Reduce, Reuse & Recycle! Crag Slippers

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Fridays!

Old running shoes are now my craving slippers

Looking for ways to clean out your closet this spring and perhaps this weekend? Wondering what to do with pesky old running shoes. For a few years now I have been cutting the backs off of my old running shoes when I cannot run in them anymore and use them as crag slippers. 

They are great for between burns in Rifle, or anywhere the approaches are short and not too steep. I use them to walk the dog in the morning, or when I have just forgotten something in the car. A great way to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Spring Alpinism

Me, Hallett's Chimney, a while ago, thanks Tom for the photo!

Spring always brings a bit of hope for me.

Long, warmer days generate a shift in desire from cold snow floating and long ski tours, to slow, methodic and often panic filled moments of alpine climbing.

Such a strange thing, let's be honest; powder skiing is the best fun you can have in the mountains. Hands down the best. Yup you read that right. I am yet to have a bad time floating on powder. How can you? It is somewhat magical, that simple.

Alpine climbing though, well, that is another story. The approach is hardly ever fun, nor close. The pack always weighs too much. It is freezing leaving the car and then you are sweating immediately. Wind, darkness, getting lost, and the constant wondering if the climb is in condition, if someone has beat you to it, etc. Who wants to do this?

Then you get to the climb and you have it all to yourself and now you might just actually have to climb it. It is cold and tools start to scratch around and crampons scrape and you wonder where the warm up climb, like in the gym, is. Too much gear clanking around, is it the right gear?, why do I even have so much gear (Josh Wharton never has this much in the photos I see of him)?, pack full of belay coat and extra gloves and other junk because the easiest way home is down the other side of the mountain. Does the gear hold in that iced up crack I kinda beat out, should I have used a longer sling, a shorter sling? Is my partner paying attention? Is he stoned again ( I live in Colorado).

Me, Alexander's Chimney, a while ago, thanks Brian for the photo

Then suddenly you are in the swing of things, your mind clears because you have no choice. It must. You must go up and you must apply all of your earned skill and knowledge so that you get the most of the experience. You squeeze every bit of doubt and suffering out of your mind because you packed your bag, you walked the long approach, you put yourself in this position. That, I think, is the beauty of climbing, it mimics the uncertainty of the world, the chaos, the fear and doubt; but you control the only aspect of it that you can - you put yourself there. You chose to do it.

It is rare, but those times that you are pushing your limit and everything is going well and you have completely zoned out all the negatives and self doubt make alpine climbing so much fun. Those are alpinism's powder days. Trust me, they are few and far between, interspersed with hard days that make you reflect on your choices of sport, but when they come they are so sweet.

After a bit of time off (you know if you don't count the trips to Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Alaska, Nepal and all of the days working in Colorado the past year) to get rid of some nagging injuries, I am very excited  for this spring!

Thanks very much for the continued support from SCARPA and CAMP and the new support from RAB (who make some really kick ass alpine climbing clothes, sleeping bags and Tents - remember Integral Designs!!!) I hope to bring you some fun photos and trip reports soon!

Lobuche & Cholatse Oct 12: Kathmandu Again!

Saddhus at Pashupatinath

Packing has become my least favorite thing in the world to do. I seem to leave it until the last minute every trip these days. Too many things to choose from probably making it way too difficult!

Departing Denver, when you have 4 pairs of Scarpa shoes, a variety of Marmot down, 3 Pairs of CASSIN tools and and a new Reactor stove, it takes this many bags to get here. 

In the Kathmandu airport yesterday a man was wandering around through the visa line, not Nepali but Belgium. He was looking for the girl standing in front of me in the two hour long line. He had arrived a few days before and just walked into the airport, past security, past baggage claim and past the desk where you get your visa. He wandered around calling out her name in the hall filled with over two full flights that arrived at the same time. They reunited, hugged - I thought sex was not out of the question right then and there they way they gyrated with excitement - and then he headed past the visa desk and down the stairs. That is how you know you are back in Kathmandu, anything goes really. She waited patiently with the rest of us, got her visa and bags and everybody flooded out onto the streets to go their own way. A sea of confusion all with a purpose.

