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K2
2001: Qgir - K2 Himalaya 8000
expedition 2001: Interview with Jean Christophe Lafaille
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Qgir - K2
Himalaya 8000 Expedition 2001 |
The
Czech Expedition: HIMALAYA
8000 K2 (8612 meters) & Broad Peak (8047 meters) Updates
are here.
Their
interview with Jean Christophe Lafaille (after his
Summit of K2) at the BC the of Czech expedition at our
request...
Question:
When did you decide to climb K2?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: Five years ago, when I was
climbing Gasherbrums here in Karakorum. That mountain
charmed me even from a distance. I could not get here
immediately, because I work a lot as a mountain guide.
I am also a teacher in the national climbing school in
Chamonix.
Question:
How many eight thousanders have you climbed so far?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: This one was mine seventh one...
[Sixth to the Main Summits]
Question:
What was going on during the final attack?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: I did not sleep at all. Our last
tent was at 7900 meters and we arrived there quite
tired. Four of us arrived to the camp, but only two
went to the summit. We departed for the summit at 5
am, very late. The Koreans, whose tent was about 40 m
from ours left for the summit already at 1 am. I was
ascending fine. I didn't have elevation problems and I
felt strong. Sometimes we were going in such a deep
snow, that I more often felt like I was swimming,
rather than walking. At 7 o'clock we reached a
bottleneck- a very dangerous part, which is a sheer
ice lobby. I felt such danger, that I climbed as fast
as I could. Ice was falling there a lot. Phew! I was
standing on the summit at 14:30.
Question:
Who was treading the track? [breaking the trail]
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: I was alternating with the
Sherpas. Sometimes it took us an hour to go 50 meters.
Question:
Was the bottleneck the only dangerous place?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: We passed under a huge overhang
of snow and ice that was dangerously leaning. This one
will fall sometime soon. I know it from the pictures
from past years, but it is definitely going to fall
soon. Very intimidating.
Question:
Your feelings at the summit?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: Nothing. The wind was so strong
there, that I stayed about 15 minutes. We were not
even hungry. There were a lot of clouds around 7000
meters. I did not let anything distract me too much
though. I knew that the descent would be very
dangerous and so I wanted to stay concentrated.
Question:
Did you see the fall of the Korean climber?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: No they were going after us, but
today when we were descending from our C4 we passed
his body.
Question:
Your feelings?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: You can feel the soul there...
Question:
What are your next plans?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: I will eat, be with my wife and I
will sit in the garden. Then will follow the sun and
the rocks. No ice or stones.
Question:
How would you classify your seventh eight thousander?
Jean
Christophe Lafaille: This was the most difficult one.
There were a lot of opportunities to make mistakes.
Jean
Christophe Lafaille
1993 - Cho-Oyu
1994 - Shishapangma (North Face to Central Summit but
not Main)
1996 - Gasherbrum 1 + Gasherbrum 2
1997 - Lhotse
2000 - Manaslu (New Route)
2001 - K2
Of the seven 8000ers he has made three new routes and
climbed four peaks solo. His Shishapangma Summit is a
great story...
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