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August 1-10th,1999 Daily Reports
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OK, now for the answers to the rest of your questions:
1.) Both Fausto De Stefani and Sergio
Martini has completed the True Main Summit of Shishapangma.
2.) Neither the great H.A. Climbers Hans Kammerlander nor
the great American H.A. climber Ed Viesturs have reached the Main Summit of Shishapangma
according to noted historian Xavier Eguskitza. Both reached the Central summit.
3. ) Therefore, Hans has three summits left to complete the
14 8000 meter peaks. Ed has 4 according to Xavier Eguskitza. According to Xavier
Eguskitza, Ed only reached a fore-summit of Broad peak. Xavier said Ed told him this in
their phone call and that Ed did not claim the true summit of Broad Peak to him in any
way. Ed, therefore apparently has only completed 10 out of the 14 and has four summits
left. These are corrections to what EverestNews.com previously reported.
4.) EverestNews.com has debated if there should be one list
or two of completers on the 14 8000 meter peaks. The first list is for those climbers that
have reached the true summits of 14 8000 meter peaks. The second
list is the problem. How close is close enough? 50 meter, 100 meters, a
fore-summit? Where does it begin and end. The feedback from
the readers of EverestNews.com has been 100% the true summit, period. Xavier
Eguskitza view is to make his list, you must go to the true summit, period.
EverestNews.com is also going to keep this standard.
5.) The apparent issue with Fausto De Stefani and Sergio
Martini is much more complex. Both of these men unquestionably rank in the best of the
best H.A. climbers in the world. (Look at Sergi's picture on the QAGeorge
page. Sergi is the climber who looks as it he is out for a daily hike.)
Fausto De Stefani and Sergio Martini both climbed Lhotse.
The question is how far they reached. On Summit day, they believed they reached the
summit, however, the conditions were horrible with a white out occurring. Another climber
who summitted later claimed the footprints ended clearly short of the summit and that they
did not make the summit. However, the tracks could have been filled with the snow
conditions.
Fausto De Stefani and Sergio Martini
have
not denied that they might not have made it. As we understand it, they state that
this is a possibility that they reached the fore-summit of Lhotse in that the conditions
were horrible.
Fausto De Stefani tells Xavier Eguskitza that he has no
plans to go back to Lhotse. Fausto De Stefani is remembered on Everest in 1991 where he
came down with a serious case of edema very high of Everest with cost him some body parts.
He reached the summit of Everest in 1996 !
No word from Sergi on this issue yet.
6.) Many feels all that really counts is what matters to
oneself, therefore each climber must make his or her own decisions.
7.) EverestNews.com want to be clear. In our opinion there
is NO SHAME with any of these climbers mentioned above. To our knowledge no climber above has lied nor not stated the truth. In
fact these climbers discussed above, are believed to be very honest, truthful, and
honorable.
8.) Therefore what is the confusion ? A Shishapangma
issue? No we don't think so. To EverestNews.com this really appears
simple, as Xavier states, "you have done it or you have not." If you want your
name listed with Messner, Kukuczka, Loretan, Carsolio, Wielicki, an now Oiarzabal, you
must do the Top... But to add climbers to the list that has done less simply is not
factual.
On a lighter note: A sixteen year old boy and his father
summitted Mt. Rainier on Friday. Sound as if Jim Frush (Seattle climber and AAC expedition
committee chairman) and some National Park Service Rangers were with them. The climbers
names: Al Gore and his son Albert Gore III. Al currently is Vice
President of the United States of America. Way to go AL !!!
The EverestNews.com Shisha Pangma Spring 99
Expeditions page has been updated with several summits in the last few weeks. Note
this list is not complete at this point, but it reports information on some of the
expeditions.
Shisha Pangma or as it is called by
the Chinese Xixabangma in the only 8000 meter peak located entirely in China. The Chinese
made the first ascent on May 2, 1964.
Shisha Pangma has become more interesting lately, is that
some climbers attempting to complete the 14 8000 meters peaks, has not done the True
summit at (Main) at 8027Meters but rather the lower and much easier Central Summit at
8008m.
The Great climber Ehardt Loretan went back and summitted the
Main summit, after reached the Central Summit.
