climbing 2 of them at the same time! Indeed we have our team on Broad Peak with C3 already established and now we have installed C2 up the road at K2 and with that FTA is climbing the 2nd and 12th highest peaks on the planet at this time!

Many months ago when we mapped out how we would try these two peaks side by side we had envisioned that if our guides and HAP’s could be in great form and the route and weather permitting that we would hope to have Fabrizio making a run up to C2 or C3 on the Cesen while Chris and Ben were finishing off the route to C3 on Broad Peak. Sure enough this has come to pass and we are on schedule. Additionally the weather appears ready to give us a short 2-day window of low winds for our first summit push of the summer! On the 17th July we hope to have members on the top of Broad Peak so wish us luck!

C2 and higher on K2

Fabrizio called in from C2 on the Cesen route on the 11th to let us know that all well on the Cesen route. He and Aziz and Farhad came over to the K2 BC on the 10th and then scooted up the route in something over 4 hours to reach C2. Fabrizio said that the route was in the best condition he had ever seen it down low and that they did not even use fixed rope (placed there so far by the polish team) until just below the camp. Unfortunately at this point the conditions turned more icy than he has ever seen. So a strange pattern of too much snow low, ice in the middle and likely sugar snow above that we have seen on Broad Peak, continues on K2.

Loaded with 3 tents, 300m of rope and their own sleeping gear the trio hoped to complete fixing the route to C3 on the 12th but was turned back by high winds and descended BC. They are using the 13th and 14th to rest and will join the Broad Peak summit push on the 15th.

Meanwhile on Broad Peak

The rest of the crew over at Broad Peak has all come down to BC and is resting up in anticipation of a summit push. After Fabrizio had finished putting in the final line to C3 last week (on the 9th) all of the members made high point tags on the 9th and 10th. Chris and Ben managed to take enormous loads of gear (tents, oxygen and more) to C3 (7100m) and both are feeling very strongly. I spoke to Chris at the Broad Peak BC and he sounded great. He was commenting on how strong he feels in comparison to previous trips to the Karakoram with this now his 6th 8000m effort (Cho Oyu in 2007, Gasherbrum II in 2008, Broad Peak and K2 in 2009 and Cho Oyu in 2010). Ben also is feeling his strongest on his 3rd 8000m trip now with previous shots on Cho Oyu in 2008 and on Broad Peak in 2009.

We have been watching the weather very carefully and it looks like the team will have modest winds on the 16th and 17th enabling them to establish a C4 on the16th and summit from two locations on the 17th. The group camped in C3 will leave a bit earlier and join the group leaving from C4. The conditions have so far thwarted other groups summit bids either due to deep/sugar snow or due to high winds. We hope with enough people to share the plowing and a few days of lower winds that we will have a good chance to make the top.

At this time the plan is as follows

On the 14th Ben, Rob, Brian, Meagan, Taqui, Ghulam, Asgar will head up to C2 with hopes of reaching C3 on the 15th and C4 on the 16th. Their move to C4 will be a midday move of 2-3 hours and is intended to shorten up their summit day. The exact location will depend on how they are going but likely be approximately 7500m.

On the 15th Fabrizio, Chris, Aziz, Farhad, Mike, Jo, Garth, Ed, Luis, Katrina, Lhakpa and Tshering plan to move up to C2 to begin their final push on Broad Peak. Many of this crew will plan to simply spend a night in C3 and then drop to BC in preparation for K2 while Jo, Mike will certainly make a summit bid along with our guides and HAP’s.

We’ll be watching the progress very carefully as well as the weather and make a final call about the summit push on the 16th when we see if the weather window is holding. Fingers crossed and pray to the weather gods for great weather!!

Literary Corner

While our teams are in the field I always try to read a book of history, culture or climbing related to our trip and I am working my way through “ K2: Life and Death on the World’s Most Dangerous Mountain” and enjoying his history, personal philosophy and opinions. I had the pleasure of meeting Ed Viesturs in 2003, when he and Frenchman J.C. Lafaille were climbing on Broad Peak following their trip to Nanga Parbat, and he strikes one immediately as self-assured but unassuming and was extremely friendly and forthright. I am finding the book to be similar and highly recommend the book for a good read!

