Nuptse west face history: Humar and Jeglic

I thought I would post a bit of information about the route on Nuptse which I attempted in early November.

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  As illustrated here, the route basically weaves a line up the middle of the West face.

  It was the visionary alpinists Tomaž Humar in Janez Jeglič who made the first ascent (and still, to this day, the only ascent ) in 1997. They climbed in alpine style, simul soloing all of it minus the labyrinth of an ice fall at the bottom of the route. With three bivies on the face they managed to find a way to the ridge. Tomaz graded the route at 2500m 90° IV-V (50-70°, V).

  Tragically Jeglič was blown off the summit by very strong winds, forcing Humar to descend alone. It is one thing to attempt the wall – or any climb - alone; It is entirely another to have experienced such an intense climb with a partner, experience such tragedy at the summit and and have to find a way down without them, entirely alone.

  
  

  
  

  

  
  

  Janez Jeglic:

  Delving briefly into climbing history book of achievements in Patagonia and Slovenia you will quickly come to understand just what an amazing alpinist Jeglič was. He managed to author some of the greatest routes there. Here is a selected Biography from his wikipedia page:

  1983 : Fitz Roy '83 - / The Devil's Dihedral (VI +, A2, 850 m) column at SV

  1985 : Jalung Kang '85 - to m

  1986 : Torre Egger '86 - southeastern wall (VII +, A3, 90 st., 950 m)

  1986: Cerro Torre '86 - primarily through the east wall (

  1988 : Cerro Torre '88 - with Silvom Karom diretisima Clockwork / The Hell's Direttissima (VIII + / VII-, A3-4, 70-95 st., 1200 m) through the south wall

  1990 : Bagirati III '90 -

  1990: the international Alps-Adriatic '90 Everest Expedition

  1993 : USA '93 - the Jolly Roger Yosemite

  1994 : Cerro Torre 94 - (VIII-, A4, 90 st., 800 m) in the South wall of the Cerro Torre

  1996 : USA '96 - repeat Sea of Dreams (VI, 5.9, A5) El Cap

  

  Tomaz Humar:

  Tomaž was an international star and much has been written about his tremendous achievements and contribution to mountaineering. Sadly, he died while soloing Langtang Lirang in November of 2009. More information can be found about him on www.humar.comThe Slovenians have of course led the way in terms of what Himalayan alpinism (perhaps global) should be like while the Polish took the prize for who could suffer the most.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  My absolute greatest hero remains Slavkom Svetičičem another Slovenian. He was really the first one to take the idea of fast and light and solo to the biggest walls in the world. He unfortunately died with soloing the west face of Gasherbrum IV in 1995. For more information about him please see http://www.slavko-sveticic.com/

  Ok Enough history for now....time to start training and looking forward to planning some additional guiding projects, skiing, ice and mixed climbing this winter..!

  Topo photo is By Fabrizio Zangrilli

  Jeglic photo is from hi wikipedia page

  Humar photo is form his website

Kathmandu: post guiding and Nuptse

Sorry it has been a while since I have updated here, it seems to be easier to update my Facebook athlete page (fabrizio zangrilli climbing) while away in the mountains.

Guiding for the month of October was great, it was a trip based on alpine skills and while conditions were really not great after the two major snow events (first in mid Sept and then again early Oct) we managed to be flexible and found better conditions on a mountain we had not planned on climbing originally. My goal was to teach skills that would create an alpinist - for sure a solid start.

November gave me an opportunity to try something that I have been looking at for 15 years. I knew going into it that conditions were less than ideal, but it was worth giving it a go anyway. I learned a lot about the wall, a lot - and cant believe how big everything was, the adventure, the seracs, the avis, how much sugar snow can cling to steepish blue ice - everything. There are more photos here on my Facebook athlete page (there are a few hard earned secrets I will not be sharing about the first crux though) . More photos to come.....

