Summer 2013 | Gasherbrums Update
An eventful summer climbing season, dominated by series of tragic incident, is swiftly approaching its end. Everyone, except very few climbers, has already vacated the mountains. Climbers still on the mountain are hope for late season success on GI and GII.
New Route Attempt on GI
The Czech Gasherbrum team (Marek Holecek, Zdenek Hruby, Marek Novotny, Tomas Petrecek) were the last to arrive at BC, this year (around the mid of July). As per Marek Holecek’s July 28th report, Marek Novotny and Tomas Petrecek were making summit bid on GI via standard route (Japanese Couloir). It’s not confirmed as of now, whether they made it to the summit or not.
Marek and Zdenek were hoping to complete the new route on SW Wall of GI, which they attempted in 2009 and had to turn back from 7500m as Zdenek was having problems in ascent. (Note: In 2009, after unsuccessful new route attempt Marek Holecek went on to summit via standard route).
GII Summit Push
Team lead by Dutch Arnold Coster is currently making another attempt to reach GII summit. Arnold Coster, Grace McDonald, Mark Quinn and Jon Kedrowski with Mingma and Charlie Sherpa have left the Base Camp, expecting to reach the top on August 5th. They reached C1 on August 02. As per plan, they will be resting there today and will try to go directly to C3, tomorrow.
During previous summit bid, an enigmatic surge of high summit winds forced the team to turn back.
Success on GI
Last week, several climbers managed to reach the summit of GI.
On July 29th, Lakpa Sherpa, Kiwi Chris Jensen Burke and Maltese Gregory Attard were at the top of Gasherbrum I. It was their second summit of the season (after GII on July 21st).
Two more GII summiteers, Belgian Stef Maginelle and Guido Riemenschneider also attempted GI. Guido had to retreat from C3 due to exhaustion and cold, but Stef successfully made it to the top on July 29th.
The feat of Argentinean Mariano Galvan looks further interesting, as he was the first person to reach the summits of both GII and GI, this year. As per Carlos’ blog, Mariano summited GI on July 20th, a day before the unfortunate Spanish trio Abel, Xevi and Alvaro, who went missing during descent. After descending to C1, Mariono went up again to assist Alfredo Garcia’s descent who was stranded in C3 due to bad weather.
Hit by the tragic loss of three friends, several Spanish climbers decided to return home without making a summit push. “Dawns a nice, sunny day; GI look indifferently; its summit no longer dominates my thoughts.” - wrote Patxi Goni but his climbing partner Oscar Cadiach went for the summit, reaching the top on July 29th, at 1100hrs local time. It’s the 13th 8000er for the Catalonian climber, who ascended Kangchenjuna in May this year.
It’s reported, that Russian Alexei Kosjakow also made it to the GI Summit. Alexei was part on International Nanga Parbat expedition and was in C2 when the violence struck Diamir BC. Unlike all other climbers who returned home, he joined the Russian Gasherbrums team. (Update: Mr Asghar Ali Porik, CEO Jasmine Tours has confirmed that Alexei summited GII on July 15th, which makes GI his second 8000er of the year.)
GII Summits
Polish lady Anna Maria Baranska, Austrian Harald Hasslacher and Colombian Anibal Pineda Gonzalez reportedly reached GII summit, on July 21st.
Away from 8000m peaks, as per Russianclimb, Denis Veretenin and Eugeny Bashkirtsev ascended the Trango Nameless Tower via Slovenian route in 1.5 days. No further details are available about the ascent.
Frequent updates appear in Tweet Box on right side of this blog, Twitter and Facebook.
New Route Attempt on GI
The Czech Gasherbrum team (Marek Holecek, Zdenek Hruby, Marek Novotny, Tomas Petrecek) were the last to arrive at BC, this year (around the mid of July). As per Marek Holecek’s July 28th report, Marek Novotny and Tomas Petrecek were making summit bid on GI via standard route (Japanese Couloir). It’s not confirmed as of now, whether they made it to the summit or not.
Marek and Zdenek were hoping to complete the new route on SW Wall of GI, which they attempted in 2009 and had to turn back from 7500m as Zdenek was having problems in ascent. (Note: In 2009, after unsuccessful new route attempt Marek Holecek went on to summit via standard route).
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| The GI SW Wall route attempted by Marek and Zdenek in 2009. Source |
GII Summit Push
Team lead by Dutch Arnold Coster is currently making another attempt to reach GII summit. Arnold Coster, Grace McDonald, Mark Quinn and Jon Kedrowski with Mingma and Charlie Sherpa have left the Base Camp, expecting to reach the top on August 5th. They reached C1 on August 02. As per plan, they will be resting there today and will try to go directly to C3, tomorrow.
During previous summit bid, an enigmatic surge of high summit winds forced the team to turn back.
Success on GI
Last week, several climbers managed to reach the summit of GI.
On July 29th, Lakpa Sherpa, Kiwi Chris Jensen Burke and Maltese Gregory Attard were at the top of Gasherbrum I. It was their second summit of the season (after GII on July 21st).
Two more GII summiteers, Belgian Stef Maginelle and Guido Riemenschneider also attempted GI. Guido had to retreat from C3 due to exhaustion and cold, but Stef successfully made it to the top on July 29th.
The feat of Argentinean Mariano Galvan looks further interesting, as he was the first person to reach the summits of both GII and GI, this year. As per Carlos’ blog, Mariano summited GI on July 20th, a day before the unfortunate Spanish trio Abel, Xevi and Alvaro, who went missing during descent. After descending to C1, Mariono went up again to assist Alfredo Garcia’s descent who was stranded in C3 due to bad weather.
Hit by the tragic loss of three friends, several Spanish climbers decided to return home without making a summit push. “Dawns a nice, sunny day; GI look indifferently; its summit no longer dominates my thoughts.” - wrote Patxi Goni but his climbing partner Oscar Cadiach went for the summit, reaching the top on July 29th, at 1100hrs local time. It’s the 13th 8000er for the Catalonian climber, who ascended Kangchenjuna in May this year.
It’s reported, that Russian Alexei Kosjakow also made it to the GI Summit. Alexei was part on International Nanga Parbat expedition and was in C2 when the violence struck Diamir BC. Unlike all other climbers who returned home, he joined the Russian Gasherbrums team. (Update: Mr Asghar Ali Porik, CEO Jasmine Tours has confirmed that Alexei summited GII on July 15th, which makes GI his second 8000er of the year.)
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| Normal Route on GI; Source |
GII Summits
Polish lady Anna Maria Baranska, Austrian Harald Hasslacher and Colombian Anibal Pineda Gonzalez reportedly reached GII summit, on July 21st.
Away from 8000m peaks, as per Russianclimb, Denis Veretenin and Eugeny Bashkirtsev ascended the Trango Nameless Tower via Slovenian route in 1.5 days. No further details are available about the ascent.
Frequent updates appear in Tweet Box on right side of this blog, Twitter and Facebook.
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