In Viesturs book, in the chapter “The Motivator”, he describes K2 as follows: “A sharp Pyramid of black rock, sheer now gullies and ridges, and ominous hanging glaciers, K2 has a symmetry and grace that make it the most striking of the fourteen 8,000ers. Rising from the Baltoro Glacier in the heart of the Karakoram, K2 is flanked by five other of the world’s seventeen highest peaks. The range, in fact, holds the densest concentration of skyscraping mountains anywhere in the world–even denser than the Himalaya around Everest. Yet K2 soars in proud isolation over Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II and its other formidable neighbors.” (p8) He then describes various climbers reactions to seeing the mountain including Younghusband and Messner but sums it up best with his own response to seeing it from above Paiju “That is one huge mo-fo!” When our bid on Broad Peak concludes we’ll be heading over to eh Mo-Fo and likely that will be on the 23rd when the porters arrive from Askole. They’ll move the bc over to K2 and then support he Broad Peak only folks (Ben, Rob, Ian, Mike & Jo) back out to showers and shaves in Skardu!

A few other books I have been reading this past year may also be of interest as well. Greg Mortenson’s two books (Three Cups of Tea and Stones to Schools) are helpful in understanding the larger issues in Baltistan in particular and in Pakistan and Afganistan in general. A recent history of mountaineering “Fallen Giants” is a must read for anyone interested in the background of climbers and mountains in the greater ranges in the world. As we will be on Nanga Parbat next summer the books examination of the German Expeditions there provides great

In addition to our regular 8000m trips to Broad Peak, Cho Oyu, Gasherbrum II, K2, and Makalu we’ll be adding Nanga Parbat in summer 2011 and Everest in spring 2012. With good luck we’ll have Kanchenjunga, Manasulu and Shishapangma trips as well over the next 3 years.

For the moment we are focusing on this autumns Cho Oyu, Island Peak, Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Everest BC treks, Satopanth and Tharpu Chuli. We have spaces remaining on most of theses trips so drop us a note if you are interested in joining our great guides and staff for a trip to Nepal, India or Tibet!

See our expeditions and treks pages for more!

K2/BP 2010 - June 9: C3 established!

From Stu in the USA office

June 9, 2010

More great news from our team continues to arrive each day by phone, sms and audio dispatch! Over the last few days our team has now completed the route to C3, made a deposit of tents and all members have spent a night in C2!

On the 7th our team began to move back up the hill as we noted in our July 7th dispatch. On the 8th the members in C2 (6250m) made a push as high as they coudl on the hill with Brian, Meagan, Mike and Rob all reaching 6600m or so. Feeling strong, Fabrzio completed fixing the route to C3 (7100m) on a perfect day with the entire Karakoram stretched out before him including K2, Angel Peak, Chogalisa, Mitre Peak and much much more.

View from below C3 to Concordia © stu remensnyder

Much of the route between C2 and C3 is along the edge of an enormous drop off and requires great attention. Then, as the slopes ease up near C3, it is possible to really take in the views and enjoy the position (despite the hypoxia and huffing a puffing!). The entire contingent who moved up from C1 to C2 on the 8th will be making their climb to C3 on another great day of fine weather and diminishing winds.

View from high on Broad Peak © stu remensnyder

To awake in a tent at C2 or C3 and look over at the sunrise on K2 is a rare treat that they will have perhaps 4-5 times on this trip and you can hear in Fabrzio's voice in his audio dispatches below that he is still in awe of the view - even after dozens of expeditions to the highest peaks on the planet. I am sure he'll be feeling the same on K2 in a few weeks time and on our 2010 Cho Oyu this September/October. ( Join Fab, Chris, Ben and our other guides for expeds to Cho Oyu, Cholatse, Ama Dablam, Island Peak, Thapru Chuli, Satopanth and more this autumn! See our expedition listing for more!)

Sunrise above C3 on Broad Peak © stu remensnyder

Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches #89- June 7: Fabrizio from C2 on Broad Peak

Field Touring Alpine Audio Dispatches #90 - June 8, 2010: Fabrizio from Broad Peak BC

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We'll have a report soon from Fabrizio and the team as they celebrate Ben Kane's 29th birthday and take a few days of rest until the summit bids begin!!

K2/BP 2010 - June 7: headed to C3!!

from stu in the usa office
June 6, 2010

After a great acclimatizing run the last time up and a great rest at bc our team is back on the hill today and making great progress once again.

On the 7th Fabrizio made it up to C2 along with Brian, Rob, Ed, Meagan and Mike. The entire rest of the non-pakistani members, Katrina, Lakpa, Luis, Tshering, Jo, Chris, Ben and Garth, are already at C1 for tonight and the HAP staff will come all the way up to C2 tomorrow.


