Posted: Jun 02, 2009 09:51 am EDT
(K2Climb.net) “Our first bivouac was improvised on the couloir. It was so steep, we had to sleep roped-up to a 3-point belay secured to a snow-mushroom, a piton and an ice-axe [...] After a second bivy, we faced one last obstacle separating us from BP’s plateau, which would lead to the summit – but there was no pass to be found."

Eli Revol and Ludo Giambasi are back in BC after failing to find a passage to the summit at the end of their unbeaten path.

Fresh from Everest, Phil Crampton and three Altitude Junkies Sherpa will soon fly to Islamabad for both Gasherbrums.

Broad Peak: Eli and Ludo’s report

”We set off from BC on May 30th,” Ludovic Giambasi reported. “The new route started on the opposite back of the glacier at 4,700m, up a couloir which led to a ridge. Then it traversed to the left on some delicate passages up to M5+.”

“Next we followed an ascending traverse across snow slopes until a mixed zone and, finally, we climbed a beautiful mixed couloir, 45-75º steep.”

“Our first bivouac was improvised on the couloir. It was so steep, we had to sleep roped-up to a 3-point belay secured to a snow-mushroom, a piton and an ice-axe.”

“On the following morning we progressed up couloirs and mixed sections, which eventually led to an elegant, aerial ridge overloaded with snow and heavily corniced, located at 6500/6700m.”

“After a second bivy, we faced one last obstacle separating us from BP’s plateau, which would lead to the summit – but there was no pass to be found. Lacking any better option, we turned back and retraced our steps back to BC, which we reached that evening.”

“Our proposed graduation for the new route is TD+, 1,800m long (2,000 m long with the ridges). It’s a great route which includes committed sections and demands all kina of techniques (snow, ice, rock and mixed). Only that impassable last section prevented us from proceeding towards the summit – although it might have been a bit too bold of an attempt, since we were only on our second acclimatization trip.”

“Last night it started snowing – great we turned back in time,” Ludo ended.

Gasherbrums - Altitude Junkies: from Kathmandu to Islamabad

Still in Kathmandu, Nepal, after concluding a successful Everest expedition, Altitude Junkies/Project-Himalaya leader Phil Crampton checked in to list the members of the outfitter’s expedition to GI and GII.

“The following members who are going to be attempting both the summits of Gasherbrum II and I: Ian Cartwright (UK), Phil Crampton (UK/USA), Mark Dickson (UK), Gordon Ferguson (Canada), Mark Horrell (UK), Arian Lamal (France) and Michael Odell (UK).”

“The following climbers are climbing independently but sharing base camp and the lower camps one and two: Serap Jangbu Sherpa (Nepal), Philippe Gata (France) and Gorgan Wildberger (France).”

“This year we are bringing three of our own Sherpa crew fresh off the slopes of Everest to assist our Pakistani High Altitude Porters,” Phil noted. “Our Sherpa climbing staff consists of Pasang Gumba Sherpa, Tarke Sherpa and Temba Sherpa.”

Links to climbing teams in Pakistan 2009

Broad Peak:

Elisabeth Revol
Antoine Girard
Ludovic Giambasi
Eelco Jansen's blog
Karrar Haidri's Saltoro Summits

K2

Fredrik Ericsson

Gasherbrums

Daniela teixeira & Paulo Roxo
Philippe Gatta
Altitude Junkies' dispatches

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