|
K2
2000 Coverage with Waldemar Niclevicz
reporting for Project K2 and Gary Pfisterer
reporting with the American International Expedition! Included is news on other climbers on the mountain
including Hans Kammerlander, Araceli
Segarra
and many others.
Day
55
 |
Waldemar Niclevicz, disappointed by the
bad weather, today morning, when passed by the camp,
towards base. Photo by Marco Camandona |
Camp
2 (6500 meters) / Base Camp (5100 meters)
Bad Weather frustrates 6th
Lunge
Unbelievable,
but we are back to Base Camp, after a new lunge
without progress. I’m
really sorry . We have been disappointed by the
weather. We are sad because we can’t go further. Our
patience is at its limits. Everything seemed
different, even the weather forecast seemed
to be in favor of us, but at the last minute
before our departure, on Friday, a new weather
forecast arrived reporting everything we were afraid
of: strong winds, intense blizzards, fog and
avalanches. Everything was set, we were all going up
in one strong, enthusiastic group. All of us
completely focused on our goal. We wished the
forecast was wrong, as it had been many times
before. Sadly, as our bad luck has gone, the
forecast was completely correct and the weather
punished us a lot.
We
arrived at Camp 2 on Friday (6050 meters) very
frightened, immense avalanches passed beside us, as though
the mountain was losing enormous pieces.
Two Americans were taken some
tens of meters down (Andy and Christy, no problems),
while my porters and I looked the scene hung on the top of a
rock tower.
After
the avalanches, on Saturday, we went to Camp 2 (6500
meters). It was other tough
day. The strong fog prevented us from seeing where
the avalanches came from, so we heard the noise and
soon a mass of snow passed some tens
of meters far. An enormous uncomfortable feeling for
the spirit and furthermore the body couldn’t support
stronger
and stronger winds. The wind blowing at 80 to
100 km/hour prevented us from moving up. Staying
inside the tents all day long, there was 25 people:
Koreans, Americans and us, wishing to
go on a lot. But from that moment on nature
showed its tremendous power, and no human being dared
to challenge it. Today we all went down to Base Camp
asking ourselves why the weather was so bad. Now
all we can do is wait!
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is sponsored
by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and Sportsjá.
Day
54: Two Updates for You again today ! See
Editorial note below.
Update from the
American International Expedition
Update from Fabrizio
on July 25
Things are starting
to get a little bit dangerous on the Abruzzi. On the
21st a bunch of people from all the teams went up to
Camp 1, but as it rained so much lately - possibly up
to 6100 meters- the slopes were loaded and ready to
avalanche. With approx. 20 people tramping about,
combined with the noon heat, the slopes went, luckily
nobody was hurt, but Andy Evans was
buried to mid chest but the ropes held. Good
team work early on resulted in solid and safe ropes up
to Camp 1. Thankful for that! However on the
22nd when the Italians, Ivan and myself (followed by
the friendly Korean team), went directly to Camp 2 we
were bombarded by a significant number of medium sized
beach ball sized rocks. I now know how to say ROCK! in
many languages. Arriving at Camp 1 was no safe haven
either. The Italians wouldn't go in their tents due to
the rock fall set off by the 20 climbers heading for
Camp 2 that had spent the previous night in Camp 1.
Ivan and I felt our tent was far enough out of the
main firing line but every time the Italians would
scream we would scramble around the tent like mice
looking for a safe nook, the best we could do was hide
behind our backpacks. Not great protection, but
nothing actually made contact. I hate the high pitched
whine of falling rocks even more now.
Our trip to Camp 2
was the most pleasurable so far. We waited until the
crowds would have mostly made it to the tents before
we set off. We had the route to ourselves and were
loving it. There was not a major buildup of snow, I
guess from the 100 mile an hour winds. We just climbed
with a light breeze and minimal weight in our packs.
(That still amounted to over 12 kgs each as we had
another tent, stove, food, fuel and extra clothes.) I
climbed House's Chimney without a jumar and found
Andy's 5.7 or Scottish IV+ grading just about right.
