My Broad Peak ascent Mountaineering 15 makes an attempt in 2002 and 2015 had been unsuccessful attributable to dangerous situations and that is the third time we had been going to do that climb in the summertime of 2017 with my Catalan mountaineer pal, Oscar Cadiach, veteran of a number of 8000 climbs. Our pal Ali Sadpara from Pakistan, the conqueror of Nanga Parbat’s first winter ascent, would additionally accompany us. The official permission and group course of, which began months in the past, lastly grew to become actuality after I arrived in Pakistan’s capital metropolis, Islamabad, firstly of June. This time I had made up my thoughts to fly to Skardu, the place the place all of the climbing in Karakorum began, as a result of I had no want to repeat the two-day ugly and harmful automobile journey known as Karakorum Highway as soon as once more.
One fortunate morning, I had the prospect to fly and landed in Skardu, the executive middle of the Baltistan area, taking in a powerful view of the Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Karakorum. Broad Peak (8047M) Exit (Karakorum-Pakistan) Tunç FINDIK with our Bronze flag on the summit of Broad Peak. Tunç, Oscar, Ali and Yusuf on the base camp, after the summit. Tunç, Oscar and Ali with the Pakistani flag on the summit.. 16 Turkish Mountaineering Federation Mountaineering 17 At the tip of per week right here, Oscar arrived in Skardu along with his fellow trekkers who had been coming to the bottom camp by automobile, whereas I climbed some 5000-meter mountains on the shore of the close by Deosai desert plateau. I rapidly tried to realize acclimatization (excessive adaptability).
After checking all the bottom camp and mountain tools of the Broad Peak expedition, which can final a complete of fifty days in Skardu, organizing the transporters we are going to use to succeed in the bottom of the mountain, and finalizing all the mandatory permits, our manner was clear; On 16 June, with a bumpy and dusty jeep journey, we arrived on the village of Askole, at 3000 meters, the place our hike to the bottom of the mountain will start. This hike within the Baltoro gorge is without doubt one of the most spectacular trekking routes on the planet and takes you thru a really majestic, wild mountain panorama. All this week we camped and dismounted alongside the 58 km-long Baltoro glacier, one of many longest glaciers on the planet, and at last arrived at Broad Peak base camp at 4900 meters on the shore of the Godwin Austen glacier on June 22. It took a couple of days to show this desolate and chilly glacial coast, as rugged because the moon’s floor, coated with moraine, into our base camp.
There had been already a number of groups within the base camp and we made new associates in addition to outdated acquaintances. When we arrived, two separate groups that had accomplished the acclimatization course of had been prepared for the summit trial, and a few of these groups managed to succeed in the summit in dangerous situations within the first days of July.
Living at excessive altitudes is extraordinarily grueling, and it’s potential to get lethal altitude illness if careless. We had been additionally planning to adapt to altitude in one of the simplest ways by spending time at 5000 meters, which is a vital altitude threshold. Because with out totally adapting to 5000 meters, it isn’t potential to climb greater. After our trekker associates made their manner again two days later, we began the climbing preparations: sorting the supplies and organizing the masses. Finally, very early on 27 June, we began our first expedition to camp 1 and camp 2, every with 20 kg of cargo on our backs. We had been going to make use of 3 excessive camps on the Broad Peak west face route: 1st camp 5650m, 2nd camp 6200m and third camp 7150m. . In this course of, we might get used to the altitude, carry the tools by making two journeys to the very best camp, lay fastened rope strains the place crucial, and at last begin the ‘peak assault’ on the applicable time, at the very least that was the plan.
Today, the usual (learn this as probably the most used!) western face route of Broad Peak mountain is reached by crossing a big glacier space, on this half it’s essential to cross three separate glacial streams and crossing these streams is significantly harmful. Afterwards, the lengthy snow-ice lanes extending to the western ridge of the mountain are reached. In these lanes, snow and mountain climbing on slopes between 40 and 55 levels and brief combined levels are required (particularly within the part as much as the first camp, the chance of avalanche and stone falling is excessive; there have been severe accidents leading to dying in these levels in earlier years).
Afterwards, the 2nd camp is reached with the distinctive ridge system dealing with west, after which the extensive plateau (ice discipline) at 7000 meters and the third camp are reached with extensive snow-ice fields. At 7800 meters, there’s a very lengthy snow-ice discipline as much as the distinguished waist between the northern summit and the rocky summit, and within the final a part of this stage there are 50-60 levels snow-ice slope and III+, IV- grade combined climbing levels. Afterwards, sharp and lengthy ridges result in the rocky peak at 8030 meters after which to the principle peak of 8047 meters additional away. This yr was a bit dry in Karakoram and the chance of falling stones as much as 6000 meters on Broad Peak was fairly excessive. The prime of the mountain, after 7000 meters, was coated with deep, swampy snow, and we may see the splendidly formed condensation clouds shaped by the fierce wind that blew up the summit ridges on daily basis.
