|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Mountain photos - amateur
and professional photos of mountains.
|
Date update: 1.08.2006 Denis Savel'ev reports. "We finally descended" "After two days of bad weather we managed to summit the Wall and exhausted and drowned like rat we finally descended to our "native" camping. Unfortunately, we did not climb the entire "Baltic" route as could not find an exit after the hanging bastion. Due to this we made the decision to continue on the Norwegian route. We are not very tragic about that :) In the result, the logical line of more than 40 pitches is opened: 1200n, 6b +, À3. All our epopee lasted ten days and ten nights". And a little more details about the climb.
Pavel Fedorov:
The summit access presented continuous traverses.
For our ten day round wall trip only a retrieving rope left safe. The others were made of 2-3 knots in places of torn
braiding. In the evening all the camping met us with a hurricane of applause. It appears all the ten days they steadfastly watched us and even placed their bets. In general, we appeared in the center of attention! Even we were treated with pancakes baked to our returning. There were a lot of messages on reception with kind wishes even from the guys from Saint Petersburg. And now we are waiting for a planned small banquet (a base-jumper that had shot us on the wall during his jump promised to come) and rest and once again rest!" All photos (number: 14) |
TrallWall-2006. Summit!
29.07.06 |
|
Alexandra Malysheva and Evgeny Zazulin won European Youth Cup and became the new champions of Europe! On July 22./23 2006 European Youth Cup took place in Gdansk, Poland. Alexandra Malysheva (SPb, coach V.Kaurov, group " A") and Evgeny Zazulin (Kaliningrad, coaches Irina Chertova and Alexey Chertov, group " B") won the gold medals in their age groups! Ivan Kaurov (SPb, coach V.Kaurov, "Juniors ") and Dinara Fakhrutdinova (group "B") - are the second.
Juniors: Alexey Shchervyanin and Oleg Smirnov - the 10th and 12th, accordingly.
Group "A": Lyuba Shagina, Ksenia Polekhina - 5th and 7th.
Group "B": Julia Miroshnichenko, Nastya Ermolaeva and Olya sadovnikova - 14th, 18th and 19th. |
Arco Rock Legends: The Climbing Oscars at Arco The first edition of the ARCO ROCK LEGENDS will be held in the Italian town of Arco, Trentino on Friday 1 September on the eve of the XX Rock Master. This is composed of the SALEWA ROCK AWARD and the LA SPORTIVA COMPETITION AWARD for the best climber outdoors and the best competition climber, chosen by a international jury comprised of some of the most important climbing magazines worldwide. The XX Rock Master in Arco holds a great novelty in store. A novelty concentrated entirely on rock climbing which involves the strongest climbers in the world gathering in Arco, the small Italian town close to Lake Garda, on Friday 1 September. A special evening awards ceremony will celebrate the first ever ARCO ROCK LEGENDS - a new and completely unique international event during which the SALEWA ROCK AWARD will be presented to the climber who has distinguished him/herself most at the crag (ie on rock), both for the results obtained, the style and how he/she has influenced the sports climbing movement. But this isn't all: to reconfirm Arco's position as the crucible of modern sports climbing, both outdoors and in competitions indoors, the LA SPORTIVA COMPETITION AWARD will be assigned to be best athlete of the 2004/2005 competition season. The special ceremony will be a true and proper event promoted by the Arco Rock Legends Association, in collaboration with the Arco Town Council, the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Rock Master Association and the companies La Sportiva and Salewa. Giuseppe Filippi, president of the newly formed association explains the aims as "promoting sports climbing by rewarding and presenting to the public those main players who have played an influential role in the development of this beautiful sport which has always been one of the symbols of Arco." It really can be said: this will be the sports climbing equivalent of the Oscars. Even the more so if one considers that the Jury is comprised of some of the most important climbing magazines in the world. This exceptional and unheard of pool of 14 different magazines represents the very best which the vertical press can offer. Starting with the American Climbing magazine, and moving on to the new European magazine Vertical, including Italian Pareti, Alp and Alp Wall, German Klettern, Korean Climber, Spanish Desnivel, Polish Gory, French Grimpeur, Dutch Limits, Montana from the Czech Republic and, last but not least, the historical Italian Rivista del CAI and Lo Scarpone. The international Jury has just finished the first round of nominations to elect the five candidates for the SALEWA ROCK AWARD and the three athletes for the LA SPORTIVA COMPETITION AWARD. Just like in the real cinema Oscars, all candidates will be present at Arco for the international Jury verdict which will decide the winners. This will happen on Friday 1 September during a gala evening celebration on the eve of the XX Rock Master. As if to say that at Arco, the world's climbing capital, there will be three splendid days of true spectacle, naturally well beyond the vertical! |
TrollWall 2006 expedition "Hope to summit tomorrow " "Today we have fought out bravely a downpour and a lot of flashes of lightning. Got out the Norwegian route because missed the turn to the "Baltic".
