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Pakistan
2002 Peace Climb: The Everest
Peace Mountaineers will go to Pakistan this summer to
climb
as a symbol to the world that we all can get along.
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Introduction:
The
Everest
Peace Mountaineers will go to Pakistan this summer to
climb as a symbol to the world that we all can get along.
This international team of mountaineers, which
contains Muslims, Christians, and Jew, will symbolize the countries of the world coming
together to climb Gasherbrum II (G2). This mountain while
being one of the 14 largest in world, is only a few
miles from the disputed area where Pakistan and India
are at war.
PEACE
AMIDST WAR: "The International Everest Team has decided to come together again to
help deliver a message of peace to the world. There is
no better place to do this than a country that has
been war torn and is still struggling with conflicts -
Pakistan. Besides being a messenger for peace, the
team will raise funds by doing what the members love
most - climb a mountain. The world has suffered
tremendous conflicts. The problems in politics,
economy, culture and environment cannot be solved by a
group of climbers simply coming together alone with a
common goal for peace, but we must do our best and
never give up hope on peace.
I
personally believe, we as climbers have a great
potential to deliver a message of peace in this
troubled time, either to our own fellow countrymen or worldwide. And definitely, whatever we do
together as "The International Everest
Team", we have the tremendous potential to be the
platform. Singapore,
being so small, is experiencing the repercussion of
recent global events. The impact is deep. We are now
in the worst recession in 20 years. I find myself in a
useful role - encouraging people around me not to be
too pessimistic.", states Khoo
Swee Chiow
About
4 weeks ago the mountaineers from the 2001 Peace Climb
decided, war or no war in Afghanistan, to go to Pakistan to climb in
2002. The core team from the 2001 Peace Climb, Nasuh Mahruki,
David Keaton, Swee
Chiow;
Ricardo Torres-Nava, Fernando
Gonzales Rubio, Tunc
Findik and Marcelo Arbelaez
are expected to be joined by other mountaineers in this climb
as a symbol to the world that we all can get along.
This international team of mountaineers, which
contains Muslims, Christians, and Jew, will symbolize the countries of the world coming
together to climb Gasherbrum II one of the 14 highest peaks in the world.
The
Mountaineers will represent the best climbers in the world today.
Several of the mountaineers will have several Summits of the 14
8000 meter peaks, all will be Everest Summiters. They will speak different languages, be of
different races, and have different religions, and all joining
together for a good cause. This spirit of adventure and
cooperation in this effort to promote peace and
support worthy causes comes at a critical time for
Pakistan as many climbers have cancelled their plans
to climb in Pakistan in 2002. Follow along as these
men where few have gone before on an expedition that
will certainly be remembered for a very long time.
Ricardo
put it this way, "I gave a thought about Pakistan
in 2002 and I see both sides. Yes, Pakistan is always
dangerous but at the same token life is dangerous,
mountain climbing is dangerous and we love risks. I
have many good friends on the Baltistan region willing
to even give their lives for my sake. I know the
region and the people and I do love the country....
and a big hug Ricardo
Background:
In
July of 2001, 7 Everest Summiters headed to Mt.
Ararat, the legendary, Holy mountain. David
Keaton, Marcelo Arbelaez, Tunc
Findik, Fernando Gonzales Rubio, Ricardo
Torres-Nava, Khoo
Swee Chiow, and Nasuh Mahruki
headed to the North side of Ararat not knowing what to
expect. They went like mountaineers
decades ago, not knowing the route, not having any
close up pictures of where to climb, not knowing the
dangers ahead of them. The "7" went not to
any mountain, but to the legendary Holy mountain where
many believe life began a second time after the great
flood.
The
team climbed the mountain in alpine style,
reaching the Summit together. It was not an easy
climb. Tunc almost lost his life when he had to jump
over a large boulder with lethal intent. The climb
would not have been possible without the Turkish
government approval and the Turkish military support. This
climb has genuinely touched ALL of these climbers. We
hope it has touched You. To support this vision of
peace, please make a donation, via SHIVA charity. You
can make a credit card donation by
clicking HERE. For more information on the 2001
Peace climb see here.
