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Tomaz
Humar. Nanga Parbat 2005
News:
(10.08.2005)
new!
Fog obstructed helicopters
9.8.05 16:11 CET
As it was promised - as soon as the weather improved, 3 helicopters arrived to base camp. Two LAMA helicopters and a fuel carrier.
The face of the mountain was still covered by a thick cloud, and Tomaž reported that it is still snowing and he sees no signs of improvement. Six expedition members had about an hour to exchange information - to have a look at the photos of the wall taken by Aleš 2 days ago and to come to a conclusion " the rercue will be difficult, but is possible!" Preparations continued with the preparation of ropes and weights, analysis of day and night temperatures around Tomaž (from-5 to -7 degrees C), the type of clothes he is wearing (red colour), if he can use something to flag or signal the helicopters (he can with the red bivouac bag), if he speaks english (speaks well), if he's fit enough to hook himself on to the ropes (yes) and if he has the karabiners (yes) ...
Then followed the synchronization of frequencies, which was Tomaž's primary concern - communication is of vital importance in a rescue mission and we managed to adjust the stations so Tomaž could communicate with the pilots.
Tomaž notified us, at about 15:30, that there is a clearing just over his position, that he can see the ridge to the left of him, that it stopped snowing and that the wind is gone. The crew then ran towards the helicopters - a few last agreements of what signs to use were made - the most important one - thumbs up - meaning everything is O.K.
And then they took off - one by one in a five minutes gap .... the upper part of the mountain face was slowly opening up, though from the right side a new cloud covered the mountain. We could hear via our station that the pilots have made contact with Tomaž. But when the LAMAs reached Tomaž's altitude - we could only see them as small dots - the fog obstructed them.
They tried to approach the wall at about 6000m but have then decided to postpone the rescue to tomorrow, when the weather forecast promises clear skies. If the weather improves, we need to call the pilots at 04:30 so they can reach base camp by 05:00.
It's important that today's attempt proved the communication between Tomaž and the pilots can be established and is working, and that the experienced pilots could inspect the terrain and the location - so everything is ready for tomorrow's renewed attempt. Only the weather has to stay as it is - at the moment the whole face of the mountain is predominately visible.
Tomaž Humar is rescued!
10.8.05 06:12 CET
Two Pakistani army helicopters rescued Tomaž Humar from the Rupal wall in the early morning hours, where he had been trapped for six days. Tomaž is currently at base camp in care of doctor Anda. He is a bit frozen up but other than that he seems to be out of danger.
The rescue mission was outstanding. Tomaž was rescued with a rope on which he hung all the way to touch down at base camp. As Maja told us, doctor Anda examined him immediately after landing. Tomaž’s hands and legs have reddened, however, there seems to be nothing critical. He is able to walk and has decided to remain at base camp for a while. He feels he does not need to be admitted to the hospital in Islamabad.
After being trapped on a small shelf in the wall for six days with nothing more than a rope and an ice screw, Tomaž is exhausted, especially because he had no food in the last few days. All photos (number: 2) Source: humar.com
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Helicopter
LAMA sa315b
8.8.05 22:39 CET
 Why
not use the LAMA helicopter for Tomaz's rescue?
The helicopter has 1 motor of
extreme capability, it's vertical lift and release are superb. At
hovering (needed for Tomaz's rescue) a helicopter requires extreme
power, but due to LAMA's shape, the wind has practically no resistence.
The helicopter has enormous capabilities,
is latticed, the ratio of power agaist weight is excellent.
This type of helicopter is not
normally used for rescuing missions but for special tasks like forming
descends and working with burdens weighing up to 1000kg to an altitude
of 2500m.
As said previously, the helicopter
is not normally working in a rescuing capacity but it would be the
most suitable choice for this one-of-a-kind mountain rescue.
Moisture is freezing on Tomaz
8.8.05 21:36 CET
Tomaž shared some details with
Maja, of what it's like "up there. Another avalanche had just burried
him, so he had to dig his way out. He's not lying in a hole, as
presumed, but on a shelf, where he digs out some sort of a U-shaped
tunnel in which he then lies head-first, so he can react quicky,
if an avalanche starts sliding.