There are another 200 meters to climb. |
Date update: 31.07.2006 Sergey Bogomolov K2 expedition news 22.07.06 Saturday. A day of rest and getting in ABC (it takes 3 hours). Under the forecast since yesterday the weather window for 5-6 days opened. And cook Alyam whispered that it would continue already up to July 29. Gia, Yatsek from Poland and I are going to summit. 23.07.06 Sunday. Our group and the team led by Uteshev (but without their doc Naumenko Sergey) reached C1. Having climbed up to ABC Sergey "became sad" and descended to BC. The Australian and the Scot went ahead raining stones all the time, in the result Kulbachenko has got wounded back of his hand. We met a group led by Foigt descending to BC to have a rest after setting C3 at 7400 and spending the night there. 24.07.06 Monday. Getting C2 (6700). Weather favors highly. This hot situation leaves from under the control. Mountain "fetches up" with stones. 7 climbers - the Italian, Canadian, Irish, high-altitude sherpas- descended pouring stones. Because of that Gia left downwards with our phone. And I remained. Really I am lost without a phone. Finally we four together appeared in C2 in one tent: Uteshev-Kuznetsov-Kulbachenko and I. 25.07.06 Tuesday. Getting in C3 (7400). Two Italians, husband and his wife, and a Swiss girl set off to C4 (7800). Yesterday 7 guys descended. Off the wall, really! Because they had left all together and were in identical conditions. But all of us have different moral courage, great or weak. Weather is divine. Too good to be true. I cannot believe I would see it again some odd at such altitude on this mountain. We climb together the American Charles and his high-altitude porter loaded up to the eyeballs. In result he hardly climbed and kicked the bucket. Was provided medical assistance at the scene (stiff doze of medicine and oxygen). 26.07.06 Wednesday. According to the plan - leaving depot in C4. The Swiss girl had to descend because she was broken down through the night cold. But the Italians are climbing upper set off at 2.00 at night. We, three together, Peter-Viktor and I climbed up to 7400 and left depot. Peter hardly saw a man above melted into the mist. We were waiting for an hour, but it was useless. Then we descended to C2. By the way, it is not enough snow and it sounds differently from the previous information given by already descended climbers. 27.07.06 Thursday. Descent to BC. Because of falling stones it was not a pleasure. And in ABC we met two Italians waiting for the married couple. They descended in 4 hours indeed. Yesterday, at 13.00, they summited the mountain. We congratulated them with all our heart. Now there is nobody on the mountain. But seeing our brave mood and our camps, it seems many climbers decided not to hurry up with departure and to make one more attempt to climb K2.
28.07.06 Friday. A day of rest in BC. Good rest for 4-5 days is just the thing for us. Only one question- what does the
weather send us? Yours faithfully, Sergey Bogomolov |
| (28.07.2006)
Ê2-Kuzbass 2006. Now wait for the weather window to make a summit push 28.07.06 Greetings to everybody! Yesterday our first group returned to base camp. For that acclimatization climb in conditions of really good weather they managed to spent the night at camp 3, and the next day on July 26 climbed up to 7800 m where left depot for setting C4. Yesterday it was a good time in base camp - the two Italians (a married couple) at 13-30 on July 26 summited K2. This was the first ascent the mountain this year, furthermore without supplementary oxygen. The Italian expedition of four climbers arrived to base camp 4 days previously directly from Nepal where they had climbed Dhaulagiri. All the expeditions staying under K2 are faced with the new problem: the huge quantity of living stones was naked after snow and ice melting. The terrain between 5700 - 6700 began to be extremely dangerous due to stone falls. "Old residents of the area" reckon this season is very warm and with a little snow. We will reconsider the schedule of working on the route and now wait for the weather window to make a summit push. |
Masherbrum. "Pakistan is the good country, but the native land uncontrollably beckons us to come back"
"We absolutely get nicely left, only Odintsov sends abusive letters. Like the real international heroes we are sitting here sober and nostalgic. Pakistan is the good country, but the native land uncontrollably beckons us to come back". Doc. |
We have found a ledge with some snow.
