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News
of the expedition BASK-LATOK III
EverestNews.com
received this report early on the 20th: One member Mr.
Igor Barikhin of Russian Latok III Expedition led by
Alexander Odintsov has passed away. In an email from
Russia, Mr. Ivan the organizer of the expedition
informed us. This Sunday, the other members of the
expedition will inform us in detail and I will let you
know. Essar Karim
We
contracted the Russians and suggested they contact the
team... Note we held this news until after the
Russians were notified.
Update
7/21/2001: The report of Alexander Odintsov.
We
just come down from the Wall. We have had an accident.
At the altitude about 6200, after a wild stonefall,
IGOR BARIKHIN was swept from the wall and fallen down
with the rope. It happened the day before yesterday
(July 19th). We started to climb down immediately. And
the way down took us 2 days. All the other climbers
are OK. Tomorrow we will go to the foothill to try to
search the body of our dead friend. Though there are a
very few chance to find him. He fallen about 1,5
kilometers. I will call later. Alexander Odintsov
July
18th: Nothing to say about July 17th. All the story
you can read in the Anderson's fairy tale "The
Snow Queen", the part with the description of her
kingdom. Snow, wind, low clouds, hanging on the
mountain and covering the base camp. Cold, wet.
Hopeless.
In
the evening the snow storm became easier. There were
the small sunny spells among the clouds and the hope
came back with them. Next day the hope will come true.
The
morning was cloudy, but the clouds were high and cut.
But on the Latok wall - the clouds were dense. And
boys could not get what was going on with the weather.
On the radio connection in 10 a.m. I gave them a hope
and the knights started to move.
And
really, the weather to the midday became better, just
a good one. While the boys pulled all the tents and
bugs [?] by the fixed ropes the second part of day
began. Odintsov decided to reach the
"tomahawk". I remind you that so called
"tomahawk" is the big weight snow spot very
high located and you guess it has a form of
"tomahawk".
"Tomahawk"
is a kind of mystic thing. They were going to reach it
three days ago. But it like a horizon line, all the
time moved somewhere far and higher. It looked only
one pitch to it! Finally today, party Odintsov-Barikhin
reached the wishing place.
Alexander
said that the climb was not very difficult, but a lot
of "alive" stones just a bit clued by ice
and covered by snow after a storm. So they had a
problems with the protection points. And in the end,
at 6.30 p.m. Alexander was on the "head of
"tomahawk". Then they will climb straight up
by the center of rock pillar. They climbed about 4/5
of the wall. The altitude - more then 6 000 meters.
Mikhail Bakin, doctor
July
15th-16th: The weather is getting worse. On July 15th
the weather was unstable. The strong wind was strong
but it was possible to work. The climb is difficult
and twisting. In spite of the bad weather yesterday
the party Klenov-Davy climbed 4 pitches. Alexander
Klenov said that in about 20 meters there would be a
curve and he felt the change of relief. On the same
level the camp was moved. I can not see exactly
through the clouds but it looks like the team is now
near the "head of tomahawk " a bit left.
Mikhail
Bakin Base Camp, Latok III
July
10th. The third day of the climb. The speed of the
ascent is very high, faster then I expected. If you
look at the photo of the wall, a bit left from the
center you see the big pillar with three snow tents on
the upper part. So, after the second bivouac, the team
almost reached the middle part of the pillar. As far
as I know nobody has climbed up above this level (on
this climb). Unfortunately today we have had the
problem with the radio connections so I can not detail
the climb, amount of pitches etc. All the information
is based only on my visual observation. At the moment
the team is a bit lower then the center of wall,
counting from 5000 meters. Mikhail Bakin
Update
7/3/2001: I've got news from Russian Latok III
Expedition. Today by 10:00 PM, we received a phone
call from the Latok Base Camp from Alexander Odintsov
leader of Russian Latok III Expedition. He said,
weather is fine and we hope to make the summit in few
days. Here at base camp every thing is fine and every
body is doing well, he added. They have already
established camp II. More news will be coming soon.
Essar Karim
Update
7/4/2001: News of the expedition BASK-LATOK III
Ivan,
the porters with gas and medicine just arrived.
Everything is OK. Tomorrow, the 5th, we
will head to the wall base. July 6th we will establish
the advance base camp, will carry the gear. And
probably (if nothing happens) we will start the climb
on July 7th. As for the weather forecast, we didn't
receive it. The forecast that was sent us (that the
bad weather will stop on 4th and the good one will
start from 5th) seems not to be true. The weather is
still unstable. It rains every day up to 5 times a
day, and the snow near the mountain. All the best!
Don't be bored without us. Cheers. Odintzov from the
Latok III base camp.
Update
6/30/2001: News of the expedition BASK-LATOK III
The
situation is as following. Today we came back from
4-days acclimatisation climb. We climbed Latok-6 all
together (including doctor). We slept on the summit.
Everything is OK. The only problem: the gas still has
not arrived. We called to Islamabad, NikNam confirmed
that the gas arrived on June 24th only. The weather is
absolutely crazy here. It's a real heat. The are no
any clouds already for five days. We never saw
anything like that. And now we are only awaiting for
gas. And immediately after arrival we will start.
Odintzov
Update
6/25/2001: News of the expedition BASK-LATOK III
Tomorrow
we plan the acclimatisation up to 5600 meters,
probably Latok 6 [climbers to ??] summit. No
connection during this time, do not worry. We will be
back in about 4 days. We all are OK. The weather is
going to better. Afraid to say that! Odintsov
Update
6/24/2001: A
six members Russian Team for Latok III is
here to make final arrangement before they depart for
Skardu. The team members are Alex Ruchkin, Serge
Hajinow, Igor Barihin, Michael Davi, Alexander Klenow
and Dr. Michael Bakin.
Out
of 10 big walls in the World which offer 1000 meters
vertical climb, they have climbed 5 until now with all
new routes, Peak 4810 in Pamir, Peak Ak-Su in Pamir,
Troll Wall in Norway, Bhagirathi III in India and
Trango Tower in Pakistan. The other five including
Latok III are now in their agenda with new routes. The
Russian Route!
Note
these reports are mostly rough as received!
Information
for people who remember us.
We
are finally in base camp! On June 22nd was a
very hard day. The camp was established in a very late
evening. Though all participants gathered in
base camp. Porters left without sahibs, stopped in 1.5
hours from the camp and risen in rebellion. When we
did not see caravan, we had to go down to them by
ourselves to suppress national- liberation movement.
It had been suppressed in its embryo. It cost us 6
hours of conversations and a lot of nerves. Porters
had a worse fate - they did not get the supposed
"bukshish" (payment). I took away the
passports from the leaders, so now they can not spread
discord in any other expeditions.
The
weather here is disgusting. It is snowing non-stop.
Everything is covered in base camp. The information
about the shiny weather on K2 looks very suspiciously.
Odintsov.
Alexander
Odintsov: 6/19/2001 Today we reached Askole and even
went further. We are about a night and two hours from
our base camp. Tomorrow accompanied by porters we will
go further. We are OK.
The weather is more or less good. Actually "do
not say about the w r!" Doctor made the
first surgery operations. And he cures and cuts
porters, their hands, legs, and everything The liaison
officer looks like a good man. We are full of
optimism. Kiss you, hang you. We hope you are also OK.
If you have any information about the expeditions
around, please let us know. All our friends, relatives
say that we are OK.