All 6 men listed on our 8000 meter page
has completed the True Summits of all 8000 meter peaks including the true (Main) Summit of
Shishapangma according to our records and noted historian Xavier Eguskitza.
With that said, expeditions are lead to the Central Summit
at 8008 meter regularly. The Central Summit is not an easy climb, but a significant
achievement for most climbers (It is over 8000 meters).
Some additional Spring 1999 Shishapangma information from
Martin Kung of the Swiss/German Double Cho-Oyu & Shishapangma Expedition Spring
1999.
Brief Recap: "A diary: 4/26/99 : Andrea Boll &
Michael Borrmann on summit of Cho-Oyu
5/1/99 : Martin Küng on summit of Cho-Oyu
5/10/99 : Andrea, Michael and Martin arrived at the BC of
Shishapangma. Bert went back to Germany (planned!). I think nobody was on summit between
5/10/99 and our attempt. 5/23/99 : Michael & Martin on summit of Shishapangma 5/25/99
: Members from the Australian army expedition on Central summit
then more Australian climbers reached the Central summit
alter 5/26-5/27"
On Shishapangma: "We
arrived the base camp on 10th of may. I can't tell what happened before. When we arrived,
the Australian group from Adventure Consulting told us they reached the Main Summit. The
same said also some American team members, which arrived the summit some days before we
did."
"In general, at Cho-Oyu and also Shishapangma there was
very few snow. We had to climb 2 passages with black ice (about 65 degrees). At
Shishapangma were many crevasses and it was quite dangerous. In mid May the weather was
not stable and it snowed nearly every day. So the way to the Central summit followed
through wind pressed snow and was very exhausting. If somebody climbed the Main summit,
I'm sure he chose the way direct from about 7800m. The snow burr between the summits was
very sharp with bad snow. On the Central summit was a little marking flag."
Martin
Martin's comments brings up one more point on Shisha Pangma.
The Main (True) summit can be reached by this direct route he discusses or by a traverse
from the Central which some climbers has found too dangerous to attempt. Other climbers,
however, has made the traverse without problems. But there are these two main routes to
the Main Summit, which we believe causes some confusion.
Joao Garcia, reached the Summit of Everest this Spring from the North Side without
the use of oxygen. Joao became one of a few climbers in the world that can stake this
claim.
EverestNews.com
has decided that we will attempt
to publish the Fran/Sergi story here on EverestNews.com. This has been a very
difficult decision for many reasons, but in the next several weeks we plans to show what
is believed to have happened to these two climbers last Spring on Everest. Knowing our
limitations, EverestNews.com will tell this story in our Daily News format in our "usual
style". We will not be able to go into the hundreds of climbers who were on the
mountain that year, but will concentrate on Fran and Sergi.
The names of the ten Chinese
climbers, Gyalbu, Lodue, Pemba Tashi, Ren Na, Akebu, Tshering Dorje, La Ba, Tashi
Tshering, Guisang Sang and Ji JI, who reached the Summit of
Everest from the North Side this Spring has been added to our 1999 Everest Summit List.
There are several interesting facts related to these Chinese
climbers:
1.) Guisang Sang is a woman
"repeater" on Everest . Meaning this is her second summit
of Everest. A rare event for a woman (We believe only the third (?) woman to summit
Everest twice.).
2.) This is the Chinese Expedition Team attempting to Summit
all 14 8000 meter peaks.
3.) For Gyalbu, Lodue, Pemba Tashi, Ren Na, and Tshering
Dorje, this was their 10th 8000 meter peak Summit completion,
only 4 to go. "All True Summits." Several others on this team has done 8 or 9
summits.
As we have stated,
EverestNews.com plans
on discussing our opinion (and some others) on "True" Summits in the next few
days. Including a discussion of where Sergio, Ed, and Hans among others are at, in our
opinion. This is a subject EverestNews.com has received numerous requests to address from our
readers.
WALDEMAR NICLEVICZ CLOSES THE SECOND EXPEDITION
TO THE DEATH MOUNTAIN
The alpinist, Waldemar Niclevicz, 33, has become the first
Brazilian to reach the seven summits of the world - arrive at the highest peak of each
continent, among them Everest , with 8,848m considered the highest in the world - has just
given up, this Monday, of reaching K2's summit, the second highest
mountain in the world and the most dangerous of all with 8,611m, placed in Pakistan.