"Today is the seventh day on the wall. We are bothered constantly to hang and observe pleased base-jumpers whooshing past. The one thing warms the cockle of heart: we have found a ledge with some snow today" Denis Savel'ev |
Date update: 27.07.2006 Masherbrum. It is decided to call off the expedition. 19.07.06. After the latest in a series of works on the route and stiff reflections it is decided to call off the expedition. Principal cause - the objective danger of the route repeatedly increased after 4-day snowfalls. Weather is unsteady. After 2 last days of quite good sky, today overcast is again. It is raining from time to time. The forecast informs about possible improvement, but we do not set eyes on that. During last setting off we did not reached even the top camp, having decided that the life is not worth left gear and a bottle of cognac. It would be possible to wait (having prolonged permits and visas), but the probability of a successful ascent reduces every day, and the probability of traumas of team's members increases. Generally, we were as green as to imagine that we can shoot a gap of Masherbrum wall for complexity is equal to Jannu but for altitude and objective danger precedes it. Five years ago, on July, 19 2001 during an ascent on Latok-3 Igor Barikhin was lost. Remember him, the very good man. And the last: as a doctor, I think, that the overall objective of the expedition is attained: all of us are safe and sound. Michael Bakin. Alexander Ruchkin: Greetings Friends, As it is sad, having combined all pluses and minuses, we decided to throw it in. The wall did not admitted all our efforts to organize an assault camp died on feet due to bad weather and snowfall lasted for 4 days. The situation is very similar that one on Ê2. The half-meter - everything around is cowered with snow blanket and we hardly managed to find only a few ropes from 25 ones that we had fixed over hanging seracs up to the assault camp. And the not safe way on the ridge turned to Russian roulette after snowfall. Having played it a little we recollected the words of well-known trainer Ilyinsky, that the good climber is a live climber, and decided not to pull tiger's tail any more. We have lost the equipment given by the courtesy of our friends sponsors. We express them the special gratitude for their assistance in expedition's organization. And also to all our friends helped and followed us. 17.07.06. Weather has broken faith with. At night and in the morning it was snowing, overcast was low. Sometimes we could see the sun appeared through sky breaks. But the clouds formed a veil over the mountain from 5000m for 5 days. Yesterday, when the sun hardly warmed the slopes, constant avalanches were collapsing. Today, if weather becomes better after afternoon we will try to set off in the top camp to see how the situation stands there and to work further. Situation is enough difficult as we do not have a lot of time but have still a lot of work on the route.... M.Bakin. 15.07.06. It has been continuous snowing for three days. 13.07.06. Weather goes in full conformity with the forecast: fog, heavy snowing.
11.07.06. The team is in BC having a rest. Weather started to spoil today. Clouds are banking everything around. It rained. After two attempts we almost reached Masherbrum North face. About 500 meters of snow terrain remained. It is decided as soon as weather allows we will make a summit push. Oleg Khvostenko answers some questions we got by e-mail: · The Mountain, certainly, is severe. The most important thing is the
absence of safe approaches. It collapses down from everywhere. Therefore we chose
a route on the northern buttress. The main crux in the top part - the yellow
rocks, located higher 7000. There are some really abrupt sites.
We are in a good mood and of a good health too. Everything depends up only the
weather.
