Jean-Christophe Lafaille 2003: Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak
 

 Current Pakistan Time

In French Jean Christophe Lafaille

Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com

June 24th 2003: Jean-Christophe LAFAILLE reached yesterday Monday June 23rd Nanga Parbat Summit at 8125m, without oxygen and opening a new itinerary which he offers to his son, Tom! "TOM ET MARTINA"

Last time I talked to Jean-Christophe over the phone was on Saturday June 21st, he was at Camp3 at 7000m.  We talked every day; I give him the weather forecasts of the day. He left base camp on June 19th at the end of the afternoon in order to sleep at Camp1 at 4900m and and thus to be closer to the project he had in mind for some time already... Simone Moro, an Italian mountaineer being on the spot, announces to Jean-Christophe that he has the same project as him and asks him to open this new route together, obliged to accept, they leave camp 1 on June 20th in the night in order to launch out, in integral solo, in this face. For the experts this route is in the same style as the northern face of short with passages into rock, snow, ice between 4800 meters and 7000 meters of altitude.... While leaving this way (which they baptize of the first name of their children) they install a bivouac on the slopes of snow of exit because it makes hot, too hot to reasonably continue to the camp 3, 200 meters higher.

During the night of 20th to 21st, it snowed very much, in the morning of 21st weather is bad, it still snow and the forecasts were good!!!

They reach Camp3 in spite of the risks of instabilities of snow, the lack of visibility, etc... After having battled in deep snow on the last slope finally camp 3 is reached. Tired and wedged by the bad weather they decide to go up to camp 4 at 7400 meters the following day on June 22nd . I give the last forecasts weather to Jean-Christophe reassuring him for the following days with good weather, no wind, etc... June 21st  at 23h00, I receive by mail a bulletin of Yan..odd.. generally I receive one per day around 10/11 in the morning… I open it to discover that the forecasts have changed again and not in a good sense for Jean-Christophe... bad weather with a lot of snow for June 22nd and 23rd. from 24th weather is good with low wind in altitude…

I cannot reach Jean-Christophe by phone, he stayed at the base camp, he uses Simone’s phone he share it with them at Camp3, there is a third climber who left to the summit as well but by the Kinshofer itinerary. On the 22nd I wait for Jean-Christophe’s call which does not come… I think he may having troubles to reload the batteries of the telephone if they are in the bad weather... Monday 23rd  nothing from Jean-Christophe..., the forecasts are still bad, that does not resemble to Jean-Christophe not to give me a news then,  yesterday night before going to sleep and at last, news!! I see a declaration of the Italian Simone, with whom Jean-Christophe opened this new way…

Simone is gone down again to the base camp on June 23rd, he was not feeling well, he needed to be still acclimatized before the top. He announces then that Jean-Christophe and the other companion, found at camp 3, battles at the present time at 150 meters under the top of Nanga Parbat on slopes with very deep snow, bad weather conditions... nothing very reassuring before going to sleep... This morning June 24th  at 05h00 my mobile remains lit 24h00 on 24h00 sounds..., time to emerge I did not have time to take down, I have a message which I consult, Simone says to me that Jean-Christophe reached the top of Nanga Parbat yesterday Monday June 23rd, he slept yesterday evening at camp 3 at 7000 meters and will arrive at the base camp today Tuesday June 24th...

BRAVO BRAVO ET BRAVO !!!!

He will have battled under difficult conditions in Dhaulagiri a few weeks ago, with the whims of the weather he renews this experiment with Nanga Parbat... he must be still tired... again a 8000 at the program... Broad Peak! I will share this ascent with him, I fly away for Pakistan this Friday June 27th. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille.

JCL-JUNE 24TH 2003-18h30: Jean-Christophe arrived at Nanga Parbat Base Camp today, at the end of the afternoon. I can tell now that the expedition is completely ended!

I bring some additional precise details on my preceding dispatch. Last night, Jean-Christophe slept at camp 4 at 7400 meters after having reached the summit of Nanga Parbat at 8125 meters at 11h45 with Ed Viesturs. In fact, yesterday on June 23rd, around 7400 meters the distance was increasingly broad between Simone and Jean-Christophe and Ed when finally too much tired to continue, Simone decided to return to the base camp. Ed took the Kinshofer itinerary of Nanga Parbat, they meet at camp 3 at 7000 meters. From Camp 3 until the top Jean-Christophe and ED formed an effective and victorious team! Again congratulations to Jean-Christophe for this performance reaching the top with the tiredness of the itinerary he opened without thinking of the weakness and bearing in mind only  the goal to reach and to Ed, of course, for this new 8000!

The fiftieth anniversary of the first ascent to the Nanga Parbat will be signed of a beautiful opening by Jean-Christophe and successes by expeditions on Diamir slope! He is of course happy with his accomplishment, the strong moments shared with Ed Viesturs on this mountain and at the top, of the way he opened, and so on.

Now he makes his possible to organize his departure from the base camp in order to come to receive me at the Islamabad airport, I am comforted by his presence I think that we will leave immediately to go to Skardu which we will join 2 days later. Then it will take 6/7 more days to arrive at the base camp of Broad Peak at 4900 meters. Around July 7th we should be at the base camp. I keep you informed as always. [Yes, he is going for this third 8000 meter peak in a few months!!!] Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com

Best regards, Katia Lafaille

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