No alpinist has got the peak for two years, which
receives the name of "the Death Mountain". According to statistics
just 122 alpinists could complete the climb and 54 have died trying, a frightening
average, a death in two successes.
That's the second time that the Death Mountain defeats
Niclevicz. In August , last year, Waldemar Niclevicz got very close to the summit, just
571m far from it, but the 100- per- hour winds and snow up to waist made the alpinist
postpone the dream to be the first Brazilian to reach K2's summit.
THE END OF THE EXPEDITION
After 72 days, the expedition led by Waldemar Niclevicz, had
two big reasons to close the climb: A member's giving up and again the weather conditions
at K2.
The climb was planned to be accomplished by three
alpinists, the Brazilian Waldemar Niclevicz, the Italian Abele Blanc and the Spaniard Pepe
Graces. But, after 3 days at K2's base-camp, the Italian alpinist has decided to draw back
"Abele Blanc's giving up was decisive and negative for us, being a
small group, just three alpinists, when a third part disappears, the team becomes too
small, not only physically but also psychologically. Only Waldemar and I are not
able to face the tough conditions that that mountain shows over 8 thousand metres"
said
the Spaniard Pepe Garces, who, in 1995 lost 3 friends and saw other 4 died on the highest
part of the mountain, trying to climb K2.
"Unfortunately we have no other option. There is an
immense quantity of snow on the superior altitudes that reached up to the waist and it's
an insurmountable barrier. At seven thousand metres there is an enormous serac (a snow
wall) which can fall at any moment. The weather has got worse, and we believe that there
aren't enough alpinists to go on doing the necessary work. These are the main
reasons for our giving up, and Romanian Mihai Cioroianu's death last week has
touched us a lot" explained Waldemar Niclevicz.
The dream to conquer K2 was postponed again "Once
more I was obliged to respect such forces endlessly more powerful than mine. K2 is
on a rage moment, but I know that I can dare again. One day I'll return to K2 in
order to accomplish the great dream of taking our green and yellow flag to the top
of that big mountain ,considered the most dangerous in the world" said
Waldemar Niclevicz.
Expedition Details
To return to K2 this year, Waldemar Niclevicz spent a long
acclimatization and training time. In May, in Bolivia, Niclevicz climbed 3
mountains higher than 5 thousand - Tarija (5,060m), Pequeno Apamayo (5,370m) and Condoriri
(5,648m). Still, before starting climbing K2, on the Himalayans Cordillera in Jun and
Jul., Niclevicz with other expedition companions (the Italians Abele Blanc and
Cristian Kuntner and the Spaniard Pepe Garces and the Australian Andrew Lock)
arrived at 7,100m of altitude at Hidden Peak and climbed Gasherbrum with 8,035 m - one of
the fourteenth mountains world higher than 8 thousand metres in the world.
Further details about the expedition can be found on the
Alpinist's site www.sagarmatha.com.br
The Project has been possible thanks to Sponsorship of O
BOTICÁRIO, NUTRIMENTAL, MATTE LEÃO and IRIDIUM DO BRASIL. These companies are from the
State of Paraná. Waldemar Niclevicz has received the support of the Minister of
Sports Mr. Rafael Greca.
ÁNGEL VILLÁN POLO, 36 .
EMILIO VICENTE LAGUNILLA ALONSO, 36
PEDRO RODRÍGUEZ SÁNCHEZ, 31
FERNANDO MARNÉ CABALLERO, 46
IGNACIO GARCÍA PINACHO,
ISIDORO RODRÍGUEZ CUBILLAS, 46 (Leader)
JUAN CARLOS MARTÍNEZ LOPEZ, 40
MIGUEL ÁNGEL PÉREZ ÁLVAREZ, 30
ADELINO CAMPOS NIÑO, 42
Plus 5 Sherpa climbers.
It appears right now that this might be the only south side
expedition in Autumn 99. Therefore these climbers will need to maintain the icefall and
attempt Everest with only the support of 5 sherpa in the Autumn conditions.