Then he uses his elbows to push
the snow away - left and right .. He's cold, and the moisture keeps
freezing on this body - for 2 days in a row his toes turned blue
and he tried massaging them with some cream and now yet another
night like that follows ...
An idea!!!
8.8.05 18:56 CET
Tomaz's appeal: Let's raise some money
for the paediatric clinic!
Dear Slovenians,
It's nice to hear you're writting
to me and my friends from base camp keep forwarding those messages
to me - many of you would like to help, to donate money.
I'm thankful for every warm thought,
and fist clenching. Yesterday, they read me an e-mail sent by a
little girl, who is praying for my safe retun from the mountain.
And I had an idea, as we are all united here as brothers and not
foes, therefore I hearby address this appeal to you, to finally
remove this sin from our chests and build the paediatric clinic.
My friends will open a transparent account, where all transactions
will be traced and visible, so we can see how much money we will
be able to raise, for our children's better future. Let's build
the clinic, let's open our hearts and hands, I'm glad we're are
all as one again - united. Thank you again for being with me with
heart and soul, it gives me confidence and the idea of being united
keeps me warm.
Another night awaits me. I'll
be freezing, and I haven't eaten in days ...
But let's do this and make it
happen - I'm already grateful for our children's better tomorrow.
Thank you.
by Tomaz Humar, mountaineer
At base camp
8.8.05 18:49
CET
It's still raining at base camp, on
Tomaž's altitude it's still snowing. He is worried if the helicopter
will have a compatible frequency and we're all hoping that tomorrow
the weather will improve and the helicopter will finally arrive.
Reinhold Messner
8.8.05 15:26 CET
Reinhold Messner said, that Tomaž
Humar is one of the best and toughest mountaineers and that he will
succeed, if the weather improves and that the idea of using a rope
for the rescue is definitely the right choice.
Tomaz thanks all taking part
8.8.05 13:22 CET
We have recieved a sound record
of Tomaž, thanking all taking part in this venture.
New pictures from under Nanga
Parbat
8.8.05 13:15 CET
Because of the weather is getting better
hope remains. Getting food to Tomaž would be something we all
wish for.
And Slovene weather forecast...
8.8.05 12:23 CET
The forecast seems to be better:
Judging by the satellite, the
broad span of humidity will be moving away from Nanga Parbat by
tomorrow. After that it seem the clouds are already gathering, but
between these two there might be a clearing of good weather conditions.
But more important - tomorrow
the possibility of a really good weather is very high, especially
in the morning.
"Hang in there Tomaz!"
Jure (the weather man from Slovenia)
 Weather
forecast from Pakistan
8.8.05 12:22 CET
NP-Weather:
Weather is still Very Bad/Hard
due to Blowing Snow/Poor visibility/High Winds over NP, Expected
to improve on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday will be clear, But
Friday/Saturday again very Bad.
Weather and the satellite
pictures
8.8.05 11:25 CET
From the last satellite picture can
be seen that SouthWest from Nanga Parbat the clouds are clearing.
The clearing will probably reach the mountain in a couple of hours.
Weather bad in coming days
- we try to encourage Tomaz
8.8.05 10:23 CET
The weather above Nanga Parbat is still
cloudy, just above the valley we can se a patch of blue sky from
time to time. We heard from Tomaž two more times in the last
hours. We keep talking to him about what's new, how the rescue plan
is progressing and how people belive in the fact he will be rescued.
We heard from Tomaz!!!
8.8.05 08:16 CET
Tomaž told us he is very cold,
that he is wet and afraid of frostbite. Doctor Anda instructed him
to take some Aspirin and Adelat to try to move as much as possible
and melt some snow for some warm liquid. We think he had to dig
to keep his bivouac clean all night because it was snowing very
hard. In the morning we presume, he then fell asleep. We read him
the e-mails of his brothers and told him about the updates on the
rescue. We are still hoping for some good weather today.
Tomaz hasn't called us yet...
8.8.05 07:55 CET
Tomaz only has 4 batteries left - his
last - therefore we haven't heard from him since 10.p.m yesterday.
We read him some encouraging E-mails, all telling him to hang in
there.
It has been raining all night
in the base camp and snowing above 5000 meters. Because of the cloud
we can only see the foothill of the mountain, above that, only fog.