Oleg Khvostenko 10.07.06. ABC is pitched at 5800 meters. As it was already informed, the planned direct route to the corrie under the wall appeared very dangerous. The team decided to pass around from the right. The safe but much longer way took some days. And finally ABC was pitched at 5800 meters. The ascent on the wall starts right from the camp. Tomorrow in the morning the team plans to return in base camp and after some rest will already continue the ascent from ABC not descending in base camp. Weather while is good. Mike Bakin 8.07.2006. A two-man team Dmitrienko-Hvostenko sets off at night to finish fixing the assault camp on the ridge at about 5600-5700m where a safe approach to the wall is looked and where the team plan to make the summit push. 7.07.2006. Alexander Ruchkin informs: "We are fine and safe. Just returned from the first reconnaissance of the mountain. One may say it was first steps to the summit. We took a detached view and acclimatized before. But this time we understood that the mountain is not simple and do not want to let us climb for no particular reason. Masherbrum North face is unapproachable at present, in the narrow corrie avalanches constantly collapse and hanging ice seracs fall and block all the bottom of the wall. Therefore we decided to climb the less dangerous northern buttress splitting northeast and northwest walls. We wanted to set a safe assault camp on the ridge crest, but the mountain showed severe character, we were dug in vertical snow and a labyrinth of crevasses never really got the ridge this time. We climbed about 11 pitches, reached 5550mand descended further, failing in snow and crevasses to the safe cofferdam at 5400m. 06.07.06. Unexpected difficulties to set ABC cropped up. Actually there is not any suitable site for it. Today the guys climbed up to 5500, then descended to 5400 for organization spending the night. At night they plan to descend BC. 05.07.06. Actually we started our attempt to climb Masherbrum. The route directly in the corrie of the mountain through the throat is dangerous because of constant collapses of hanging glaciers. Therefore the more safe approach from the right along a rocky ridge is chosen. For today the team gained 800 meters of altitude and wanted to organize ABC. An avalanche-dangerous in the afternoon couloir is ahead. Next time we plan to set off at 2.00 am to safe run it and to work on the route maximum highly. Weather while is good. M.Bakin. 4.07.2006. Everything is all right in BC. Sunny day. Weather varies every day, sometimes several times a day. The forecast is unpredictable. 3.07.2006 Alexander Ruchkin informs:
Today in the morning we descended BC after acclimatization spending the night on the ridge at 6000 m instead of planned 6500 m. We rested against a lot of dangerous cornices. In our plans: rest in BC for couple of days. All photos (number: 3) |
Nanga Parbat . Jose Antonio Delgado's death
The Pakistan rescuers found Jose Antonio Delgado's body at 7100 meters (between C4 and C3) at approximately 11.30 am
Pakistani Time today. He managed to descend to the camp 4 at 7500m but was without food and water there and asked for help on Saturday 15th.
Nanga Parbat is the second, after Ê2, Pakistan "eight-thousander" first climbed in 1953 by the legendary German climber
Herman Bull after 31 climbers had failed their attempts there. |
| (24.07.2006)
Date update: 1.08.2006 Bogomolov K2-2006 expedition news 22.07 Gia, the Polander and I came in ABC I. 23.07 We and a group led by Uyeshev reached Camp 1. A group led by Foygt pitched camp 3, spent the night and descended to base camp today. Everything is OK. |
TrollWall 2006 expedition. "We keep climbing"
23.07.06 Today at the foot of the wall we saw a guy aiming to climb Swedish route.
24.07.06 We keep climbing. |
Adam Ondra: the fourth 8ñ + The 13-year Czech superkid, Adam Ondra, has sent his fourth 8ñ +, Ultimate Sacrifice in Gorges du Loup. Probably it is not worth taking the trouble to mention about three 8b more he onsighted at odd moments. 8a.nu Source: 8a.nu |
Serre Chevalier, France, 2006 Emily Harrington & Patxi USOBIAGA
On July 21/22 2006 the traditional "Master" took place in Serre Chevalier, France. Prize-winners:
Women
Men |
Date update: 1.08.2006 Masherbrum. "We are leaving base camp in the morning".
Hello, friends!
Of course, we would like to tell that Masherbrum cries
saying goodbye, but probably it does not cry, but cares not a snap for our climb. Well, tomorrow in the morning all of us will give a wave of our hands at parting... |
TsSKA Demchenko Alpinists Sport Club Expedition TrollWall 2006 "We are OK. After taking off we have climbed about 300 meters.
Today all the day long from the wall there roared a stone
thunder. Weather seems to be not bad". Denis Savel'ev |
| (19.07.2006)
Date update: 1.08.2006 Bogomolov. K2-2006 expedition. We are sitting in camp 1 (6000 meters). Five Russians, one Georgian and the Irish. The previous bad weather has torn off all tents except for three ones. In comparison the mountain is warmer, but more abrupt.
Everything is OK. |
Pogrebetsky peak North Face (6487 m, Central Tien-Shan) Expedition On July 15 new high-altitude expedition of a picked team of Krasnoyarsk region started. The aim is Pogrebetsky peak North Face (Central Tien-Shan, upper reaches of Southern Inylchek). The ascent is stated on Russian Championship of Russia, high-altitude -technical ascent class.
Nikolay Zaharov, the coach Krasnoyarsk team: We rested against this wall in 1988, the next year tried to climb it. By that time we already had had experience of opening new routes on north faces of Khan Tengri, Revolution, Moskovskaya Pravda Peaks and expected to get the summit in 6 - 7 days, but the business did not pan out.
The bottom half of the route presents snow, ice, terrain of altitude difference about 1000 meters. The team started on July, 15 from Krasnoyarsk planning to make training in Ala Archa and to fly to the Southern Inylchek area on July 30.