For a couple of month in whole, we arrange our excessive camps, carried a great deal of meals, gasoline, rope, tents, and so forth. to those camps, and lived below successive durations of fine and dangerous climate. However, the climate situations had been usually fairly unstable in Karakorum, and the well-established high-pressure system that may make it potential to go from the excessive camp to the summit was not coming. In the meantime, we made two summit makes an attempt and needed to come again within the storm from 7000 meters. As time progressed, our endurance was getting weaker, however we wished to succeed in this summit very a lot and we needed to make good use of our final likelihood. The second half of July was spent ready below moist, snowy and disappointing climate. When we mentioned we may spend the month of August right here if crucial, fortunately it was not wanted as a result of the climate experiences appeared to herald that favorable climate was coming on the finish of July.
Weather forecasting on an enormous mountain vary like Karakoram is a joke; In brief, it isn’t shocking that it does not catch on principally. It was the identical this time as effectively: We spent two full days in distress in our 2nd camp at 6250 meters. At this altitude, consuming, ingesting, resting and recovering just isn’t efficient and the chances are very restricted. However, on the third day, the climate modified, we went to our third camp, 7150 meters, by sinking in deep snow with all of the groups that may take part within the summit assault; We had been resting within the excessive camp on an attractive sunny afternoon on July 26. We had been going to begin the climb because it was darkish within the night, our plan was to climb all night time and be on the prime the following morning.
The journey from 7000 meters to 8000 was very lengthy and required steep, technical levels in between. In brief, because it received darkish at night time, we began climbing round 19.15. It’s laborious to explain this sense, tiny headlamps on the pitch-dark slope of an unbelievably massive mountain! Climbing the ink-black, starry night time with temperatures under minus 30 levels, typically 55 levels incline, we climbed the laborious ice levels, reaching the 7800-meter Broad Peak waistline at 04:45 on the first gentle of the morning.
Seeing the primary gentle of the solar is the one factor that may make you imagine you might be actually alive after an evening like this.. And one objective in a minute, I fell right into a glacial crack on this glacier go! Luckily, I used to be buried as much as my chest and will barely pull myself out with slightly effort. A little bit respiration, slightly heat liquid introduced me to myself. Our route wasn’t getting any simpler now; Broad Peak’s most important peak was nonetheless a great distance off. First, we needed to climb the rock to the entrance peak (8030m), known as the ‘rocky peak’, after which to the principle peak (8047m) additional west, persevering with for greater than an hour on an extended, sharp ridge over 8000m. What if we do that with out spoiling the climate! Climbing step-by-step, leaving fastened line ropes the place wanted, we approached the rocky summit with typically III+, IV diploma extraordinarily hole and difficult rocky levels and 55-60 diploma sloping snow and ice. The climate was chilly and windy, though condensation clouds often handed over the summit, it was typically steady. We had been all drained, we had been shifting step-by-step at this altitude.
The corpse of one of many two Polish mountaineers, who died within the Broad Peak winter trial of earlier years and sat on this rocky throne ceaselessly, was mendacity on the rocks, embracing the rocks. An indication that reveals how fragile he himself is!
We approached the principle summit, which appeared as a snowy triangle to the west, passing via small levels rolling down the lengthy ridge and atop abyss in both course (sadly, with minimal or no security). I used to be cautious as I used to be climbing with out oxygen, there have been two groups of three close to me, all utilizing oxygen, and our tempo was roughly the identical. The steep locations are lastly over, step-by-step, out of breath, from the yellow scree and rocky-icy sloping floor. At 10:20 am on this clear however unstoppable windy 27 July, I stepped onto the snowy summit with a bamboo stick on prime – the summit of Broad Peak. ! Behind me, the large K2 behind the lengthy, snow-covered ridges of Broad Peak, an unimaginable view of Karakorum on the entire periphery, the Gasherbrums and the Chogolisa mountain.. There was an amazing reduction and pleasure, I actually could not imagine it! Tears of pleasure had been flowing behind the thick glasses, I used to be very glad, I bear in mind solely being so glad after I climbed Everest and K2.
We embraced one another with Oscar and Ali reaching the summit, and the truth that this debut was the 14th and final summit of Oscar added a beautiful colour to our summit. For me, the Turkish Mountaineering Federation flag that I opened on the summit of this mountain was very significant: the TDF flag was unfurled for the primary time on an 8000-meter summit! After a couple of pictures, movies and a little bit of lingering on the summit, it was time to descend, and it was not crucial to remain at this excessive altitude any longer. I had already waited an hour for our folks to reach on the summit. Step by step, we descend from the place we left off.
But all of the ridges that had been ice within the morning are actually knee-deep swamp snow. The tiredness and thirst are insufferable, I do not even really feel the starvation, however my mouth is dry. We attempt to get liquid by burning a range within the city, however in useless, the furnace doesn’t even burn with the shortage of oxygen on the altitude! As the day become the afternoon after which night, because the solar was hitting Karakoram from the west, I may attain the third camp at round 17.30 within the passing clouds, so the entire climb took nearly 20 hours. Finally- calmness and stillness, loads of heat liquid, the nice and cozy, conscientious safety of a goose down overalls… With the arrival of Oscar and Ali at nightfall, the group was full. The relaxation is a comeback story.. Broad Peak was my twelfth 8000m peak general and allowed me to succeed in the highest on my third try. Now I’m penning this publish simply earlier than I set out for Nanga Parbat, the ninth highest mountain on the planet, the following day!
See you once more with the mountains!
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