Checking forecasts at today's "Kurultai" in K2 BC. Image courtesy of Maxut Zhumayev/ A. Verkhovod (click to enlarge).
L/R: Serguey Bogomolov, Vassiliy Pivtsov, Maxut Zhumayev and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner - adding up a total of 48x8000ers summited. Image courtesy of Maxut Zhumayev/ A. Verkhovod (click to enlarge).
Asian climbers also joining forces on the upcoming summit push (Santiago Q. and wife camila on the right). Image courtesy of Maxut Zhumayev/ A. Verkhovod (click to enlarge).
Oh Eun-sun may attempt to bag her 13th 8000er on GI next week. File Image of the South Korean lady climber on Manaslu last year courtesy of Black Yak's website (click to enlarge).
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Pakistan wrap-up: K2 "Kurultai" triggers a new joint summit push
Posted: Jul 30, 2009 09:30 am EDT
(K2Climb.net/Madrid) The remaining teams on K2 have reached an unanimous agreement during a "Kurultai" (Max's Central Asian word to describe a crucial meeting) held in BC at 3:00 pm, local time today: They'll all join forces on a new summit push starting tomorrow!
Meanwhile news is expected from GI, where Serap Jangbu Sherpa, Polish Jacek Teler and Carlos Soria’s team are on a summit push. Already in BC, Oh Eun-sun and her team may launch their own attempt next week.
K2
Kazakhs Max and Vassiliy, Russian Serguey, Austrians Gerlinde, Gerfried and Sepp, Canadian Louis, Ecuadorian Santiago – as well as Korean, Japanese and probably American climbers, gathered in BC today to unveil the latest message from the current K2 oracle: Karl Gabel’s forecast, just emailed from Innsbruck.
“The first days of August may be good for a K2 summit attempt,” Max told home team Andrei Verkhovod after the meeting. “The wind is expected to drop down to 50km/h, even to 35 km/h on August 4th – which should thus be appointed as summit day (Tuesday). Therefore, all participants have agreed to join forces for the assault.”
“The only difference is the camp from where teams are launching the final push," Max added. “Some will depart from C3 (7,400m), while other hope to be in C4 (7,800m) on the summit night. Also, climbers coming from the Abruzzi Spur and the Cesen route will unite at C4’s location.”
“The decision has been fast and unanimous. The meeting took no longer than 1,5 hours. The first climbers will depart BC tomorrow. Let God helps us!”
Plans ahead
Max’ mate Vaso Pivtsov has just updated on the Kazakh duo’s plans. “Tomorrow afternoon we’ll leave for ABC, planning to climb one camp a day until the scheduled summit day," he said. "Serguey Bogomolov and Pakistani HAP Ibrahim plan to go all the way to C1 tomorrow – we will join them in C2 and proceed up together from that point.”
As for Gerlinde, she reported on her decision right after the meeting. “Ralf and the others have gone – I must confess I miss them so much,” she wrote. “David is heading home as well. However, I want to try once more if I’m given the chance.”
“The Kazakhs, Gerfried’s group and the Koreans with their Sherpas are heading up the Abruzzi Spur; climbing with me on the Cesen might be some Americans,” Kaltenbrunner pointed out. “I’ll let you know as soon as I confirm immediate plans.”
FTA’s team member Yake Meyer reported yesterday on fresh snow covering BC again and surprisingly mild temperatures. “There are rumours of better weather through the weekend and early next week,” Yake wrote. “I hope that these come true, as we are running out of time, and it would be good to get another chance to head up the hill!”
Gasherbrum I
Further reports are expected on the climbers currently pushing for GI’s summit: Serap Jangbu Sherpa hoped to reach the top two days ago, while Carlos Soria’s team was in C1 yesterday.
Polish Jacek Teler was the climber who attempted GII with missing Luis Barbero and eventually turned around near the summit very late in the day. According to a recent post on Daniela Teixeira’s website, Jacek spent some time in C1 after Luis was reproted missing and then headed up straight for the neighboring GI.
As for Luis Barbero’s search/rescue operation, Askari Aviation pilots report on their latest update today, that they had made no contact with the expedition team. Earlier reports on Tuesday and Wednesday stated the choppers had been grounded due to bad weather conditions.
Meanwhile, Korean Miss Oh Eun-sun is already in BC. “She may be moving up next week,” sponsor Black Yak told ExWeb’s correspondent Kyu Dam Lee.
Links to climbing teams in Pakistan 2009
K2
Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner
Maxut Zhumayev
Fabrizio Zangrilli
Jake Meyer
Santiago Quintero
Martin Ramos
Christian Stangl
Gerfried Göschl
Louis Rousseau
Field Touring Alpine
Broad Peak:
Eelco Jansen
Iran Mountain Zone News
Carles Figueras
Karrar Haidri's Saltoro Summits
Adventure Tour Pakistan
Askari Aviation
Gasherbrums
Daniela Teixeira & Paulo Roxo
Altitude Junkies
Oh Eun-sun
Oh's Black Yak website
Carlos Soria
Veikka Gustafsson's posts
News on GI/GII Romanian expedition
Sechu Lopez
Marek Holecek and Zdenek Hruby
Marta Alejandre
Serap Jangbu Sherpa
Lesser peaks and spires
Mt. Noshaq's Afghans to the top
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