Pakistan wrap-up: Laila Peak, "Time to piss on the fire"; C2 set up on G2; last Polish steps before summit push

Posted: Jun 18, 2010 09:44 pm EDT

Laila Peak rejected skiers Ericsson and Cook, now heading to K2. The Poles on Nanga are ready to install their 4th and last camp, and new teams are arriving in Gasherbrums BC, where the French have broken trail up to C2 at 6,400m.

Meanwhile the Spaniards (Basques) are acclimatizing on unnamed 6,000ers near their main goal: Broad Peak.

K2 - call in the dogs

Fredrik Ericsson and Trey Cook launched a summit push on Laila Peak, which stopped short before the top due to risk of slab-avalanches. The northwest aspect of Laila is a massive, flat and featureless 45-50 degrees-steep tabletop and it was easy to imagine that any kind of fracture would release the entire face. Its times like these that I find it useful to pause for a moment to reflect on my priorities in life, Trey reflected.

Its tempting to stay here with Laila - but were here on a mission and that mission is to ski K2, the team reported back in BC. Time to piss on the fire, call in the dogs and head em on up to K2.

Our first group is off to Askole led by Chris Szymiec and our second group is on the KKH, FTA home team reported on Wednesday. Already in Askole and on the way to Jhula are: Chris, Ed, Ben, Rob, Mike, Tom, Meagan, and Brian. Waiting in Skardu for the road crew are: Fabrizio, Lakpa, Tshering and Jo. Arriving this evening by road are: Luis, Katrina, Garth, Nikki and Ian.

Broad Peak - a baker's showcase

After three days in BC Alberto, Mikel and Juan set off yesterday towards a 6,379m peak nearby where they hope to acclimatize for two nights. They have scouted the access to the new route theyre eyeing, and climbed up to 5,600m.

The climbers hope to climb at least a couple of unnamed peaks in the area. Its like a bakers showcase so many yummy peaks to choose from!

Marmota Slovakia expedition officially began on June 6th, at departure from Vienna International Airport, their home team reported.

Nanga Parbat, snow hard as concrete

Its been raining and snowing for three days in BC, according to the Polish team. Some members would try to go up today, hoping to set up their fourth (and last) high camp; next, they will be ready for a summit push. Loads of snow which they describe hard as concrete is making life miserable for the team.

Gasherbrums, French ahead

Ludo Challeat team is back in BC after setting up C2 and descending in pretty rough conditions on June 16th. Forecast is good, so we may set off again tomorrow, aiming to set-up C3, Ludo wrote. Two teams arrived while we were on the hill: a Czech and a Polish expedition. We hope they will help with the works on the route.

Our fourth day on the trek sees us spending the evening at Urdukas, Phil Crampton, still some days away from BC, reported yesterday. The weather has been overcast pretty much the whole trek so far which keeps the temperature low, ideal for the trek, but the photo opportunities have been limited so far. We seem to have rain each evening which means the tents never really seem to dry out completely.

Links to 2010 Pakistan teams:

K2

Fredrik Ericsson

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner

Field Touring Alpine - blog

Meagan McGrath (with FTA)

Fabrizio Zangrilli

Giuseppe Pompilli

Kinga Baranowska

Marcin Miotk

Anna Czerwinska

Mike Horn's Pangaea expedition

News on Leila Esfandyari - IMZ

Broad Peak


BAT Basque traverse team

Slovakia Marmota expedition


Nanga Parbat

Artur Hajzer's Polish Winter Himalayism

Cleo Weidlich


Gasherbrums

Radek Jaros

Libor Uher

Waldemar Niclevicz: BP+GI

Don Bowie: GIII+GIV

Altitude Junkies

Arian Lemal

Ludovic Challeant

Amical

Kari Kobler - blog

Lesser Peaks

David Falt: Latok I
#Mountaineering #topstory