EverestNews.com
will be bring you reports from Everest this
Autumn from the EXPEDICIÓN CASTELLANO LEONESA AL EVEREST 1999 Expedición
Samuel Rubio http://server3.servicios.retecal.es/everest99/.
We will post their reports in English, and they will post
the reports in Spanish on their site. The expedition is dedicated to Samuel Rubio a Leon mountaineer who died at 84.
Adventure Consultants has a team of 10 lead by Jim Litch and assisted by Andy Lapkis of the USA,
Ang Dorje Sherpa of Nepal and Dean Staples of NZ. Look for more Cho Oyu News in the coming
days...
Questioned Summits on Everest:
Risk has
published additional information on some of the Everest "questioned summits" in
English. EverestNews.com encourages you to read their information. http://www.risk.ru/eng/news/index.html
Also have you all seen their wonderful new site? Risk
K2 - Base-camp, 5,100m -August 2nd,
72nd day of the expedition
Message written by my Friend Pepe Garces, Project K2's
partner:
"Again I'm on the feet of this big, mountain called
Chogori or K2. Less than a year, since I joined Waldemar Niclevicz and other three Italian
companions, we overcome the limits of 8 thousand metres, when a strong blizzard pull us
down, where we looked for shelter on the inferior camps, obliging us to close the climb to
K2 in 1998.
Now, a year later, after climbing Gasherbrum, we've arrived
at K2's base-camp where, as it had appeared a plague and most of its inhabitants escaped
believing that it was impossible to climb the big mountain, It's true that there weren't
so many and important forces, but it's true that if the little that exists here
disappears, rest nothing or almost nothing.
Few days ago, before arriving at K2's base-camp, a Romanian
expedition lost one of the six alpinists, the Romanian Mihai Cioroianu, 32, who was hit by
a stone on the Abruzzos ram, and then everybody left the mountain. Afterwards the
famous Italian alpinist Hans Kammerlander with his two companions reached the "Bottle
Neck" at 8,300m, and they withdrew by the snow depth, giving up definitively. And
then, Abele Blanc, our team companion, did the same, knowing the mountains condition by
Kammerlander 's report . So, just a 6-Korean expedition and two other alpinists (one
Turkish and other American) have decided to stay.
Abele Blanc's giving up, was decisive and negative for us,
because being a small group, just three alpinists, when the third part disappears, the
team diminishes not only physically but also psychologically. The hopeless union of
forces, that are not a lot here at base-camp, it's not the best way to climb K2, and
just Waldemar and I can't face the hard situation that this mountain has shown over 8
thousand metres.
I've already had a very tough
experience to be overcome at K2, when in 1995 I lost 3 companions, while other four
disappeared forever on the heights of this mountain. I, and other companion
survived to that situation, just after serious freezing on feet and hand toes,
what have resulted in serious amputation. In such case, once more, K2 demands its
law against our capacity of decision and caution.
This mountain here, waiting for us, and surely, some day not
so long, it will lean to our power, our technical skill and above all to
our mind. It is and it will be"
Pepe Garces
Dear friends:
With those words from my friend Pepe Garces, and with a deep
sadness, we close our attempts to climb K2 this year. Unfortunately we have no other
option. There is an immense quantity of snow on the superior parts and the weather
has got worse again, with other blizzards. We believe that there aren't alpinists enough
to go ahead with the necessary works, i.e., set up camp 4, at 8,050m both by Tomo
Cesen and by Abruzzos. That is, undoubtedly, the greatest reason for our giving up.
And the Romanian's death Mihai Cioroianu has touched us a lot.
It's very hard for me, but I'm sure I'm taking the right,
propitious and conscious decision. I'd like to remind you that we are at K2, and
that K2 is considered the most dangerous and difficult mountain to climb. Just 122
alpinists have reached its summit with its 8,611m , and this year the death
number increased from 53 to 54.
I thank everybody who have followed K2 on-line for the last
72 days, and surely we have learned a lot together. I've received wonderful messages and I
hope I could transmit you a little of the mountain fascination. I thank also
my loyal sponsors, O BOTICARIO, NUTRY, IRIDIUM DO BRASIL and MATTE LEÃO, that have
believed in the Project K2, investing much more than money, and revealing a sincere
relationship from the beginning to the end.