A view from the visa line, on a much much quieter day.

I have done the same thing to pick up clients before, rules in Kathmandu are for personal interpretation it seems.

I went out to run errands, saw the barbers I have been using for over 15 years, saw staff at my favorite coffee shop, saw the same shop keepers that have known me for so long and then stood at the "four corners of the world" - close to the general market a few meters form the Kathmandu Guest House. I have a theory that if you stand there for a short time you will bump into people you know. Sure enough, less then ten minutes passed and Ivan Vallejo walked up to say "hi". From Ecuador he finished off all 14 a few years ago, and we climbed together around the turn of the century, we were the "rabbits" on K2 in 2000, trying for a speed ascent. We bump into each other in seemingly the most random places, Kahiltna Glacier this spring, Kathmandu, etc. But there is rhyme and reason to the transmigration of alpinists globally. Sept/Oct is to Nepal for everyone.

Thamel, just a few steps from the "four corners of the universe"

Thamel is busy, very busy, reminds me of the late 1990s busy. Ivan told me he and some Peruvians had been to a new dance club that I had to see, I would not believe it was Kathmandu any more. Gone are the days of Tom and Jerry's and Maya Cocktail bar. Change is good, this town could use a shake up. The streets are still getting widened - the government decided 40 years ago to make the streets wider to accommodate the increase in cars, and then last summer finally got around to demolishing anything that crossed the demarcation set at that time. It is causing heartache, and a bunch of traffic jams. A "5 year project" probably more like a 20 year project.

Some of my favorite people, Matt and Dee - I was his best man at their wedding a few years ago, are in town, they just returned from a Chora of Kailash, so much for all the rumors of Tibet being closed. Roger arrives this afternoon and hopefully the adventure to Lukla starts early tomorrow morning. We are off to climb Lobuche East and then Cholatse. More fun in the Khumbu!!! Time to run around Kathmandu finishing off all the food shopping!

Statue in the garden of the hotel

Boudhanath

Rock guiding and winter dreams

Elizabeth learning to Rock climb

Me mixed climbing in Colorado last spring

Rock guiding is going well here is Estes, I have been pretty busy as of late. I am grateful that temps are starting to cool off as heat is not my thing. This past weekend I made the mistake of watching "Art of Flight" - the beautiful snowboard movie - and basically now I cannot wait to be on snow and ice! Not long now, well a few months of work and play in Nepal away...more on that in a bit!

Me coming off the Midi in Chamonix last winter

AK to RMNP: A bunch of fun!

Life in a snow cave, about to approach a climb at Kahiltna BC

Me with the Moonflower Buttress behind, too warm to climb?

An early morning start in Alaska, about 3:30am

Nice warm rock climbing in RMNP

Barefoot on warm rock, a nice change from cold feet and ski/alpine boots!

 

 

See my facebook page for more photos and updates.

Actual fun!

Mulling over plans for the rest of the year, looks like I will return to the Baltoro, anybody up for a summer of sun and fun on Broad Peak?

And then after guiding in Nepal for the early autumn season a return to Nupstse, once I finishing funding everything that is...in case you missed this article on CAMP USA's blog last year here it is again...
http://www.golightgofast.com/2012/02/savage-mountain.html#comments

Please remember frequent updates appear on my facebook athlete page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabrizio-Zangrilli-Climbing/235205046492925

Photo of K2 at night from base camp by Dave Ohlson of Ursus Films

Cholatse North Face

This spring after guiding I waited around for reasonable conditions to attempt to solo the North Face of Cholatse 6440 Meters in the Khumbu Valley of Nepal. Conditions never came, I reached the "1/3rd" snow band - the same height Steck/Wilkinson reached a week prior to my attempt. I will be back. For more photos and info please see my Facebook athlete page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fabrizio-Zangrilli-Climbing/235205046492925
As Always thanks so much to Marmot, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Ames Adventure Outfitters and CHUCS for the continued support! 

