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K2/Chogori
Winter 2003
Christmas is cancelled
On the night of New
Year's Eve, the temperature at the upper base (5100
m) amounted to minus 30.5 deg. C. How did the
alpinists get ready for New Year's Eve?
"I cancelled all
holidays and balls this and next year", said
Krzysztof Wielicki from the upper base on the
evening of New Year's Eve through the
radiotelephone. "There's going be a short dinner,
some Christmas greetings and then we're going to
sleep, because in the morning we're going to climb.
K2 is right in front of us, so big that it won't fit
into the 35 mm camera lens. Besides, we have very
severe conditions here. It's hard to get rocks from
under the ice to make some room for the tents. You
have to hit one stone with another to knock it out.
In general, however, it's okay. Seeing my friends
climbing the slope nearby tells me they are willing
to fight."
The alpinists
celebrated the first day of the New Year by
installing hand lines along a 250 m long section of
the Northern Pillar. The way up is open.
Monika Rogozińska
from Karakorum
Written by Monika
Rogozinska, "Rzeczpospolita";
translated by "Scrivanek".
 Dispatches
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