K2/Chogori Winter 2003
POLISH CLIMBERS ATTACK K2
IN WINTER
12/7/2002. On Monday,
December 16, the very first winter expedition in
history is going to set out to the second summit of
the world, K2 (8611 m) from its northern, Chinese
side.
CLIMBERS ATTACK K2 IN
WINTER
Bidding farewell to the K2 Winter
Expedition
Dispatch 12/17/02: On
their way
Dispatch 12/20/02:
It took a whole day to repack the equipment and
prepare the cargo for the caravan. Tomorrow we set
out farther with off-road Toyotas, towards
Karakorum.
Locked up in a can....
Dispatch 12/30/02:
K2 winter expedition. The wind is nagging us all the
time, carrying sharp dust that is sticking into our
skin. The air is frosty and dry, our fingertips are
bursting. Many times, we taste blood in our mouths.
Spitting camels
Dispatch 1/02/03:
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?
Dispatch 1/03/03:
A
month's work. Each day brings the alpinists closer
to the summit of K2. Within two days,
they have secured 600 meters of the 4 km high
Northern Pillar with hand lines...
Dispatch 1/06/03:
The Head's birthday. The alpinists reach the next
meters of the Northern Pillar. On Sunday, the 52nd
birthday of Krzysztof Wielicki - the head of the
expedition -
camp I was ready at 5900
m....
Dispatch 1/09/03:
Taking rest. Together with Jacek Berbeka, Krzysztof
Wielicki, the head of the expedition, has installed
hand lines on another 250 m of K2’s Northern Pillar
above camp I (5950 m). All in all, the alpinists
have already installed over one and a half
kilometers of hand lines securing the climbing and
the descent down the ridge. One of the young
participants has shown symptoms of height sickness.
He was taken down to the
Chinese base.
Monika Rogozinska
reporter from Rzeczpospolita, and long time
EverestNews.com contributor, called us via sat phone
today 1/9/03)!
Dispatch 1/18/03:
Strong winds blowing:
As far as the logistically complicated winter
expedition to the world’s most difficult mountain
goes, so far almost everything has been going
according to plan. The
alpinists have established over two kilometers of
fixed ropes on K2’s Northern Pillar.....
Dispatch 1/20/03:
Struggle for second
camp: On the white horse: Krzysztof Wielicki and
Jacek Berbeka have not managed to set up camp II and
6600 m, although last Saturday they had been
climbing more than ten hours without a break.
However, by defeating the rocky barrier, they have
opened up the way for the ones to follow.
Wielicki had a mild
accident that will prevent him from climbing for
some time.
01/22
Winter K2 picture show
01/23
New Pictures from Winter K2
Dispatch 1/21/03:
Makeshift camp II is ready: After twelve hours of
climbing, Denis Urubko, Wasilij Piwcow and Ilias
Tukwatullin have established the makeshift camp II
at 6600 m.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 1/23/03:
Zero visibility: The wind is blowing, stirring up
snow and ice particles. K2 has disappeared in the
clouds. Marcin Kaczkan and Piotr Morawski have been
trying to find and prepare a spot for the tents of
camp II at 6600 m for two days already.
Check here for the full dispatch
Dispatch 1/25/03:
K2 Winter expedition Second camp destroyed: The last
24 hours have been dramatic both for the ones
fighting on the slopes of K2 and for those being the
powerless witnesses of the events. Hurricane winds
have destroyed the makeshift camp II.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 1/29/03:
The K2 Winter
Expedition is in danger: Gia Tortladze Revolts -
Three Eastern Mountaineers Leaving - Gia Tortladze
from Georgia and Ilias Thukvatulin are leaving the
expedition. Check here
for the full dispatch
Dispatch
1/30-1/31/03:
K2 Winter Expedition
Still bad weather (1/30/03), Not up to the
challenge: Vasilij Pivtsov, the alpinist from
Kazakhstan, has left the expedition today for family
reasons. His climbing partner and fellow countryman
Denis Urubko has set off in the opposite direction -
to set himself against the slope of K2. Together
with Piotr Morawski and Marcin Kaczkan, they will
try to reach the destroyed camp II.
Check here for the full dispatch
Dispatch 1/31/03:
A camp like a
fortress: The reinforced camp II has been finally
established on the ridge of K2’s Northern Pillar.
Weather permitting, Denis Urubko, Piotr Morawski and
Marcin Kaczkan will start installing fixed ropes
along the route towards camp III on Friday, which is
to be established at 7300 m.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/03/03:
Better weather ahead:
My computer has finally received good news from
Muhammat Hanif, our weather wizard in Pakistan,
whose forecasts have become almost indispensable.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Winter K2 Large picture show
Dispatch 2/05/03:
Krzysztof Wielicki, the
head of the expedition, and Jacek Berbeka have
established camp III (7200 m) on the Northern Pillar.