Today the helicopter can't get of the ground - the weather is just
too bad.
From time to tome we try calling
Tomaž - with his old batteries he can hear us, but we can't
hear him. We tell him he should stay warm and move as much as moving
is possible in a such little hole, he is in.
New SMS from basecamp
7.8.05 20:22 CET
In the last hours, hopeless weather.
Fog, snow showers, -5 degree Celsius, avalenches,...
Tomaz is fighting with snowdrifts. Hold on, hold on.
More picture of todays flight...
7.8.05 16:45 CET
More picture of todays flight...
Hoping for a stronger military
helicopter
7.8.05 15:17 CET
At the altitude he is currently at is
-5 degrees Celzium. The night was very cold too and the humidity
is, as always, very high, so he didn't dry all his chlothes yet.
We were all excided about the flight of the helicopter to 6000 meters.
Meanwhile Nazir Sabir and contacts in Slovenia organised a helicopter
Alluet ALT-III. We knew this helicopter can probably not high this
high, but the hope remained.
At six in the morning the helicopter
flew to the base camp. The pilot was aware that the time is short,
because the weather will get bad veray fast - Aleš went with
the pilot just in case they could throw him a rope. In the camp
we even prepeared some bags of food, in case the pilot and Aleš
could fly close anough to throw them to Tomaž.
Sadly the weather around Nanga
gets really bad really quickly, the wind started to blow and the
clouds started to gather. But hope remains, Nuša (Slovenia),
told us the Pakistan army has been extremly helpfull and have offered
a stronger helicopter, so if the weather will hold... The weather
forecast says it is going to be bad for three days, so Tomaž
started saving with his energy and bateries. Most of the time we
are just reading to him all beutiful thoughts and prayers you have
sent him.
New from Slovenia
7.8.05 15:04 CET
Nusa:
Info is for the local helicopter pilot that will do the rescue:
Tomaz has a VHF station, currently set at the frequency 149.100
Mhz. But only FM, from 136-174Mhz FM, not AM.
He can change it to any other frequency if so requested by the pilot.
Please treat this info purely as HELP/ADVISE FOR THE RESCUE OPERATION.
Thank you.
 Rescuing
attempt
7.8.05 12:03 CET
The pilot picked up Aleš Koželj
in the camp this morning. Together they flew over the face and photographed
and even filmed the situation and made a great contribution to the
possibility of forming a plan for Tomaž's rescue.
The pilot flew over the altitude
of 6100 meters, so risking his own life and the helicopter (Alouette)
to help our mountaineer Tomaž Humar. When he and Aleš
returned to the base camp they told it would be better if they had
a stronger helicopter to their disposal. They have seen where Tomaž
is trapped and have made the estimation, that Tomaž, because
he is on a snow ridge and so above the face, could be rescued with
a rope, thrown to him from a helicopter, which Tomaž would
tie around himself and be pulled out of the wall.
They tried to lift up again so
they could deliver some food to Tomaž, but the strong winds
around Nanga Parbat and the bad weather that started again had prevented
them from doing so
SMS from the base camp
7.8.05 07:53 CET
Helicopter that landed near the base
camp yesterday, that is meant to observe the situation in the mountain
and perhaps deliver Tomaž some food, flew over the mountain
today.
First time it had to turn back,
because it had to refuel, second time it the weather was already
getting worse - the wind arounnd Nanga Parbat are incredibly strong.
Now once again a cloud form right at the spot where Tomaž is
waiting.
They will try again as soon as
the weather gets good enough for the helicopter to fly again.
Helicopter for observation
6.8.05 18:17 CET
Before an hour helicopter landed in
Astro. It is supposed to ebserve the situation on the mountain.
It will fly tomorrow morning.
Tomaz would again like to thank
everyone thinking of him and helping him.
Helicopter
6.8.05 14:35 CET
The latest - Eurocopter (Philip Messina)
calling:
Ready to send the same helicopter
that landed on Mount Everest o My 14, 2005. Helicopter is curretntly
in the French Alps.
The news seems to be good, but
lets wait for the detailes.
 Can
you help Tomaz
6.8.05 13:58 CET
Tomaz Humar's expedition to Nanga
Parbat would like to put a a plead for a helicopter team, which
would be prepared to take up the rescue Tomaž from the face.
