Nanga Parbat 2000

There are at least 6 Expeditions to Nanga Parbat (8125 meters) this Summer/Autumn.

Nanga Parbat 2000: The Mystery

Messner is there ! So is Loretan ! Why are these two climbers who have completed the 14 8000 meter peaks back ?

Many would like to know...

Reinhold Messner's team is made up of his younger brother Hubert (46), Peter Eisendle (43),  Wolfgang Thomaseth (52), and himself (now 56 years old). The "official word" is they are going to attempt an unclimbed route up Nanga Parbat. The planned unclimbed route includes an Alpine-style trek from the North Summit (25,824 feet) to the Main Summit. Reinhold Messner has completed not one but two Summits of Nanga Parbat in the past.

Nanga Parbat, is forever linked with the history of German climbing. 30 years ago, on June 29th 1970 Reinhold was climbing Nanga Parbat along with his brother Guenther. Guenther died on the mountain that year... In 1978 Reinhold Messner established a new route to the Summit alone.

As of last week, the mountain was winning, as they have been turned back on attempts at the Summit. Some call Nanga Parbat, "Messner's personal fate mountain". As his expedition attempted this very difficult unknown flank of Nanga Parbat, the "Rupalwand," with 4500 meter faces it's one of the highest walls on the earth. They explore and wait for a proper weather window to open, in order to be able to dare the "Erstbesteigung": without oxygen, without high altitude Sherpas or porters, without fixed ropes and without satellite communication.

Others would call this crazy: Messner calls this climbing !!!!

Why the Mystery? Some are speculating that Messner might be there to  search for the of the body of Guenther his brother. Guenther died when buried in an avalanche. He was very exhausted and with symptoms of altitude sickness, after 3 days of climbing hard. Others feel Messner is only there to open a new route.

On Loretan, the third man in obtaining the 14 8000 meter Summits, his plans are ambitious and defined. The Swiss mountain climber attempts Nanga Parbat by the passage of the Mazenos, most of which is over 7000 meters. Others have attempted this, i.e. Doug Scott, the last expedition called it impossible!

Herman Buhl 

After 31 people had died on Nanga Parbat, the summit was reached by a single man: Hermann Buhl. Here's the incredible story of this fantastic climb.

In 1953, Nanga Parbat, was again subject to the German's interest. Earlier, 31 people had lost their lives on this mountain, including the inter-war years German Himalaya elite, and it was the scene of some of the worst tragedies in alpine climbing's history. Once it was thought that Nanga Parbat ("The naked mountain") was the easiest 8,000 meter mountain to climb. That was a fatal mistake. As destiny would have it, even the world's highest mountain would be ascended before this ice-covered and avalanche-dangerous colossus.

The initiator for the 1953 German - Austrian Himalaya expedition was Dr. Karl Herrligkoffer, stepbrother to the late (1934) Willy Merkl, and the whole operation was meant to be a "memorial" expedition for the last-mentioned. Herrligkoffer's way of organization and preparation didn't win the trust of the big alpine organizations, and he had difficulties engaging famous climbers; Heckmair and Rebitsch said no. Eventually he found a couple of climbers with Himalaya experience in the Himalayas: Aschenbrenner (a veteran from 1934) and Frauenberger. Last but not least he managed to engage the famous duo from the Alps: Buhl and Rainer. Herrligkoffer managed to arrange the expedition at the last minute and they were finally underway. 

Everything went smoothly and a base camp was established during the end of May. Camp I - IV were established and stores and equipment were transported upwards. Heavy snowfall and uncertain weather made all attacks towards the higher regions impossible. On June 30th, Herrligkoffer ordered everyone to Base Camp. At that time, they hadn't gotten higher up than the 1932 expedition.

