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Check out the previous story from Sergey Bogomolov: Ama Dablam (6856 m)-1994 8047m-Broad Peak Sports autobiography of Sergey Bogomolov

Author: Sergey Bogomolov, Saratov
Translated by Anna Samodelko, Moscow
Photo from sites www.mountain.kz, č http://www.russianclimb.com

 

 

 

8125m-Nanga-Parbat
In the steps of the International Kazakh Expedition “Karakorum-2003”

Dedicated to the memory of Michail Turkevich-
remarkable alpinist, friend and companion.

When I learned that the main task of the project was to climb the three eight thousand meters mountains I was overpowered by the spirit of desire to take part at this project at any price.

Since the end of the autumn I got the invitation to participate the festivities dedicated the Gold fiftieth Anniversary of the first climbing Everest in Katmandu. I wanted not only to take part in this event at the end of May but to climb in the Himalayas too.

But it came to nothing. Instead of touring in Himalayas I tried my hardest to organize the International Kazakh Expedition “Karakorum-2003” and to solve the same task. And I have got friendly relations with Kazakh alpinists for more than ten years.

Briefly about myself:

1971 Began climbing in alpinist camp “Talgar”. This camp was demolished by avalanche in 1979.

1983 Climbed Peak “Lenina” within the International alpinist camp “Pamir-83”. Rescue works at 6900m.

1990 Climbed Peak “Pobeda” in winter.

2001 Climbed “Hidden” and “Gasherbrum” leaded by Ilyinskiy.

Thus I got all necessary support from the sponsors and the International Kazakh Expedition “Karakorum-2003” started.

Below you can find the technical Data of the Expedition.

27.05.03 we flew by “Il-18” from Alma-Ata.

01.06.03 we arrived to the Base Camp near Nanga-Parbat. The Diamir Wall is from the west side. The trekking was short but steep. We climbed the altitude from 1000m to 4200m for 4 days. There were only two expeditions that time: Italian and ours. Also this year was the fiftieth Anniversary of the first climbing Nanga-Parbat too by German Bulle.

The Diamir Wall impressed us by the overfall and steepness. Not without a reason it was called “The Mountain- Killer”. But as people said “You never know what you can do till you try”. We divided into two groups on the time basis.

The first group: Zhumaev, Urubko, Pivcov, Chumakov.

The second group: Raspopov, Lavrov, Bogomolov, Molgachev, Litvinov.

We couldn’t install the Camp II by both groups. When we reached the dam it turned out the sharp ridge. There was a rock wall ahead but we had no any forces. And so we left ropes and a tent and had to descend.

We met our west partners Lafaille, Visturs and Moro. They followed us.

We installed the Camp III at 6500m and were living there for two days. We leaned that the Italians failed and returned to their base camp because of the bad weather. We changed our plans. Ilyinskiy suggested Moro to climb another variant of the route. We could look over a logical safe route a bit left. At the altitude 6750m it jointed to our original one.

The third way up was planned as a work day and the summit day as well. The weather was getting worse. And the route appeared so long that we had to bind all cords we had and to borrow the rope from the Italian team.

The first group solved the main task. They installed the ropes up to the end and beat out a path.

They based the Camp IV at 7400. And the second group was getting it for whole day.

17.07.03 at 00.17 the first group left for the final push. It was too early and it was terrible cold. It would have been better if they had started climbing a little later and had done this part of the route in the daylight. But anyway early this morning they reached the summit. Then they descended to the Camp IV and they got enough forces to come down to the Camp III (6500m).

On the 17^th of July at 00.00 I and the other guys from the second group came towards them. There was a lot of fresh snow so it was hard to move. At last we met the first group and continued climbing.

Finally on the 18^th of July at 14.00 we summited one by one. I spread the flag, took some photographs and started descending. We felt hungry and thirsty and sometimes had hallucinations. On the 18^th of July we appeared in the Base camp towards evening.

J-k Lafaille, www.jclafaille.com

Simone Moro

We were nearly the base camp when we met Moro, Lafaille and Visturs. They were going to make the resolute spurt. Lately I learned that Lafaille and Visturs summited but Moro felt sick, descended from 6750m and stayed to make another attempt. But the weather went so bad and he couldn’t do it.

We were met hearty in the Base Camp. After a supper seemed as a royal banquet I fell asleep like a top.

20.07.03 my friend Damir made the second attempt to climb with Inaki from Spanish and Gerlinde from Austria. Gerlinda was an experienced climber. She had got 5 eight thousand’ mountains. Instead of climbing farther without Damir when he failed to move the Italians didn’t give him up and helped him to returned the Base Camp.

23.07.03 we left the Base Camp covered by first snow this summer.