Wielicki has to give up climbing for some time due to
his renewed leg injury.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Update: Climbers have been
continuing to go up.... These guys are tough and good.
Check here for details
Dispatch
2/07-2/10/03:
Cameras are aimed at the
alpinists, but there would be no expedition if it were
not for the people in the background. An expedition is
like a hand. Each finger is necessary and only the
cooperation of all brings results, says our cook, Lachhu
("Lackchew") Bahadur Basnet from Nepal, showing his
work-worn hand. Check here
for the full dispatch
Dispatch 2/12/03:
More sunshine: A beautiful, sunny day has finally
come around in Karakorum. Thanks to the weather
improvement, Piotr Morawski, Marcin Kaczkan and
Denis Urubko have established another 400 m of fixed
ropes above camp III (7150 m). On Wednesday, camp IV
might be ready. Check
here for the full dispatch
Dispatch 2/13/03: Nobody has been any higher: Denis
Urubko and Piotr Morawski have established camp IV
at 7630 m. It is for the first time that climbers
have reached such an altitude on K2 in winter.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/15/2003:
Hard to look at: Denis Urubko and Piotr Morawski
have returned to the base after establishing camp IV
at 7630 m. The weather forecast is terrible. What
next? Will somebody be able to attack the summit?
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/17/03: K2 Winter
Expedition Sudden weather change, hurricane winds:
The mountaineers are licking their wounds. Krzysztof
Wielicki, the head of the expedition, has sent some
of them back below to the Chinese base, so that they
can rest and heal their frostbites under better
conditions. It is unknown what will be left of the
expedition after the snowstorm.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/18/03:
Something to think about it. The upper base is
buried in a snowstorm. K2 roars with hurricane winds
from behind a wall of fog. Most mountaineers have
descended to lower altitudes, where it is warmer.
Some will not return to this place.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/19/03:
Bad news: The blizzard continues, we've been
fighting all day long for the upper base. For the
time being, we've put our dreams about K2 aside and
busied ourselves with saving our belongings, says
Krzysztof Wielicki, the head of the expedition.
Check here for the full
dispatch
2/20/03:
EverestNews.com, Please, send our regards and best
wishes to Broad Peak Winter Expedition. The situation
is difficult for both expeditions. We are receiving by
e-mail excellent weather forecasts from Muhammad Hanif,
the senior of Pakistan meteorologist.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/21/03:
Late homecoming, The weather forecast is nasty -
steady gales with only brief respites until the end
of the month, and the very moment of our scheduled
breaking camp and beginning our return home.
Check here for the full
dispatch
2/22/03:To
Spanish Winter Broad Peak Expedition.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/22/03:
K2 Winter Expedition Attack on the summit, The stars
are visible: Friday was the start of a mountain
operation that can be regarded as the attack on the
summit of K2. It should last about a week. Krzysztof
Wielicki, the head of the expedition, has been
encouraged to start the attack by a weather
improvement. Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/24/2003:
K2 Winter Expedition The attack continues, Denis is
awaiting Marcin: At night, the wind has destroyed
the dining room tent, breaking the aluminum poles.
Gusts of wind are throwing people to the ground.
Nonetheless, the attack on K2 continues.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Update 2/24/03:
Denis Urubko and Marcin Kaczkan back up to Camp 3
(7150 m). Check here for
details
Dispatch 2/25/2003: A Winter
K2 Expedition - storming the summit, It's this
Wednesday or never. The mountaineers are climbing
higher and higher amidst the blizzard. Weather
permitting, especially the wind, they will attempt
to reach the K2 summit on Wednesday.
Check here for the full
dispatch
2/26/2003: K2
Winter Expedition It's still blowing, Difficult
nights: Despite bad weather, Denis Urubko and Marcin
Kaczkan reached 7630 m. They found camp IV there
destroyed by the wind. The entire equipment has been
blown away by the gale. Check here for the full
dispatch
Dispatch 2/27/03:
K2 Winter Expedition Marcin Kaczkan rescued - No one
knows what's in store. Hot tea: The morning
connection with camp IV (7630 m) was dramatic. Denis
Urubko informed us that his partner Marcin Kaczkan
is behaving like a man devastated by exertion and
lack of oxygen at high altitude. A rescue action was
started to save the alpinist.
Check here for the full
dispatch
Update 2/27/03:
Check here for details
Dispatch 2/28/03: The
K2 Winter Expedition is over Wielicki wants to try
again: Humbleness towards the mountain
Check here for the full
dispatch
Update:
A history of reaching the
summit of K2 by Monika Rogozinska
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