Pictures of Tomaz's location
following shortly.
Thank you
There is hope
6.8.05 11:36 CET
In the morning when everybody
taking care of Tomaz's business here in Slovenia, have realised
how serious the situation really is, we contacted a Slovene pilot
and the owner of the Flycom company, Roman Bernard, that has a lot
of experience with rescuing from the face.
He helped us to get in touch
with the another helicopter manufacturer - Eurocopter - that successfuly
landed on Mount Everst on May 14, 2005. Eurocopter is already looking
for a awy to help.
Attempting an international
rescue
6.8.05 10:22 CET
Tomaz has been trapped in the mountain
since Wednesday - he is in a labyrinth of seracs and mushroom-shaped-snow
(snow blown up to mushroom-shaped form) at the altitude of approximately
5900. The situation got dangerous because of the snow fallen yesterday,
for the second day the snow in the face has been sliding strong
– large snow slides erupting all around Tomaž – he is incredibly
lucky to be stuck on the snow ridge, that is just the right height,
so the snow slides don’t reach it. Because of the conditions descent
to any side of the ridge would be same as suicide. So Tomaž
yesterday asked for helicopter rescue. The rescue is fairly difficult
due to the fact that the face is very steep. The plan was Tomaž
will be rescued by a rope thrown to him from the helicopter. But
the rescue didn’t go trough, no matter how hard Nazir Sabir and
the expeditions members in the base camp tried to find a pilot to
fly the helicopter.
The current situation:
In Pakistan Nazir Sabir is trying to persuade and start the rescue,
meanwhile Viki Grošelj is searching for someone in Slovenia.
They are both trying to find a flight crew. At this moment things
started moving in some parts of Asia, but there is talk of getting
someone from Europe. About the rescue both political sides have
been notified.
SMS from the base camp
6.8.05 05:46 CET
The members of the expedition in the
base camp are trying anything possible to get Tomaž of that
mountain.
They have been on phones all
night to find any kind of help. The snow keeps sliding. At the moment
the skies are clear, but Tomaž tells them there is a lot of
new-fallen snow. They are still hoping for a helicopter.
Nazir Sabir and the rest of the
members have been trying really hard, let's just hope not in vain.
 Just
the beginning of rescue
5.8.05 21:45 CET
On both sides, only a meter or two below
him snow is sliding constantly.
The other members of the expedition
is trying to get some kind of help, or someone that could, with
the help of a helicopter rescue Tomaz. With the help of
Nazir Sabir they are trying to find a way to get Tomaž
of that mountain.
The weather is momentarily stable,
but the new-fallen snow can start sliding any moment.
Tomaz down to 5900 meters
- helicopter rescue tomorrow
5.8.05 17:47 CET
Tomaz decided to climb a little bit
lower and when he heard the weather forecast for tomorrow; he decided
to call for help. All around him the snow is sliding and at the
moment he is safely on a ridge, but...
Tomorrow the weather is supposed
to be stabile, but after that, till Tuesday, it's should be horrible
- snow, fog and strong winds. Because of the freshly fallen snow
and avalanches it will be impossible to descend tomorrow. In the
morning a helicopter will land (hopefully early in the morning -
we don't have a confirmation yet) in the base and then Aleš
will go with them. When they will reach the altitude, where Tomaž
is right now, they will throw him a rope and lift him off the mountain.
Right now we are getting everything
ready for tomorrow, so more detailed news will follow.
 Rescue
from the face is not possible
5.8.05 13:17 CET
Till now we haven't said anything
about the possibility of Tomaz's rescue from the face. But now we
feel obliged to give some answer to numerous questions about this
coming from Tomaž's country Slovenia.
Rescue from the middle part of
the Rupal face is impossible. What Tomaž has already stated
before he left on this expedition. And that is what makes mountaineering
special. Undamaged nature - virgin walls and routes - which stay
virgin due to their inaccessibility. If it would be so easy to get
rescued someone would try to climb this route before. All mountaineers
that decide to do such a feat know there might be no way back. They
know only one that can help them are themselves and "Him".