Ivan and I arrived at about 4pm and thanks to a lot of
help from Billy, we were in the tent at 5pm. In the
tent and there was now pretty strong wind. So strong
that we think 5 of the 8 tents in the Camp are torn or
destroyed. The tent that Ivan and I got into had a
small problem, the zippers wouldn't close all the way,
on the doors, so we were stuck spending the whole
night replacing a makeshift 'cork' of socks, shirts
and stuff sacks into the five inch gaps. Still a lot
of snow got in and our sleeping bags and down suits
were soaked, not that it mattered much as I never left
the tent the next day. In fact not many people left
their tents in Camp 2 that day. With 60 to80 mile an
hour winds there was not much point. So after 37 hours
cramped, wet and cold I crawled out of the tent at 5am
and headed back down the ropes. Ivan had insisted on
an early start, regardless of the fact it was still
howling out and since the sun hadn't been up for long
it was quite cold. But he was right, about 20 people
soon followed our lead but we were well clear of the
rock fall by the time they started chucking them
down.
So, once again we are
in Base Camp sitting out unclimbable weather. The wind
is again blowing quite strong. The cycle of climb to
Camp 2 and then retreat in bad weather is starting to
frustrate some people. Walking around base camp today
it seems all the other teams will pull out on August
15. Hamish, from our
team departed today for personal reasons. He
was a great addition to our team and will certainly be
missed, Andy Evans and Chris are leaving on the 4th.
The worrying news
around Base Camp is one of the Japanese Broad Peak
expeditions tried to go for the summit today, but
after making a mid afternoon radio call from about
7700 meters to say they were turning around due to the
wind, they have not been heard from again. It is now
10pm. The slopes leading to the notch are loaded and
the Hungarians were not able to make a summit attempt
as there high camp at 7200 meters had been avalanched
off the mountain when they went up with the Japanese
two days ago. Everybody in base camp is thinking about
them and wishing them the best o f luck getting down
safely. We are all hoping it is just a problem with
the radio, the last radio call was weak and there is a
problem with the line of sight. Lets hope. The other
Broad Peak news is that the Czech, Hungarian, Korean
and other Japanese teams have called it quits. They
are all going home. Through a network of cooks and
porters we have heard that nobody has gone to the
summit of either of the Gasherbrums.
[Editorial Note: Note
this Update is a little old. It was undated but
appears to be written before Gary's Update yesterday.
For the status of the Japanese see yesterday's update
from Gary, on G2 there has been Summits as we
reported...]
Time to wait. No big
deal. Hope all is well, Wish us luck Fabrizio
Fabrizio is a member
of the American International Expedition: For a
complete list of the members see the Team members
lists below.
Camp 2 (6700 meters) / Camp 3
(7450 meters)
54th day of the Expedition K2
2000
Today we are going to
overcome 7 thousand meters at last in order to set Camp
3 (7450 meters). The great difficulty in those parts
in rocks, 4 and 5 degree in difficulty, is to face the
big amount of snow, that we will meet over 7 thousand
meters. Snow can reach up to the waist, becoming
hard the climb. Weather forecast for Today: The
weather will keep stable in the morning and variable
in the afternoon; sunny until midday. During the
afternoon may be cloudy and some light snow may
fall.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is sponsored
by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and Sportsjá.
[Editorial Note: Some of the
staff thinks, let's call it a hunch, that they will
top out with the next attempt ...may their faith guide
them safely.]
Day
53
Update from the
American International Expedition
26 July Update: Mass exodus from Camp II on 24 July. 26 of 30
people in Camp II descended to Base Camp. We had
three members and one member of the original Korean
team remaining in Camp II hoping for better weather on
the 25th. The weather did improve but the
wind returned with the high pressure. As a
result the holdouts in Camp II returned to Base Camp
on the 25th. Today dawned one of the best days
in recent history. There was still quite a lot
of wind up high but otherwise the weather seems vastly
improved...for how long??? Mr. Um's team has an
aggressive schedule for their porters who were sent
back up the hill yesterday with the intention of
having them put in a Camp III an IV with the team
members following tomorrow. We have one member
heading back up today to Camp I and five others
following tomorrow going directly to Camp II a ten to
twelve hour push. The rest of the team will
follow on the 28th weather permitting.
