Nanga Parbat Rupal Face - Dispatch 5 - Snow holes and missing axes!

The last few days have been uncomfortable to say the least. We spent 25^th, 26^th, and 27^th in a shallow hole dug in the snow at 5750m, the site of camp 2 with a tarp thrown over it to sit out three days of constant snowfall. Three days and not much sleep later we decided to descend. Me swearing constantly, as my Marmot bivvy sac worked the best, so I got the snowiest side of the hole. Billy staring at me in silence seemingly saying 'you are saying enough for 2', and Dave continually saying 'lets all go on vacation again next year, this is so much fun' with us all bursting out in fits of laughter, as our plight finally got old.

 

Two feet of fresh snow put a hold on acclimatization. Somehow on the ridge leading for the serac at camp 2, one of my axes ('CAMP-Awax' if anyone would like to send one- Address: Rupal Face, Nanga Parbat base camp, via Karakoram magic mountains trekking agency, Islamabad) got knocked off as we sorted ropes in the storm and took the 2000m tumble to the valley floor. Oh well, rest a few days and back to the original plan of being done acclimatised by the 5^th.

 

On a very tragic note, we have just been made aware of the likely death Pavle kozjek, we are deeply saddened for the loss of one of the greatest alpinists and people of all time.

Our condolences go to his family, and hope for a safe rescue of his team mates.

Avery sad day for all

 

Wish us luck

Nanaga Parbat Rupal Face - Dispatch 4 - The Messner invasion

This morning the 23^rd whilst scanning the upper mountain through the telescope, we heard the sound of approaching helicopters coming up the valley. Within minutes tents were threatening to fly out of BC and the ever present goats and donkeys ran for their lives. Messner and his film crew had arrived. They said a quick hello and took off again to try to fly above 6000m as the clouds had parted.

 

Interestingly, Messner was filming with the same pilot who rescued Humar from the Rupal Face. I suppose no better pilot to film the face with. They promised to return for lunch.

 

A few more touch downs to reload film cameras mounted to the outside of the helicopters, and as promised we sat for lunch. I did a very short interview for the cameras, and after we all discussed the physical changes in the Rupal Face since 1970, when Messner first climbed it.

 

Then with a quick good luck the show left town.

 

Tomorrow we go up for what we hope is a weeks worth of acclimatization to reach 7000m. Then we start to watch the route for our attempt.

 

That's the hope anyway, wish us luck….

Nanga Parbat Rupal Face - Dispatch 3 - Camp 2 ....and there's no snow

On the 17^th, 4 days of great weather started and we took full advantage of it. Billy Dave and I, alternated leading and fixing 1150m of rope up the traversing 45-60 degree ice between C1 and C2. Finally on the 20^th I led the last 300metres to the top of the couloir that leads to the serac that C2 sits on at 5500m. We finished at 5pm in a snow storm, which was the obvious end to the good weather.

 

For 2 Days of the good weather, a helicopter continuously circled between 4200m and 5000m.We wondered what was going on as we were aware that Musharaf had resigned as president. On the 20^th the helicopter got close enough for us to see a cameraman hanging out the door filming us. When we arrived back at BC we learned that Messner himself was filming us for an upcoming film he is producing on Nanga Parbat. He landed in BC twice to interview us, but we were on the mountain. The rumour is he will be back

 

Billy, Dave and I are tired, but feeling good after 4 days of strong effort. It is crazy to think that we have climbed 2000m above BC, but still have so much more to go before being done with acclimatizing for the face.

 

We are hoping to be done with the Messner route by the 1-15^th September, which will leave us 3 weeks for our planned route on the face.

 

More to come…

 

Wish us luck

Nanga Parbat Rupal Face - Dispatch 2 - Camp 1

On August 8th we finally made base camp in beautiful Kap meadow. On our way here, around the Bazhin glacier, we saw the Rupal face for the first time. It's amazing, so large, with no order but resounding beauty. There is no obvious line up the route, but if you crane your neck back to see the upper wall, you can piece together options. Our hats go off to Anderson and house. If you have not stood below the face and seen what they had climbed in person, it is really hard to gather from photos the severity of their route. They obviously have superior mental strength to hold it together for so long in such a threatening route.
 
We have had a lot of good luck since moving base camp. We established camp 1 on the Messner (our acclimatization route), the day after arriving. It is 1300 meters above base camp, all of the climb on terrible scree. We have made 4 trips to it now and have slept 2 nights there, pushing up to 5200 meters yesterday before being held back by terrible snowfall.
 
We now have to wait for better weather.
 
Wish us luck!

Nanga Parbat Rupal Face - Dispatch 2, Camp 1

On August 8th we finally made base camp in beautiful Kap meadow. On our way here, around the Bazhin glacier, we saw the Rupal face for the first time. It's amazing, so large, with no order but resounding beauty. If you crane your neck back to see the upper wall, you can piece together options. Our hats go off to Anderson and house. I f you have not stood below the face and seen what they had climbed in person, it is really hard to gather from photos the severity of their route. They obviously have superior mental strength to hold it together for so long in such a threatening route.

 

We have had a lot of good luck since moving base camp. We established camp 1 on the Messner (our acclimatization route), the day after arriving. It is 13,000 meters above base camp, all of the climb on terrible scree. We have made 4 trips to it now and have slept 2 nights there, pushing up to 52,000 meters yesterday before being held back by terrible snowfall.

 

We now have to wait for better weather.

 

Wish us luck!

Nanga Parbat - Rupal Face. Dispatch 1, Base Camp?

On August 5th, only 3 days after arriving in Islamabad, we trekked into Herligkoffer base camp which was the same launching spot as Humar had for the Rupal face. Our cook staff, also some of the same as Humar had, said it was only a half hour easy glacier crossing to reach the start of the Messner, our intended acclimatisation route.

7 hours of trying later, we realised that the glacier crossing was not possible without a ladder or 2 and a lot of fixed rope. This is amazing, given that our cook staff were here only 2 weeks ago with a trekking group, and managed to cross it easily.

When we returned after trying, we brought our cooks up onto the glacier, and they were amazed at the considerable change. More than a week of rain has changed the glacier significantly. This glacier was so easy to cross in 2005 that Humar used mules to transport gear and food to our intended ABC. It is now impassable.

We called for extra porters this evening as we must move our base camp further south, about 4 to 5 hours away to another grassy meadow, also 3500m. We pooled our money, unsure of what we will do when we need to return to get on the face proper in 1 month time.

I guess we will take it day by day. This starts the adventure again. We hope for better progres this week.

On a very sad note we heard by word of mouth, that there has been a huge accident on K2. We have friends there and hope that this rumour is false.

Wish us luck and happy climbing until our next update.