Managed to find some very fun mixed climbing near Cholatse. I am back in Namche for a day for a break and then back at it. Let's hope the snow cycle stops and allows for some stuff to get done! 

Khumbu Again

It is that time of year again, back in the Khumbu guiding Lobuche and Cholatse.

Photo of Ralf, Gerlinde, Me and David in Lukla after flying into the Khumbu, and randomly bumping into each other yesterday. That it the beauty of the Khumbu, today in Namche I bumped into some American friends headed to the West Ridge of Everest and some Czech friends going to Lhotse.
Read more about Ralf and Gerlinde in this month's National Geographic!
Made it to Namche today, and heading off to Tengboche tomorrow and then to Lobuche & Cholatse.

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.

• 

  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!!!!!!!!!

North Side going for it tonight?

Update 22/08/11: From Gerlinde's website it says they want to fix some rope today above C4, then try on Tuesday for the summit....good luck to them up there, I hope they find good conditions!!! They are strong as anything!!!!!!!

Well, I am not sure, I dont have direct contact with them, but Explorersweb.com and National Geographic's websites say that Max, Vasily, Darek and Gerlinde are all in camp 4 at 8000 meters on the north side of K2 as of this afternoon, so they just might be up and cooking as I write this - it is just about midnight Kathmandu time, (they are about an hour behind). I really hope they get the conditions and are up to the summit tomorrow, and back down safely. I want it so much for them.

Funny to be sitting here reading about it all and not be up there. Now I know how all my friends feel, time and time again each year.

Good luck up there, I wish you all the best!!!!!!!!!!!

Kathmandu!!!!

So nice to be back in Kathmandu - pizza, beer, ice cream and rain! The rain is good too because it is not so hot. Off to see my very good friends at Cho Oyu Trekking to discuss plans for the next season of guiding as well as Everest for next spring with clients....more on this later.

I have spent so much time in Kathmandu over the past 15 years that it does feel like a relief to be back here. Karachi was too hectic and hot, Islamabad was at least a great dinner at Kabul Restaurant - with a ton of grilled meat, but overall it is nice to be back here. Having said all of that, I hope to be able to spend some time in Europe or North America in the coming weeks before things kick off at the end of September for me in the Khumbu.

Thanks so much to everyone who wrote nice emails and messages via my athlete page on facebook during the K2 expedition. I was sad to read on exweb about the guys on the north side having trouble with snow and avalanches the past few days, I really hope they can go to the top and down safely!!!

K2 2011: Off the Baltoro

Out from the Baltoro and infact in Islamabad already. I took a trip up to camp2 and conditions had really gone south with the heat the few days after the summit attempt, hard ice and unconsolidated snow with a bit of rockfall to spice it all up. The conditions on the Basque route reminded me of the descent from the second summit push last year, very dangerous. Upon comparing metoexploration.com and Dr. Karl Gabl's forecast it looked best to just call it quits. I am happy to be off the glacier.

We trekked out in 3 days, then one internetless night in Skardu and a cancelled flight later we started the 2 day drive to ISB. Flights tonight get us out of the country very very quickly!!! On the other side of the mountain it is reported that our friends are heading up again. I wish them all the best and hope they are able to summit!!!!!!!

Thanks so much to my partner Kinga, Mr. Ali and Suckawhat - our base camp staff and Ghulam from Blue Sky Treks and Tours who really put on a first class show for us!!!!!!! In the end we are healthy and happy because of them.

Photos form the trip to follow.......

Now it is time to answer emails from clients about guiding the Autumn in Nepal and Everest guiding next spring....oh yeah and plan next year's return!