Meanwhile
on Broad Peak the huge consolidated summit push for
the 24th fell flat in the bad weather. Everyone
but the Japanese bailed. They set off yesterday
25th for the summit with I think 8 people. They
got a late start, but were using oxygen. Most
turned back and returned to their high camp in the
early evening. Two were apparently out all
night. Four members set off back up this morning
but turned back about 10 am. I think they were off to
look for their mates. It turned out that the two
who stayed out made the summit per their L.O. [liaison
officer]. Anyway all reported safe. Broad
Peak information not verified.
So the weather
continues to be our main nemesis. Either snow
and wet or clear and windy up high. We will
continue to keep trying and sooner or later hopefully
we will get the break we need to press on. Lunch
is ready so all for now.
Cheers, Gary
Pfisterer
Camp 1 ( 6050 meters)/ Camp 2
(6700 meters)
53rd day of the Expedition K2
2000.
Going to Camp 2
We keep on climbing with all
enthusiasm and an immense hope the weather helps us to
get the heights of 8611 meters of K2. The
messages in next days were written beforehand, because
it's impossible to bring our communication equipment
mountain up. I know it's hard to imagine what will be
happening around here but think positively and God
willing everything will succeed. Weather forecast for
today: Sunny or partially cloudy. It's no forecast
blizzards or storms, there will be clouds in the
afternoon. Light elevation of temperature. Danger of
avalanche.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 is sponsored by O
Boticário, Tam, net Vírtua and Sportsjá.
Day
52
 |
Marco
Camandona, Waldemar Niclevicz and Abele Blanc,
receiving the weather forecast at Base Camp.
|
Base Camp (5100 meters) / Camp 1
(6050 meters)
52nd day of the Expedition K2
2000
Starting the 6th lunge
My Dear friends,
The weather is not wonderful,
but it is not the worse. So, shyly, we are going to
start our new lunge to K2, wishing the weather gets
better while we go up.
I don't know how many days we
are going to be up high. We will do our best to set
Camp 3 (7450 meters) and perhaps, if the weather is
really good, try to reach the summit of K2. For all
that, we need 4 or 5 days. It'll depend on the
weather, conditions and quantity of snow that we'll
find in front of us.
Let's hope we can really have
the right conditions to go further. We're going with
several alpinists (climbers). Our expedition, the
Koreans and the Americans. We hope to work as a group
to bring us good results.
The weather forecast for
today: Sunny or partially cloudy with some clouds in
the afternoon. Light elevation of temperature. High
risk of avalanches.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 is sponsored by O
Boticário, Tam, net Vírtua and Sportsjá.
And two Updates from the
Leader of the American International Expedition
Hi Everyone,
Before I forget to mention it
we have four members of the team that will be leaving
Base Camp on the 4th of August. Their departure
will terminate our phone and e-mail contact with the
outside world. I will be in touch again before
that but we will not be able to receive e-mail after
that date.
Since my last contact various
members have attempted to get back up the hill three
times only to be turned around at Camp I or below by
wind and snow. We are going a bit stir crazy
here in Base Camp, so the most desperate among us
(those here longest) set off with the least glimmer of
sun as much for the diversion and exercise as with the
hope of the weather actually holding so that we can
get something meaningful accomplished.
However!!! The weather has
gone the best in recent history last evening and today
and according to sources who will remain unnamed and
have been 100% wrong to date it is supposed to stay
settled for at least another 3-4 days. Four of
the team went up this morning and other three or four
will follow tomorrow with the remainder the day after.
This push if successful will see Camp IV established
at 8050 meters and possibly even a summit attempt. All
teams still here are scrambling to get on the hill so
it will likely be a bit of a zoo.
Hans Kammerlander packed up
and left on the 20th and Voytek went as well.
The Czechs and Swedes on Broad Peak left as well.
A number of other teams are running out of time and
planning to leave around the end of the month.