However, the weather suddenly changed on July 1. Buhl, Kampter, Frauenbergar and the camera man Ertl were still in the higher camps. They had refused the retreat-order and after discussing it via radio, they managed to get their will through. (There had been conflicts the entire time between Herrligkoffer and Aschenbrenner, who was supposed to lead the climb). On July 2, Buhl and Kempter established Camp V at the Col on the ridge up to the Silver Saddle at 6,900 meters. Ertl and Fruenberger returned to Camp IV. The weather conditions seemed to have stabilized. Buhl's plan was, if possible, to reach the Silver Saddle at 7,450 meters and the big plateau above. From there he could either ascend the preliminary summit or the Northern Summit and the expedition's honor would be saved. Buhl's famous solo-climbs in the Alps had proven his daring and strength, and now he was ready to invest it all.

At 1.00 a.m. July 3, Buhl left Camp V heading upwards, Kempter had difficulties leaving his sleeping bag and followed one hour later. The snow conditions were good and the night was clear with the moon lighting up the mountain. At 5.00 a.m. the sun rose above the horizon and Buhl reached the Silver Saddle. 

The three km long plateau taxed Buhl's strength. The heat was almost overwhelming and the air stood completely still. At the end of the plateau, Buhl had some tea and left his pack behind. Now he could move more easily. Now Kempter as well had reached the plateau but Buhl was moving too fast, and was way ahead. Kempter realized he would never catch up, and so he turned back and reached Camp V safely.

Buhl reached the Col below the summit (7800 meters) at 2.00 p.m. Buhl had the technically most difficult section of the whole climb ahead of him and the last 300 meters didn't look promising. After an inner struggle he decided to continue. He took a dose of Pertvin (a stimulant) and started climbing the rocks. His apprehensions came true; the climb was partly very difficult and took a long time. First at 6 p.m. Buhl reached the shoulder and one hour later he stood on the summit. It was dead calm and perfectly clear, the chapter Nanga Parbat was finished for the lonely man on the top.

Down below, Kempter had reported that Buhl continued alone toward the summit, and from each camp they looked up towards the Silver Saddle hoping to see Buhl on his way back in the evening. But nothing was to be seen, Frauenberger had returned to Camp V during the day and spent the night there together with Kempter. They could however not sleep, thinking about Buhl's destiny.

While Buhl still was at the summit, the sun went down. He drank his last tea and planted his ice-axe with Pakistani and Tyroli flags attached to it and took a few pictures. Night was falling fast as he started to descend. Above 8,000 meters at a tiny ledge below the shoulder he was forced to emergency bivouac - without any sleeping bag or warm clothes, he had left his pack on the plateau! Standing on a piece of rock between 9.00 p.m and 4 a.m. Hermann Buhl spent the night up in Nanga Parbat's "death-zone". The wind was calm and the night clear, and in spite of his thin clothing Buhl's body managed the cold, but he was loosing all the feeling in his feet. At dawn he continued the descent and going up from the Col was extremely strenuous.

Buhl took a new dose of Pertvin, and eventually reached the plateau and found his pack. He was in no condition to eat or drink anything. Pursued by hallucinations he struggled on downwards across the plateau in the burning sun. His thirst became overwhelming, some more Pertvin mobilized his last resources of strength and at 5.30 p.m. Buhl reached the Silver Saddle.

While Kempter on July 4 descended to Camp IV, Ertl reaches Camp V and along with Frauenberger erected the memorial plaque over Willy Merkl at the place where 1938 year's expedition had found him, all the time looking up towards the Silver Saddle. They planned to continue the next day to try to find out what had become of Buhl. Frauenberger returned to the plaque to attach it better when he suddenly saw a small dot on the SilverSaddle that is moving downwards! Buhl! His happiness at being reunited with his friends is indescribable.

Buhl was very lucky on Nanga Parbat, escaping with just a few frostbitten toes. This story reflects Buhl's style of climbing; totally focused and by taking enormous risks he often succeeded where others failed. If anyone at this time could manage such a climb, it was Hermann Buhl!

Four years later on Broad Peak, he and his companions proved that, without any help from high altitude porters, a small team could climb an 8,000 meter peak. But it was Buhl's last summit. Some days later, attempting Chogolisa, he fell through a cornice to his death.

The Hermann Buhl story and pictures are courtesy of Per Jerberyd www.jerberyd.com 

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