25 climbers to celebrate Broad Peak anniversary, 10 for K2 after
Austrian Gerfried Göschl is preparing for Broad Peak and K2. In 2005, he was one of only two climbers to achieve an 8000er double-header (Shisha and Everest, both without O2). Image courtesy of Northland Professional (click to enlarge).
Marcus Schmuck on the summit of Broad Peak on June 9, 1957 at 5:05pm, K2 in the background. Marcus and Fritz Wintersteller reached the summit after more than 13 hours of trail braking from Camp III. Kurt Diemberger and Hermann Buhl reached the summit later that day. Image courtesy of Fritz Wintersteller and BroadPeak.org (click to enlarge).
10:56 am CST Feb 01, 2007
(K2Climb.net/MountEverest.net) Simone Moro and Shaheen Baig are pretty lonely there right now, but celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first ascent, Broad Peak will attract a good number of climbers this summer. One of the largest expeditions is an anniversary climb led by Gerfried Goeschl: “Up to now we have 25 climbers for Broad Peak, coming from Europe, North and South America,” Goeschl told ExplorersWeb. “Together we add up 25 summits on 8000ers. After Broad, 10 of us will continue to K2.”
Kick off at the Night of the First Ascent,”
The expedition will officially kick off at the "Night of the First Ascent,” a commemoratory party organized by the Broad Peak Club in Salzburg, Austria on Saturday, June 9, 2007 – exactly 50 years after Wintersteller, Schmuck, Buhl and Diemberger bagged the first BP summit in a remarkable push without O2 or high altitude porters.
Pioneers Kurt Diemberger and Fritz Wintersteller, as well as the 57’ expedition L.O. Qader Saeed, have already confirmed they will wave off the 2007 team. The climbers also expect Wintersteller’s visit in BC during the expedition.
Located at the head of the Baltoro Glacier, Pakistan, the local name for Broad Peak is Faichan Kangri. Once named K3 by British topographers, the current official height of its main summit is 8,051m. But according to maps from 1957 when the peak was first summited, the top was measured to 8,047meters.
The first attempt was done by Karl M. Herligkoffer in 1954, from BP's SW side. In 1957, an Austrian expedition led by Marcus Schmuck arrived. Other important members of the party were Fritz Wintersteller, Kurt Diemberger - and Hermann Buhl - considered one of the best known post-war Austrian climbers and the first to Summit Nanga Parbat.
The climbers made three camps at 5800, 6400 and 6950 meters, using ropes fixed by the 1954 German expedition. On May 29, Fritz Wintersteller and Kurt Diemberger reached the Forepeak (8030 m) but fog and the late hour forced them to return to Camp III.
On June 9, 1957 finally, Schmuck and Fritz Wintersteller reached the summit at 5.05 pm, followed by Kurt Diemberger at 5.50 pm, and last Hermann Buhl.
All four men climbed the peak without using oxygen or high altitude porters. Having left their porters between 7 and 12 km away from BC, the climbers had to carry the loads to BC themselves. The only help they received was from Qader Saeed and two mail runners. The expedition also lacked BC support.
Broad Peak.org has authentic pictures, climbing diaries, and historical documents, as well as an official summit log-book from the expedition. There is an overview over all later ascents and all climbers reaching the main summit are listed. The multi-lingual site is accredited by the Government of Pakistan, the OEAV, the Edelweiss Club Salzburg, and National and International Mountaineering Organizations.
Austrian Gerfried Göschl was one of only two climbers who achieved an 8000er double-header in spring 2005. The other was Finnish Veikka Gustafsson, summiting Cho Oyu and Annapurna.
Gerfried first led a team up Shisha Pangma: The group reached Shisha’s central summit, but only Gerfried proceeded to the main summit (8027m), on May 3. He then moved to Everest’s North side for a fast no O2 attempt. Bad weather kept him in BC for some time but he finally summited on June 1; once again alone.
Gerfried Göschl (33) was born in Styria, Austria. He is a member of Alpine Rescue Team Gesaeuse. He has summited Cho Oyu, Muztagh Ata (7546m), Aconcagua, G2, Shisha Pangma Main and Everest - all without O2.
Italian climber Simone Moro is currently attempting the first winter climb on Broad Peak together with local climber Shaheen Baig, 28.
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