First photo is Nuptse's west face with Everest behind, Second is my bivy/base camp - clearly not a well funded nor big expedition. I am eating everything in sight, and trying my best to get out of here which is harder than I would like so might be here for a while.

Thanks so much to Marmot, CAMP, SCARPA, Ames Adventure Outfitters and CHUCS Dive and Mountain Shop for the continued support!

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Lukla

Landed in Lukla and all of our bags made it as well! So happy to start
trekking to Monjo today.

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Kathmandu Prep

There is a famous saying about both ends of the economic spectrum having a leisure class, unfortunately I seem to not fall into either group anymore. Yesterday was all about work, I went through all 12 barrels of equipment in storage; sorted food; finalized governmental paperwork, and dropped off a few things for repair. Had the delightful please of a chat with Miss Hawley - this time via phone as she is still recovering from a broken hip and I didn't have time to drop into her office at Dilli Bazaar. Then went to have dinner with an old friend, we didn't connect but instead had dinner with Tsedam who is an older friend. He owns International Mountain Equipment and Zamling Hotel in Namche. It was great fun to see him and relax a bit, came back to my new home away from home (away from home) - the offices of Cho Oyu Trekking and passed out by 9pm! Up at 4:30 am, time to start a bit more packing and hopefully soon find some coffee!   

To learn more about Khumbu Alpinist courses please check out my website and/or like my facebook athlete page.
My website

My Facebook Athlete page

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Kathmandu!

Kathmandu! The airport was crazy, many many people! It is the start of a major festival here, it is also very monsoon like, hot in the morning and then raining at night Beni from Cho Oyu Trekking tells me. Great to be back in the office! Lots to do, pack all climbing equipment, buy more food - already brought alot from Europe.

Beni has already booked and bought plane tickets, booked porters, lodges, permits and everything else that needs to be done.

I hear that Fire and Ice is open again too, everything is going great!

Khumbu Alpinist Course: Kyazo Ri and Pharilapcha and more...

I am off to Nepal!
The past month has been fantastic, but I am happy to be heading back to Nepal for some nice technical climbing. I am teaching an intermediate Khumbu Alpinist Course, lots of moderate technical climbing and even more skills training. I enjoy these trips, I get to do some fun climbing but more importantly get to introduce people to some real world helpful tactics for alpine climbing.

Kyazo Ri and Pharilapcha are in the Gokyo area of the Khumbu, beautiful trekking to get there and then views from the summits of all the things you would want to see up close in the Khumbu.

Might have something fun to report on at the end of October as well....I will keep posting.

Explorersweb.com interview, reading lists and off to Nepal this week!

http://explorersweb.com/everest_k2/news.php?id=20354

Check out an interview with me on Exweb...
Off to Nepal this week, very excited!!!
Packing again, it never stops.

Interesting reading list for this trip through:
Norman Davies, Heart of Europe: The Past in Poland's Present
John Irving, Last night in twisted river
Ryszard Kapuscinski, The Soccer War
I hope to get a copy of Bernadette McDonald's Freedom Climbers and Murakami's IQ84

Yes, it is alot to read, but that is what I like to do on rest days and evenings in lodges when trekking to Kyazo Ri and Pharilapcha base camp. I am guiding for October, then will have some fun personal climbing to talk about, more on that later.....

I love this Khumbu Alpinist course, we do some very fun, challenging and seldom visited ridges with amazing views. I get to teach skills and pass along tips on alpine efficiency. The climbing is fun for me as well.

OK, back to packing.....

K2 Summit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Update:
They did it, fingers crossed for a safe trip down!!!!!!! They are AMAZING!

"time 16:35
Gerlinde has reached the summit ridge together with Vassiliy. Maxut and Darek come afterwards."
This was on Gerlinde's website, they are doing it!!!!!! Not long now I am sure Amazing, I wish them the safest return to base camp as possible!!!!!!!
Congratulations congratulations!!!!!!!!!