Thoughts
from Peace climb 2001 from an experienced Everest
climber who did not go on the expedition but discussed
the expedition with some of the "7": "I
read all the dispatches and they were quite
interesting and it sounds like it was a great success.
For them it was a truly enlighting experience... Here
they are Mt. Everest heroes... In their conference
they are able to transmit the true climbing spirit and
the camaraderie between climbers of different nations,
different languages, races and religions and how
together they can overcome the obstacles. There
was no competition, there was no utilizing others
equipment without permission, there were no
conspiracies, there was only one team with one
objective. I hope one day future climbers of Mt.
Everest can regain that spirit they once had. I
think the Mt. Ararat expedition showed that the spirit
of great mountaineers still exists."
After
Pakistan in Summer 2002, the
Everest
Peace Mountaineers plan to go to Colombia in Winter
2002/2003.
Reports: The
expedition will send reports to www.holylandexpeditions.com
and it's parent site EverestNews.com www.everestnews.com.
EverestNews.com is the largest mountaineering publication in the
world.
Press: Pease e-mail us ! web@everestnews2004.com
Background
on Gasherbrum II:
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Gasherbrum
in local language means "Shining
Wall". There are six Gasherbrum Peaks.
Gasherbrum II, (8035 meters/26,361ft), the
shining mountain on the Karakoram range is the second highest peak among the Gasherbrum Peaks.
The first ascent was made the an Austrian team led by Fritz
Moravec along with Josef Larch and Hans
Willenpart on July 8th, 1956. They set up a base
camp on the south Gasherbrum glacier. Camp I was
set up at 6005 meters. It was here that the
party was forced to stay for ten days because of
a severe storm. Consequently, they lost a large
supply store in an avalanche. |
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Gasherbrum II
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After
setting up a few more camps, Fritz Moravec, Josef
Larch, and Hansenpart set up a bivouac below 7620
meters despite frostbite suffered in the bivouac,
the three reached he summit of Gasherbrum II on July
8th and came back without meeting any further
incident.
The
climb on this peak is both on rock and ice. A high
level of technical skill, physical fitness and
acclimatization is required. The approach to base camp
is via Skardu and about a week trek on Baltoro
Glacier.
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Gasherbrum
II (8035 meters)
Its 2000 meters high Southwest flank. In the
center the remains of a huge avalanche. (full
image: 60 K) |
History
of the Gasherbrum II
1889-1929 The international expedition headed by the
Swiss G.O. Dyhrenfurth studies possible
ways to the top of the Gasherbrum II and
gets to 6250 meters on the south flank.
1956:
First ascent via the southwest spur by an
Austrian expedition headed by F. Moravec.
Fritz Moravec along with Josef Larch and Hans
Willenpart starts from a
bivouac at 7700 meters via the east spur to the
summit on 7th.
July
1975:
Second ascent by a French group, 19 years after the first ascent. During
this expedition, the first victim at the
Gasherbrum has to be lamented. In this
year, three expeditions get to the
summit, among others a Polish women team
headed by W. Rutkiewicz.
1979:
A Chilean and a German expedition
succeeded in the 6th and 7th ascent.
1982: R. Messner Summits with two Pakistanis.
1984:
During the legendary double ascent of two
8000 peaks, Messner and H. Kammerlander
get to the summit of Gasherbrum II and
afterwards Hidden Peak. Counting
and registration is more complicated
during the following years because some
illegal teams got to the summit. Both
peaks belong to the less frequently
climbed 8000 peaks. Per year, only 2 to 3
permits are given.
Support: To
support this vision of peace, please make a donation, via
SHIVA charity. No money go to EverestNews.com nor the mountaineers.
You can make a credit card donation by
clicking HERE.
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