Even though Tomaž tried
to avoid it, the expedition had to pay 6.000 dollars just in case
if Tomaž was going to need rescuing with a helicopter. The
fee had to be paid, even though the contract clearly states the
helicopter rescues only to the altitude of 5.000 meters, or maybe
5.500. And above this Pakistan doesn't even have pilots that would
be trained to rescue from the wall - or a mountain rescue service
for that matter - but have to land the helicopter - which won't
realy help Tomaž even if he would be in the altitude boundaries.
At this moment Tomaz is still
waiting for the weather to improve. It is still snowing and the
danger of snow slides is incredibly high. The new maneuver Tomaž
has thought up will probably enable him to climb out of that mess,
but the weather has to get better to make it work. Tomaž is
running short of food, but claims he can stay in the mountain for
a week. His voice is still full of will.
The weather disastrous, but
encouragments are getting many
5.8.05 09:49 CET
Nanga hasn't seen such bad weather in
a long, long time. Tomaz hasn't spoken to us in an hour and we presume
he "switched" as only he can - with some special techniques of him,
he can slow down the beating of his hard, calm his breathing and
puts all the energy of his body into the center of it.
Meanwhile, back in camp Anda,
Aleš and Maja are reading e-mail, selecting those that might
be special to Tomaž. And checking weather reports - when they
opened one from the US they didn't find any numbers and forecasts
in it but a message that said:
"This is a poem that helped us
in a dark hour on an expedition. Hope it's not too long. Our best
to you all, you brave folks - team ExplorersWeb"
It's easy to fight when everything's
right,
And you're mad with the thrill and the glory;
It's easy to cheer when victory's near,
And wallow in fields that are gory.
It's a different song when everything's wrong,
When you're feeling infernally mortal;
When it's ten against one, and hope there is none,
Buck up, little soldier, and chortle:
Carry on! Carry on!
There isn't much punch in your blow.
You're glaring and staring and hitting out blind;
You're muddy and bloody, but never you mind.
Carry on! Carry on!
You haven't the ghost of a show.
It's looking like death, but while you've a breath,
Carry on, my son! Carry on!
And so in the strife of the battle
of life
It's easy to fight when you're winning;
It's easy to slave, and starve and be brave,
When the dawn of success is beginning.
But the man who can meet despair and defeat
With a cheer, there's the man of God's choosing;
The man who can fight to Heaven's own height
Is the man who can fight when he's losing.
Carry on! Carry on!
Things never were looming so black.
But show that you haven't a cowardly streak,
And though you're unlucky you never are weak.
Carry on! Carry on!
Brace up for another attack.
It's looking like hell, but -- you never can tell:
Carry on, old man! Carry on!
There are some who drift out
in the deserts of doubt,
And some who in brutishness wallow;
There are others, I know, who in piety go
Because of a Heaven to follow.
But to labour with zest, and to give of your best,
For the sweetness and joy of the giving;
To help folks along with a hand and a song;
Why, there's the real sunshine of living.
Carry on! Carry on!
Fight the good fight and true;
Believe in your mission, greet life with a cheer;
There's big work to do, and that's why you are here.
Carry on! Carry on!
Let the world be the better for you;
And at last when you die, let this be your cry:
Carry on, my soul! Carry on!
Still waiting for weather
to get better
5.8.05 08:21 CET
Tomaz is still waiting in an icy hole,
like it is not enough he had to stay in that hole for whole yesterday
afternoon and night, now it started snowing on him. Hope of progress
is being diminished by snow slides that are becoming more and more
often. The cloud is lifting, but if the sun would shine on the face,
the snow would slide from every possible direction.
Tomaz claims he could stay in
that spot for a week, if nothing else stubbornness would keep him
alive. He used his first gas bomb, he has two more, and his food
supplies are getting really low - some cookies, 2 soups, 5 cheeses
and a pack of prosciutto. Right now he is trying to sew back his
rucksack that got torn before two days. He’s got no sawing kit;
he’s doing it with a knife, very thin thread and his teeth.
Tomaz is wet and can not get
dry
5.8.05 08:13 CET
One of the greater problems a climber
has to face in this wall is humidity. Even the air is “wet” and
then snow was all over me told us Tomaz that was trying to dry his
clothes through the night. I’m sitting here on and in ice and I
am trying to dry my socks, whatever is not completely wet I put
on me and everything that is a bit more wet I put over the “dry”
clothes. Around 9 p.m. (yesterday) he even surprised us with a humorous
remark how he is drying his socks under his armpits and then taking
them out and blowing on them real hard.