Hope everyone is having a
great summer, even we are luxuriating in the sun
today!
Hopefully this change will continue for a while.
All the best.
Cheers, Gary
Above message typed on 21
July.....Update 23 July:
Cloud came into Base Camp
about 6:00pm on 22nd. It rained all night to
about 6000 meters. There are now 29 people in
Camp II at 6700 meters waiting for the weather to
clear to move up. We have 7 members there.
The bulk of all other teams are there as well.
All of them are planning to stay at least today 23rd
and most will stay tomorrow as well hoping for
improvement. At their elevation they are
apparently near the top of the cloud and get periodic
sun giving away to overcast and snow with anywhere
from 20 to 40 MPH winds. Not sure when this
message will be sent off as all our tech wizards are
on the hill. Meanwhile will continue to update.
Cheers
Gary
Day
52
|
|
Marco
Camandona, Waldemar Niclevicz and Abele Blanc,
receiving the weather forecast at Base Camp.
|
Base Camp (5100 meters) / Camp 1
(6050 meters)
52nd day of the Expedition K2
2000
Starting the 6th lunge
My Dear friends,
The weather is not wonderful,
but it is not the worse. So, shyly, we are going to
start our new lunge to K2, wishing the weather gets
better while we go up.
I don't know how many days we
are going to be up high. We will do our best to set
Camp 3 (7450 meters) and perhaps, if the weather is
really good, try to reach the summit of K2. For all
that, we need 4 or 5 days. It'll depend on the
weather, conditions and quantity of snow that we'll
find in front of us.
Let's hope we can really have
the right conditions to go further. We're going with
several alpinists (climbers). Our expedition, the
Koreans and the Americans. We hope to work as a group
to bring us good results.
The weather forecast for
today: Sunny or partially cloudy with some clouds in
the afternoon. Light elevation of temperature. High
risk of avalanches.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 is sponsored by O
Boticário, Tam, net Vírtua and Sportsjá.
And two Updates from the
Leader of the American International Expedition
Hi Everyone,
Before I forget to mention it
we have four members of the team that will be leaving
Base Camp on the 4th of August. Their departure
will terminate our phone and e-mail contact with the
outside world. I will be in touch again before
that but we will not be able to receive e-mail after
that date.
Since my last contact various
members have attempted to get back up the hill three
times only to be turned around at Camp I or below by
wind and snow. We are going a bit stir crazy
here in Base Camp, so the most desperate among us
(those here longest) set off with the least glimmer of
sun as much for the diversion and exercise as with the
hope of the weather actually holding so that we can
get something meaningful accomplished.
However!!! The weather has
gone the best in recent history last evening and today
and according to sources who will remain unnamed and
have been 100% wrong to date it is supposed to stay
settled for at least another 3-4 days. Four of
the team went up this morning and other three or four
will follow tomorrow with the remainder the day after.
This push if successful will see Camp IV established
at 8050 meters and possibly even a summit attempt. All
teams still here are scrambling to get on the hill so
it will likely be a bit of a zoo.
Hans Kammerlander packed up
and left on the 20th and Voytek went as well.
The Czechs and Swedes on Broad Peak left as well.
A number of other teams are running out of time and
planning to leave around the end of the month.
Hope everyone is having a
great summer, even we are luxuriating in the sun
today!
Hopefully this change will continue for a while.
All the best.
Cheers, Gary
Above message typed on 21
July.....Update 23 July:
Cloud came into Base Camp
about 6:00pm on 22nd. It rained all night to
about 6000 meters. There are now 29 people in
Camp II at 6700 meters waiting for the weather to
clear to move up. We have 7 members there.
The bulk of all other teams are there as well.
All of them are planning to stay at least today 23rd
and most will stay tomorrow as well hoping for
improvement. At their elevation they are
apparently near the top of the cloud and get periodic
sun giving away to overcast and snow with anywhere
from 20 to 40 MPH winds. Not sure when this
message will be sent off as all our tech wizards are
on the hill. Meanwhile will continue to update.
