Summer 2015 | Gasherbrum Teams Start Acclimatizing; Difficult Conditions Reported

Majority of GI and GII teams have reached Base Camp and started the acclimatization. Like K2 and Broad Peak, excessive snow is reported from Gasherbrum as well. The route to C1 is said to be difficult than recent years and conditions are a bit unstable. Nonetheless, weather has improved and several climbers are expected to have left for C1 this morning.

Gasherbrum II
Kobler-Partner GII team was first to reach Gasherbrum this season. Their arrival was followed by snow, cold and lack of visibility. Weather cleared after three days and HAPs started establishing the route. However, they couldn't reach C1. The team members also went up for acclimatization and spent the night of June 29th at 5500m before retreating to BC.

The team is expected to go up again, today. “Leave on 3rd to Camp I; we'll be spending at least two nights and seek to establish or at least some progress to camp II and return to base camp,” wrote Laura Castillo and Yuri Contreras Cedi.

The Gasherbrum Icefall; Source

Meanwhile, Chilean climbers Martin Gildemeister, Rafael Matte and Tomás Vial arrived at Base Camp on July 1st. They have the plan to start acclimatization from today.

Olek Ostrowski and Piotr Śnigorski, the Polish skiing team, are also at Base Camp. The duo will start the acclimatization soon.

Polish climbers Michal Ruszkowski and Michal Stachowiak left for Base Camp last week and should reach there any time soon. Polish lady Kinga Baranowska is also trekking to Gasherbrum BC.

Porters marching towards Gasherbrum BC; Source

Gasherbrum I
American climber Nick Rice reached GI Base Camp on July 1st. “The snow from last night made the way more difficult, as the small crevasses that riddled the route were covered with weak snow bridges. We punched through more than a few along the way. We arrived to Gasherbrum Base Camp at 10:00am,” Nick reported.

Peruian Richard Hidalgo says the trek to BC was particularly challenging due to rain and snow. “Finally, after seven long days of approximation from Skardu (and no possibility of communication) we have come to the Base Camp of the Gasherbrum I and II (of 8080 and 8035 meters respectively). The weather during all these days has not been very stable at all, first raining and then snowing... But fortunately for the next few days the weather forecast says good weather.”

Leaving for acclimatization; Source

The four member GI international expedition (Ferran Latorre, Yannick Graziani, Tom Seidensticker and Muhammad Sadik) has reached Base Camp, as well. They will rest for a day before starting the climb tomorrow.

Czech new route climbers Tomas Petrecek and Marek Holecek will be leaving for Pakistan at the start of next week. They will acclimatize on GI normal route, before an alpine style attempt on SW Face.

Base Camp; Source
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