Approaching C3 © stu remensnyder

On the 8th Fabrizio will finish the route through to C3 and stay the night along with his group and then descend to BC on the 9th. On the 8th the members now in C1 with Ben and Chris will push up to C2 for the night with plans to walk towards camp 3 (or above) on the 9th and then return to BC the same day. We have a great forecast for the next 2-3 days and by the time our group drops back to BC they will be acclimatized and ready for a summit bid. There are some days of very high winds ahead but we'll be ready for to go up in the next good window! Fabrizio said that at least one of the other teams who arrived earlier will be making summit bids so hopefully they will have success and it will bode well for our team!

view to K2 from above C2 © stu remensnyder

This is an exciting time for our team and we hope to have great news of the progress on the 9th or 10th along with a plans for a summit bid. Fabrizio will try to drop gabcast audio dispatches as he goes and I will post them as they arrive!

One of our trekkers, Nikki Wright, is back at home now after a great trek and has sent in some pics from her trek...enjoy them below!

Porters approaching Concordia © Nikki Wright

Porters above Paiju © Nikki Wright

Broad Peak BC © Nikki Wright

Meal at Broad Peak BC: Left table from front to back Lakpa, Rob, Jo, Ed, Meagan, Garth, Major Ajaiz, Ben, Fabrizio, (right from back to front) Chris, Nikki, Mike, Ian, Luis, Katrina, Tom, Tshering © Nikki Wright

Nikki with the Trangos behind © Nikki Wright

K2/Broad Peak 2010 - Happy Canada Day! Heading to C3!

from stu in the usa office
July 1, 2010

Fabrizio has left a few voice dispatches (see at bottom) with the very latest on the team's efforts on Broad Peak and they are impressive to say the least! In just 4 days our team has placed 2400m of rope and established 2 camps with 5 tents each. You can see in the image below the general route and typical camp placements and click on it for a larger view.




Broad Peak route from K2 BC © stu remensnyder

On the 26th Fabrizio and Aziz and Farhad made it up to C1 from basecamp in a lightning 2hrs and 5 minutes. In 2003 this took me nearly 4 hours on my second time up and I was trucking. I don't know how Fabrizio and the HAP's can go that fast, me thinks EPO or HGH a la Tour de France!! Perhaps injectable epi as in the classic film "K2" during the "take me out to the ball park" scene. If you have not seen this film its a must-see-cult-climber-flick! Just ordered a fresh copy from Amazon! Most normal human on our team are taking between 4hrs and 8 hours to reach C1 and taking a few pics, a rest or two and some breaths along the way!

More than half of the team has now spent the night at C1 and by the end of the next few days the entire team will have done so. There had been hopeful plans to move up the hill sooner but snow on the 29 & 30 kept our team resting up at BC. With a nice 2-3 day window starting tomorrow much of the team will be on the move including some members starting rotations at C2. Perhaps half of the team will have spent a night there by the 4th when light snow is expected to fall. Likely we will then be grounded a few days with heavier snow expected on the 5th into the 6th.



By the 4th Fabrizio and the HAP's are hoping to push the route into C3. The 5 HAPs will carry approx 150m of rope and this should give us enough to make the critical sections safe. After a series of steeper steps above C2 the route eases off for a large stretch and C3 can be placed in many spots along the way. Typically the height is between 7100 and 7200m and from this high on the mountain BC begins to feel far off and sensation of being on the moon begins to take over. Nonetheless on a nice day it can be well above freezing and a nice place for a cup of tea and a rest.




Hot tea at C3 © stu remensnyder

Some years depending on conditions of the team and the route we will add a camp higher up nearer to 7400-7500m which can shorten up the summit day. We had 2 nights in 2003 at this camp and it was glorious spot with great views of sunset on K2.




Loney C4 in 2003 © stu remensnyder


Passing the hours at BC this summer has included marathon sessions of Jenga and you can hear more in fabrizio's dispatch from the end of the day on the 27th in Pakistan. On the 30th they had the entire bc contingent over for a party and Jenga once again played a central role with a 15-person game which included Catalans, Slovaks, Canadians, Americans, Norwegians and more! Apparently Chris and Fabrzio have taken great pains to set up the best BC we have ever had including a cushy floor, strung lights and games galore. The FTA BC setups always seem to be inviting and whether we are in Nepal, Pakistan, Argentina, Ecuador or Tibet we enjoy the company of all the other teams on the hill. Always nice to create a community on the mountains with other folks passing through for a cup of yak butter tea, a game of cards or a sip of Khukuri rum!


Fabrizio wanted to be sure we mentioned the amazing job that Aziz and Farhad are doing and they are proving to be the strongest HAP's right now. We had met them last year on the Latok rescue attempt and they had demonstrated great skill and strength and we are glad to have them on our team for this year and hopefully for many years to come!

Enjoy the audio dispatches below and stay tuned for more news in a few days!

26th June, 2010 Audio Dispatch


July 1, 2010 Audio Disapatch (#88)





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