Cheer Gary
Day
51
 |
Today,
rain at base-camp all day long, the weather
keeps bad disappointing the alpinists. Photo by
Waldemar Niclevicz. |
Base Camp (5100 meters)
51st day of the Expedition K2 2000
Rain at Base-camp
Unbelievable, my
friends, but we woke up today at 5 a. m., in order to
start a new lunge to K2 and to our surprise and
disappointment it was "raining" !!!! That's
true, raining at 5100 meters which means bad weather.
We were enthusiastic about the weather forecast sent
by our friend Dani Ramirez, take a look what we were
expecting:
"According to my
sources, satellites, maps and other means it is
confirming a short time without storms, in the next 4
or 5 days. I can't dare to say good weather, because I
still see some clouds by satellite, but there won't be
bad weather. There will be strong winds on the
summit. If it happens it will be a good opportunity to
attack the summit. Thursday the 20th: partially cloudy
sky, with some openings and sun in the morning. Low
possibilities of snowing. In the afternoon, clouds and
some fog on the summit. Isotherm 0 degree at 4,500 m,
with minimum of -25 and -18 degrees C at the
summit. Take care with strong South winds
"
"Well,
unfortunately, our Spanish meteorologist has no guilt.
Our destiny to climb K2 depends totally on his
forecast, without Dani's help we will not succeed.
What I really want to show you, is that to forecast
the weather for K2 is very hard, with the
monsoon getting close. And also, I want to show you
our affliction in front of such weather instability,
that has been lasting for 23 days. What can we do?
Wait, my friends, wait. And patience... because the
weather can get better at any moment, maybe tomorrow!
And when it gets better, let's go with faith and put
our Brazilian Flag on the top of K2. Insha Ala!
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is
sponsored by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and
Sportsjá.
Day
50
 |
Hans
Kammerlander saying good-bye to Waldemar
Niclevicz this morning at K2's Base Camp.
Photo by Marco Camandona |
Base-camp (5100
meters) Expedition K2 2000
Kammerlander gives up
trying to climb K2
Unfortunately this is
no joke. Hans has really given up on reaching the
summit of K2 this year and has started his return to
Italy. Kammerlander left the base camp this morning,
followed by his partner Konrad Auer. He believes that
the meteorological conditions will stay unfavorable
this season. One of the best and most famous alpinists
nowadays, could not continue to waste 22 consecutive
bad weather days, that we have had at K2 .
Kammerlander's giving
up was met with great disappointment by all the
remaining expeditions. The hope was that all
remaining climbers would join forces for one final
attack on the mountain. Hans and Konrad's departures
reduces this effort by two very great and strong
alpinists. They would have made a big difference
in terms of adding to the technical and physical
performances required to finish this climb
successfully.
I remember last year,
when Kammerlander gave up, a series of others gave up
in other expeditions, making it not viable to conclude
the goal. The number of alpinists that remained at K2
wasn't enough to face the many hard conditions that
the mountain presented. So, I hope that our colleagues
alpinists, that are around here, don't get discouraged
and give up too. To accomplish the climb till the end
we need to combine efforts to win against the
unfavorable conditions that must be faced (abundant
snow at high altitudes, strong winds and lack of
visibility).
Let's be optimistic.
We still have a good team of alpinists here.
Abele, Marco and I and the Koreans and Americans are
in great physical condition and ready to carry out the
final attack to the heights of 8611 meters. For that,
it is just necessary for the weather to give us
a truce. The idea is to form a group from 10 to
15 alpinists, who will alternate the front in
order to avoid anyone climber becoming worn out. I am
sure that in these conditions we can accomplish our
dream to climb this big mountain, God willing.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is
sponsored by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and
Sportsjá.
Day
49: Base
Camp (5100 meters) 49th day of the Expedition K2
2000
As I had promised you yesterday, I put the weather
forecast from our Spanish friend Dani Ramirez on
online which he sent us. Dani is being for us,
alpinists that are trying to climb K2 in
Pakistan, a true guardian angel. The forecast although
they succeed in 70%, is addressing all our
strategy for climbing. Now, for example, we intend to
leave the base-camp just when the forecast is favorable.