He told us the previous day must
have been one of the worst in his life and would like to thank all
of you who sent him words of support.
Only for information Tomaz gets
approx 1000 e-mails a day, Maja, Aleš and Anda in the base
camp are reading them all and select those which they think might
strengthen Tomaž the most. The rest of them he will read by
himself in a couple of days.
The night was bad and it's
starting to snow
5.8.05 08:10 CET
At 6 a.m. (Pakistan time) Tomaz notified
base that the night was pretty bad - it was cold and he is soaked
and everything around him is wet. And he is in fog now. He is talking
very quietly and doesn’t want to say where he might go. In the face,
exactly above Tomaž a clod has formed and it is getting thicker.
After 20 minutes Tomaz tells
us it’s snowing, that he is stuck and all around him snow is sliding.
His only plan for today is to re-try the scenario from yesterday,
when he slipped three times and barely caught himself. He will try
to climb the “Čok” and hopefully than he will be able to climb
higher or at least find a bivouac.
Soaking wet, in pain and with
no idea where to go
4.8.05 13:38 CET
At this moment Tomaz doesn't know what
to do or where to seracs for a way out of the mess he is in.
Mushroom-shaped-snow doesn't
offer enough security to climb, because these forms are too fragile
to climb. And the seracs are covered in thin ice that doesn’t stick
to the surface. Tomaž told us the situation is “desperate”,
but he hopes for the better. He has checked every possible way out
of there, but now sees no other option than he climbs down to the
ridge and tries to avoid this labyrinth. He is counting on the fact
there might be a way out at the top. Tomaž has some pictures
of the wall with him, but the circumstances in the face are a whole
lot different now, than they were two years ago.
Tomaž is resting on the
top of the same mushroom-shaped snow from he was on yesterday; hoping
tomorrow will bring better results. At some point when the sun shone
on the face, there was a shower of stones that rained all over Tomaž
one of them hurt his arm and the other fell on his neck, so he could
hardly breath. He is soaked, he is cold and everything hurts.
After 2,5 hours - back in
the bivouac
4.8.05 08:38 CET
...but because of the loose snow and
softened ice Tomaž could not find any support for climbing.
He managed to climb to the abrasion right next to him (approx. 100
meters), but he gave up his attempt. "It's impassable!" he jelled
into the radio. Judging by his voice he is highly strung. The radio
went quiet for half an hour. Now he is back at the hole where he
bivouacked - still caught in the labyrinth.
 Tomaz
is caught in a labyrinth of ice
4.8.05 06:46 CET
At this time the sky is clear, but the
weather report i not very promising. the humidity is supposed to
be as high as 95, or even 99 percent. But we hope the weather report,
as it happened many times before, wouldn\'t hold true.
Tomaž said he managed to
keep warm trough the night. Aleš has been watching the face
since 5 a.m. (Pakistan time). Since Tomaž bivouacked in fog
yesterday we couldn\'t determine his location from the base camp,
but it is sure he is somewhere in the middle of ice overhanging.
He can not move up, he can not
move down, not to the right, his only chances are, if he tried to
go to the left. Because he is so high, 6400 meters, it is hard to
follow his progress through the binoculars. The most important thing
right now is that Tomaž manages to find a way out of this labyrinth
of ice.
Somewhere at 6400
3.8.05 16:17 CET
We got an SMS from the base camp Tomaž
has finally found some place to put up his bivouac. When he was
standing still, the ground sank beneath him and he fell into a hole.
Thankfully it was not too deep and big enough for Tomaž to
set up his bivouac. Tomaž can not orientate himself quite well
and is not quite sure where he is, but we all think he is somewhere
at 4600 meters.
Tomaz is leaving the base
camp
1.8.05 12:01 CET
It is about that time now. I is still
cloudy, the mountain is wraped into a thicker cloud than in the
morning and the wind started to blow.
Tomaz plans to reach the plateau
at the foothill of the face at the altitude of 4000 meters. There
he will set up the ABC . Stipe and Aleš will stay wit him untill
he enters the face.
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