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Update 8/15/2001: Note the links to the pictures follow at the end....

For the record, I'd like to describe our July 22 summit day for the 2001 Alaska USA Broad Peak Expedition.

Four members from our team left Base Camp July 20 and reached Camp 2 early that afternoon. We were: David Hart and Paul Barry from Alaska, USA; Higinio Gonzalez from Chile; and Wytze Rijke from The Netherlands. 

The next day, July 21, found us moving up to our Camp 3. Our original intentions had been to place a higher Camp 4 at 7,500m the next day, but the weather forecast predicted a storm in two days - our intended summit day. Instead, we packed up our camp and carried 200m higher to the empty Argentinian campsite at 7,000m/23,000'. We should note that two Bulgarian climbers (Gospodin Dinev and his partner) were camped 100m below us, and they, too, intended to attempt the summit the following day. 

At 12:45 AM July 22 our four Alaskan members left Camp 3, with the two Bulgarians following in our trail. It was a nice day, though we could see thunderstorms on the horizon, with the constant flash of lightning. Though the wind had filled in most of the Argentinian trail from two days prior, we could still follow their route, which made route-finding very easy. We climbed for almost 4 hours by headlamp until daylight at 4:30 AM. We passed the old Chinese high camp at about 7,300m/23,900'. Not much snow had fallen since they left the site three weeks prior. By 8:00 AM we were at 7,700m/25,300' at the base of the steep 50 degree snow face below the col. At this point, Gospodin's partner turned back due to cold toes, as he did not have overboots or even supergaiters. By 9:00 AM our four members along with Gospodin were all at the col and could finally see both the Rocky Summit 8,030m and the distant True Summit 8,047m. The entire remaining rocky ridge is fixed all the way to the Rocky Summit. Paul, myself and Gospodin reached the summit at 10:45 AM July 22. Higinio and Wytze followed 5-10 minutes later. It was a beautiful day, though windy. We rested on the Rocky Summit for 15 minutes, taking photos. Paul and I set off for the True Summit at 11:00 AM. Higinio, Wytze and Gospodin elected to start their descent immediately without attempting the traverse to the True Summit. They went down without reaching the True Summit. The only technical terrain on the traverse is a 10-meter rock step as soon as we left the Rocky Summit. An hour later, at 11:55 AM Paul and I stood on the True Summit 8.047m.

I'm not drawing any conclusions or making any accusations, but we saw NO evidence of any prior ascents. I realize footprints could have easily disappeared in 3 weeks since the Chinese claimed to have summitted, but the ridge is VERY long, and I would be surprised if ALL footprints would have disappeared in that time. There was NO indication of anyone being on the ridge. Also, we saw NO wands, flags or markers on the True Summit. Of course, we didn't leave anything there, either, so that does not prove anything. However, the Chinese DID leave a wad of Bhuddist prayer flags on the lower Rocky Summit. I have photos of Paul and I on the True Summit, but more telling, I have photos taken FROM the True Summit, looking back TO the lower Rocky Summit, with K2 towering behind.

Paul and I spent less than 2 minutes on the summit, as the wind was increasing, lenticular clouds were beginning to form along the ridge and storm clouds were very quickly approaching. We hurried back as fast as we could, reaching the Rocky Summit 35 minutes later at 12:30 PM. Looking to the col, 250 meters below us, we could still see Higinio, Wytze and Gospodin getting ready to descend the snow face. Paul and I met the other three part way down the snow face at 7,750m, just as the snowstorm hit. We reached our camp at 4:15 PM, just over four hours after leaving the True Summit - our climbing day was 15-1/2 hours round trip. The weather improved as we descended, and by the time we reached camp, it was relatively pleasant, though still cloudy up high.

The next day, our four members descended to base camp, removing all our equipment along the way. This same day, July 23, two Bulgarians Petko Totev and Stanimir Zhelyazkov reached the True Summit and several Estonians and a Pakistani reached the Rocky Summit. The next 8 days were very stormy, effectively ending the climbing season on Broad Peak. However, a French Expedition arrived in mid-July and was still working the route when we left base camp July 30.

I hope this helps to eliminate confusion, at least as far as our expedition is concerned. 

David Hart
2001 Alaska USA Broad Peak Expedition
August 15, 2001

Update: Nice day, eh? Amazing that it was a blizzard 1 hour later... I forgot to mention that we were following tracks all the way up the ridge from the col to the rocky summit, then also from the rocky summit for about 200m further. Then the tracks stopped. Maybe they were wiped away by wind, but .... I hope they send you photos... Looking forward to seeing the Chinese photos... Dave Hart 

The Pictures of the rocky (false) Summit and the Real Summit from the 2001 Alaska USA Broad Peak Expedition. MUST SEE PICTURES

For background on Broad Peak 2001, and many reports see the 2001 Broad Peak page...

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