I thank for Dani Ramirez' efforts to help us, he's is,
as all of us, a member of our expedition.
Weather Forecast for K2 - 07/18th/2000
General Situation
It continues the eternal instability and stronger
blizzards. On the photos of the satellite can be
observed the same; clouds and more clouds above
Karakorum. The monsoon keeps on affecting India and
Nepal (Himalayans) and starts reaching Pakistan. The
forecast indicates still a couple of cloudy days and
some blizzards, that not seem strong. From Thursday
on, the 20th, the weather may get better for
three days. The truth is that the great scale
weather forecast maps announce, but we need to wait a
little longer to draw a conclusion, micro climate
speaking. Concerning the present summer, I'd
rather not rely much on 3-day longer maps.
Forecast day by day: Tuesday 18th: Cloudy sky
almost all day long and high possibilities of snowing,
that on K2 may be of moderate intensity.
Abundant fog, still stronger winds SW. A 997 millibars
storm in the center of Pakistan, with isotherm 0
degree at 4,400 meters. Little decrease of
temperature.
Wednesday 19th : Weather a little more variable,
alternating a little sun. Possibilities of snow
showers on K2, that doesn't look very important. Light
elevation of temperatures, with isotherm 0 degree at
4,600 m.
Thursday: 20th and Friday 21st: Clearer
openings on the sky, clouds less thick and an
elevation of the daily temperature. It may be a little
cloudy on Thursday, but sunnier on Friday. This
improvement may last until Saturday 22.
That's all folks, a great hug for our Guard Angel,
Dani Ramirez and let's cheer for the weather gets
better as soon as possible.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is
sponsored by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and
Sportsjá.
Update from Gary Pfisterer's American International Expedition!
Hello Everybody,
Who would have guessed it possible? K2 is back in
storm. Everybody
attempting K2 is grounded. Very few of us have ever seen
winds like this before. In Camp 1 at 6100 meters
the winds were blowing up hill and getting under the
tents and lifting people off the ground! Ivan and I
aborted our summit attempt late on the second day
above Camp 2 when we saw what was heading our way. The
monsoon clouds have arrived and we are presently
watching the most spectacular cloud formations as the
wind funnels them through the gap between Broad Peak
and K2. Know we know why it is called Windy Gap on the
map. Our route - the Abruzzi Ridge - really does get
hammered by the wind. Trust me, it will require great
conditions to summit.
We have been at base camp for 40 days and some
people are starting to show
sign of fatigue and frustration. Hans Kammerlander and
his team have decided to call for porters. They don't see how things
are going to change for the better in less than 10
days. I had lunch with his team a short while ago and
I
am sad to see them go, they are strong and talented.
They were on the Abruzzi last year and were turned
around by waist deep snow at 8300 meters. This summer they
tried the much easier South-South East Spur, the route
by which the first team to the mountain this summer,
arriving six weeks before us, were able to summit.
(All eight members of t he team reached the summit,
all but one using bottled oxygen, in two teams of four
on the27th and 29th of June. The first team to reach the
top of K2 in three years.) Kammerlander arrived the
day they summitted and chose the route because all of
the route was fixed - rope preplaced - and the Koreans
had left two tents on the route that were still in
good condition. This was the obvious choice for
someone who has been here twice before and just wanted
the summit. Given that the route is already in and
half of the needed tents are there Hans still felt the
conditions too dangerous and opted to leave. (As I
write this he has just come to say good bye and
exchange addresses. He is not waiting the three days
until his porters come. He has left.)
The Brazilian team, who arrived a week after us,
which is really one Brazilian, Waldemar Niclevicz, and two Italian guides,
Abele Blanc and Marco Camandano, with the support of
four Balti High Altitude Porters. They have decided to
stick it out with us. Both Waldemar and Abele have
been here twice before and I guess are sick of life on
the Godwin-Austen Glacier, where base camp (or the
strip as it is called) is located. Ivan and I joined
them for lunch a few weeks ago and enjoy their relaxed
attitude to climbing K2. You should have seen Ivan, in
the shear weight of Spaghetti and proscuitto that he
consumed at lunch. We had a lot o fun with them,
communicating in Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and
English.