Here I bend in front of this big mountain, as a sign of
respect. Here I thank your confidence. Here I thank God for being alive, full of health
and able to return home (you can't imagine how I'm happy!!!). Here the great dream
goes on, a dream to climb K2, that one day I intend to accomplish. Thank you very much for
your support. May your spirit reach the heights!
WALDEMAR NICLEVICZ
P.S.: I'm very happy to not return empty-handed ,
after all, Brazil has conquered Gasherbrum for the first time, the "Light
Mountain" with 8,035m, the 14th highest mountain in the world. That's a big
Victory!!!
Note: As we understand it, you must order
this
paperback edition to get the below information. Frankly, the reviews and information
on Amazon, about these editions are confusing. But again, as we understand it, this is the
edition you must order to get the additional three chapters outlined below.
The trade paperback has three
new chapters in addition to what appears in the mass market paperback (the
small one). Those three chapters:
EVEREST UPDATE: A RESPONSE TO JON KRAKAUER: This is
a 14,000+ word history and analysis of the Boukreev-Krakauer controversy.
A REVIEW FROM THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB,This is a
reprint of Galen Rowell's review of THE CLIMB that ran in the 1998 edition of THE AMERICAN
ALPINE JOURNAL.
MOUNTAIN MADNESS EVEREST DEBRIEFING: A TRANSCRIPT
This is a verbatim transcript of the audio-taped debriefing of the Mountain Madness
Expedition members, made five days after the tragedy.
K2- Base K2, 5,100m Jul
30th, 69th day of the expedition
A beautiful shooting team from National Geographic is here
at base-camp, what makes us feel truly a movie character everyday. They've already
interviewed each one of us at least ten times, and each one of the smart interviews leads
us to think about the expedition aim, about this immense desire to overcome a real
dangerous challenge, but fascinating.
And then, I draw a conclusion the bigger the wish, the
nearer we get close of the reality of this dream. And it isn't craziness! Everybody has
dreams, but really few ones search the this dream accomplishment. This is, for
me, escape from reality. Because these dreams will never come true. What we do here is
exactly the inverse, we face the reality of this dream, we give direction to our
existence, we give direction to these wishes that tie us to life itself, and no to
hypothetical delusions. Here we live intensively each second, here our life depends on the
consciousness of our acts, here the life is the pure reality, where each of us is here
because we feel the blood vibrates powerfully, because a tear heats our face, because our
smile brings always hopes. Here we don't wear masks and we aren't actors, here we are just
the character of our own existence. And the mountain isn't our stage simply and nor a
false scenery where we play our adventure. The mountains raises our feelings,
reveals the true human being in each one of us, with its magnificence reduces us to
nothing.
And inside this insignificance we understand the human
being's value, the importance of a friend, and our weakness in front of
nature. In fact, we don't step forward if that big mountain doesn't permit. In fact
we don't go anywhere if we don't believe in ourselves, no dream will come true if we don't
search its accomplishment.
Today, I was doing some photos for my sponsor and the
National Geographic team shot everything and so they asked me what I was doing
"Photos for those who trust in the Project K2, it is the minimum I
can do for those whom deposited so much confidence on me".
WALDEMAR NICLEVICZ
K2, Base - K2, 5,100m
Jul. 31st 70th day of the expedition
Brazil, Brazil, I miss you a lot!!!
It has been 70 days since I left home, far from my country,
my family and the person I most love. But the distance makes feel well, makes me want more
what I have and I can be sure of my feelings and my return day will be very nice.
These mountains fascinate me, and I discover that I'm not
else than a pilgrim here, full of faith!
WALDEMAR NICLEVICZ
Everest Spring 1999
Risk plan to
publish information on some of the Everest "questioned summits" today in
English. We understand the Russian version has been posted. Check them out ! Risk
Note: As we understand it, you must order
this
paperback edition to get the below information. Frankly, the reviews and information
on Amazon, about these editions are confusing. But again, as we understand it, this is the
edition you must order to get the additional three chapters outlined below.
