Jean-Christophe Lafaille 2003: Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak
 

 Current Pakistan Time

In French Jean Christophe Lafaille

Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com

June 20th 2003: Jean Christophe is this evening at a bivouac installed at 6800m.

With an Italian climber [Moro] he opened a new way in the face of Nanga Parbat Diamir face.

Finally, on June 19th, Jean Christophe did not go up to camp 1 as envisaged. It snowed all the day of the 18th, like the forecasts of our router thus day at the base camp. Yesterday, 19th, at the end of the evening he went to Camp 1 at 4800 meters.

He had located a way to be opened by consulting various documents and books in France. When he arrived at the base camp at the beginning of June, he left in location. He could note that the conditions were good and the line to be opened superb! A stiff corridor of snow, ice and rock of a height of 2000 meters! The exit of this corridor joins camp 3 at 7000 meters and thus "Kinshofer" itinerary.

And then, Simone, one of the Italians, felt that Jean Christophe was preparing something…

He suggested going with Jean-Christophe because he had also seen the located line he wished to open and Jean-Christophe was obliged to accept.

He left by night in order to be protected from the objective dangers (falls of stones, snow slide, ice,) he climbed in integral solo (except one or two sections, I do not know) this new 2000 meters height way, he told me that the itinerary was splendid, very beautiful, very pleasant to climb.

They should join camp 3 to spend the night there, but tiredness, the slopes of snow of the exit, heated by the sun encouraged them to be prudent by installing a bivouac at approximately 200 meters of uneven on the lower part of camp 3. They will leave this night to go to camp 4 at 7400 this 21st   June where they will spend their next night.

As per the weather, the forecasts are changing from one day to another, and this is becoming very tiring… On yesterday’s forecast weather was more or less for Saturday but the next coming days were sunny. Today weather is good, tomorrow as well, tomorrow it will snow all day long on Sunday… the day forecasted by Jean Christophe to climb to the summit of the Nanga Parbat!

He will have to wait one day under the tent that the disturbance passes at an altitude where the body degrades, gets tired, this is not a repairing day of rest but the contrary, and this is worrying. 

If weather forecasting does not change yet, if Jean-Christophe’s shape enables him to join camp 4 tomorrow Saturday and if he is OK to wait one day under the tent at 7400 meters he should reach the summit of Nanga Parbat this Monday June 23rd !

I really hope that he will have this weather crenel he his waiting for for many days now! Best regards, Katia Lafaille.

June 22nd 2003: I do not have much news to give to you. Jean Christophe should have phoned me today, but I get no call. He may have the phone batteries over.

When I talked to him, yesterday Saturday 21st, Music Day Celebration, they where at Camp 3 at 7000m, because the weather forecasts were wrong! It should be a sunny day, but it snowed all night long and during the first part of the day.

By taking risks on average slopes of snow, they have finally joined camp 3 yesterday at the end of the morning. Yesterday the bulletin weather envisaged for today good weather, yesterday evening Yan, the forecaster weather, saw a change on its charts with snow for the day, he sent me a mail to inform me but unfortunately I have not not been able to transmit this information to Jean-Christophe as I cannot have contact with him this Sunday.

Today he wanted to go up to Camp 4, at 7400, almost 800m in balance under the top of Nanga Parbat!

I hope to get news tomorrow Monday in order to know if Yan’s forecasts where ok or not. If these forecasts are wrong, summit should be reached tomorrow Monday! The way opened by Jean Christophe and Simone Moro (from the Italian Team) on the Nanga Parbat face on June 20th is called:  « Tom & Martina » A way for Jean-Christophe to tell “I love you and I think of you”, to our little boy Tom. Martina, is the name of Simone’s daughter…! I hope to be able to give you fresh news tomorrow Monday June 23rd.

Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com

Best regards. Katia Lafaille.

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