If we just continue the lunch time tour of the
strip as it seems this
email has turned into you would quickly come to the
three Korean teams that are remaining. That makes four
in total that have come to K2 this summer. The running joke at base camp is that instead of a
Pakistani visa we should have
applied for a Korean visa. You would be hard pressed
to miss the stench of drying fish that lines the
middle 150 meters of the strip. The closest Korean
camp to us is the team we have been working very
closely with the entire expedition. They are a very
nice bunch of young climbers. Even though only one
member, a non-climbing base camp manager, speaks
English we have had some fun together. The language
barrier has led to some funny situations, once when Mr.
Whang and we were together on the black Pyramid we had to
radioed down to base camp so we could figure out just
how much rope we both had in our rucksacks. We were
both tied to one piton, standing on a small ledge with
a few thousand meters of air between us and the
ground. Mr. Whang is their top climber and I have
enjoyed our time climbing together, that same day we looked
out over the Karakoram, and at 7300 meters we saw a lot of
it. We pointed at peaks we wanted to climb and said
perhaps we would climb some of them together. We both
agreed to climb K2 first and then discuss future plans
later.
I reported the last time about my interaction with one
of the other Korean
teams, led by Mr. Um. We don't really spend any time
with them, and to be honest after I lost three nights'
sleep due to not being able to lie on my back from the
rock fall they spilled on me just below House's Chimney.
I really haven't felt too social . The other Korean
team is climbing Broad Peak first and have not come
over to us to say hello, nor ask for permission to use
our fixed rope. It seems strange to us as it would
just be polite of them.
There is only one other team in base camp and it is
really a great
pleasure to have them here. It is a two man Japanese/Polish Expedition to the
unclimbed East Face. Conditions are so menacing that
trying a major new route seems totally out of question
now. So they are hemming and hawing over what to do.
The dynamic due is none other than Yasushi Yamonoi and
Voytek Kurtyka! I have had an exceptionally great time
in their company. To spend time with two of the great
'masters' - as Ivan and I have taken to calling them -
is out of this world.
If you don't know Yasushi, he made the first winter
ascent of Fitzroy, solo,
and put up a new route on the South West face of Cho
Oyu, again solo. He has done a lot more, but that's a
good enough intro. Voytek made the first ascent of the
West Face of Gasherbrum IV with Robert Shauer, alpine
style. He also made the first
traverse of all three of Broad Peak's summits, alpine
style with Jerzy Kukuczka, and of course so many other ground
breaking ascents. I have learned a lot about why I
climb from discussions the three of us have had. It is
great to talk to people who can help you express show
you feel, especially when you know they are equally
as passionate.
So all there is to do is wait. Ivan and I are going
serac climbing in the
icefall this afternoon to stay in shape and pass the
time. My flight home is not
until September 9th so there must be another chance
before then! Does anybody have a good weather forecast
for the upper Baltoro?
Hope all is well, wish us luck! Fabrizio
Day
48
Base Camp (5100 meters) 48th day of the Expedition K2
2000
Weather still bad
Dark day, fog, snow, wind all day long.
It is
practically the worst day since we arrived at K2. The Americans wait for good weather at Camp 1 (6050
meters). The Korean team tried to get to Camp 2 (6700 meters)
but it was impossible. The wind was too strong and the
visibility was less than 5 meters. Our hopes
are for good weather. The full moon has gone away.
The monsoon, wet winds that bring constant storms, is
present in the South of Pakistan. So, within two weeks
the monsoon may reach the Karakorum mountains located in
the North of Pakistan, where K2 is located . We are
expecting news from our meteorologist friends. Kammerlander
receives news direct from Innsbruck, Austria. I
receive from Dani Ramines, meteorologist in Barcelona,
Spain. We exchange information and try to foresee
the next few days. It is very hard, even with our experts
friends, because the weather changes so quickly
here, and it is difficult to get a very precise
forecast for more than two days in advance. It is good to
remind you that a forecast, is just a "forecast", based on images via satellite.
It is impossible to assure what will happen. But,
undoubtedly, it is a good help for us alpinists.
Tomorrow I will put on K2 online the next forecast, that
we will receive tonight, so that you can have an
idea how our friend Dani Ramirez is
helping us. To avoid getting worn out, facing storms
in superior altitudes, we have decided to wait for good
weather here at Base Camp. The forecast we
receive here by Internet. Thus, in the next good
weather period we intend to reach the 8611 meter Summit of K2
and we hope it happens as soon as possible. There is
no time to waste, because the monsoon can arrive at
any moment.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is
sponsored by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and
Sportsjá.
Day
47
 |
The landscape that we
have seen all day long today here
at Base Camp. Photo by Waldemar Niclevicz |
Base Camp (5100 meters)
Resting at Base Camp
It seems like a long time ago
but during our first lunge on K2, June 19,
we set a tent at our Camp 2 at 6500 meters.
Since this time we have done
four other lunges without going further than 6900
meters. Not enough when the mountain is 8611
meters high. It shows that we have accomplished
something but there is still a lot of work to be done.
Today, Hassan, one of our skilled porters who has
already climbed Nanga Parbat, told me "Don't worry, Sir, we just need
four consecutive good days to finish the climb and
then we can go away". My problem, that Hassan
doesn't know and maybe many people don't know either,
is that I've been waiting for four consecutive good
days for three years! Three bids trying to climb this
big mountain to get at this right moment: We beg Mother
Nature the opportunity of having 4 good days, so that
I can end the climbing safety and successfully.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is
sponsored by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and
Sportsjá.
Day
46
K2 2000 Coverage: Today's Updates from K2 (Two !)
 |
Camp 2 at Abruzzi Spur, at
6700 meters surrounded by dark clouds full of snow.
Photo by Waldemar Niclevicz. |
Italian climber Hans Kammerlander has been stopped
again by snow! The former climbing partner of
Reinhold Messner announced today that he will not go
for the summit of K2 this year due to heavy snow
conditions high on the mountain. Kammerlander
attempted K2 one year ago and had to turn back for the
same reason.
"It has been snowing continuously for the last
21 days. This situation has given us no realistic
chances. I take my backpack and head back, it is
the only safe way out of here" said Kammerlander
a few hours ago to his manager Sigi Pichler via
satellite phone.
Kammerlander was attempting the summit along with
his partner, the Italian guide, Konrad Auer. Their
goal was to reach the summit and descend on skies,
something never done before. "I had to
leave my skies at camp III (8000 meters). I
think they will lay there forever" said
Kammerlander, suggesting that he will not try again.
"K2 is my worst dream, I
guess" said Kammerlander
Source: Luigi
Zoppello, Trento, Italy
Base Camp (5100meters)
46th day of K2 2000
My friends who follow K2
online are surely awaiting good news. I am sorry
that our 5th lunge towards the summit was one of the
worst. The terrible weather did not allow our
efforts to be successful. And our desire, my friends was immense,
so big that we even had planed an attack to the
summit, if the weather got better. But everything
failed. All we have seen in the last few days
are dark clouds, much snow and wind so cold that it
freezes the soul.
Myself and 4 high altitude
porters waited at Camp II (6700 meters) for two nights
with Abele and Marcos waiting a little below us at
6500 meters. With every radio contact we hoped
the weather would be getting better and we could
continue upward. Sadly, all we could see was the
nylon of the tent crumbling in the wind and the snow
trying to bury our small shelter.
So with the weather having
been unstable for the last 18 days (we have had some
afternoon or mornings with blue sky, but not a full
days worth) Kammerlander has commented that on July 20
he will go away, summit or not!
We know this is not a joke. The reality is
inside each one of us. We are eager to finish
climbing, worn out by this long waiting. The mountain
always has the last word.
Waldemar Niclevicz
Project K2 2000 is
sponsored by O Boticário, TAM, Net Vírtua and
Sportsjá.
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