Basic team structure:
Alexander Mihalitsin - the captain |
Date update: 24.07.2006 TrollWall 2006 expedition news July, 18 Day of rest. It still rains. Weather seems not want to improve. 250 meters of "Baltica" is fixed. July, 15. Doing the first full carry. Starting route "Baltica". Fickle weather with rains. July, 16 A two-man team Maks-Grigory worked at the route. The other guys were sunning and getting up a portaledge. July, 13 Route reco and training climb.
July, 12
The team safely reached a camping site under the wall. It was raining and the wall was folded in mist.
July, 9 |
Date update: 19.07.2006 Valery Rozov made a B.A.S.E. jump from Grand Jorasses "After the entire 4-day ascent "Croz Spur" route on Grand Jorasses North Face Valery Rozov made a B.A.S.E. jump from the legendary summit. Realization of the first B.A.S.E. jump from Grand Jorasses is valuable and pleasant in double measure! Because of absence of a convenient exit point and rather small vertical part (it looks even less from below), the mountain was considered unfitted for B.A.S.E. jumping.
Exit altitude - 3800m, from the central buttress of Spur aside the northeast face.
Clean vertical of 230-250 meters, total jump overall - 1200 meters. I reached almost a hut :-) Other team's members descended more than 2 days in very bad weather conditions.
Ascent participants: Valery. " |
Angela Eiter and Marin Garcia Eduardo win in Chamonix
Result
Women |
Chamonix. Lead World Cup. List of finalists
Men
Women |
UIAA Climbing Worldcup. Speed. Chamonix, France Result Men
1. Vaytsekhovsky Evgeny RUS 51.00 Women
1. Ruyga Tatiana RUS |
Chamonix. Lead. World Cup. Semi-finalists Women
Eiter Angela Men
Lama David |
Valery Rozov: BASE from Grandes Jorasses Valery Rozov just made a BASE jump from Grandes Jorasses after four-days climbing via buttress that goes on the right of our Wall. Nobody believes, but we did it! The rest will descend tomorrow |
Date update: 3.07.2006 Our greetings! We were much put about by the emergency evacuation of our leader Alexander Odintsov, but life goes on...
Today we have a rest day after an acclimatizing climb. Mike Mikhailov |
Doctor Bakin informs: Masherbrum. Living and working under the plan. 27.06.06. Today in the morning the sports group in structure: Alexander Ruchkin, Mike Mikhailov, Oleg Khvostenko, Evgeny Dmitrienko set off for the first acclimatization ascent to one of the nearest mountains and climbed up a saddle at about 5500 meters where the guys were going to spend the night, and descend to base camp the next day. By the plan, after some rest, they plan to make the second acclimatization ascent in order to climb one kilometer more. But, unfortunately, the weather being all these days faultless became insincere. So the plans can be changed. M. Bakin about Odintsov's state of health: "He is already in Moscow, and today about 18.00 arrives to Saint Petersburg. He feels much better but at once after his arrival will head to hospital." |
Russian team on Masherbrum peak: change of leader. On June 28th team leader Alexander Odintsov returned to Russia due to the possibility of serious liver disease. The team remained in camp to continue the expedition under the leadership of Alexander Ruchkin. Problems started when the team was on its way to base camp. Odintsov felt sick and weak, and with +40C weather not improving the situation, he felt worse with each day. However, the team leader managed to reach base camp at 4400m and only after establishing a camp was an evacuation helicopter called.
On Sunday, June 25th, Odintsov arrived in Skardu, and on the following Wednesday in Russia. Four people remained as part of the expedition: Alexander Ruchkin, Michel Michailov, Oleg Hvostenko and Evgeni
Dmitrenko. Masherbrum Peak (7821m) is located in the Karakorum mountains, on the south-western side of the Baltoro Glacier. Its north-eastern face is almost identical to the northern face of Jannu Mountain. They are like twins, but one of them is famous and successful thanks to the French expeditions, and the other one lurks in the shadows waiting to be revealed to the world.
The team is working with Petzl equipment, Tendon ropes. Burners, tents and snowshoes are supplied by MSR. All photos (number: 2) |
| Íàçàä [1-30] [31-60] [61-90] [91-120] [121-150] [151-180] [181-210] [211-240] [241-270] [271-300] [301-330] [331-360] [361-390] [391-420] [421-450] [451-480] [481-510] [511-540] [541-570] [571-600] [601-630] [631-660] [661-690] [691-720] [721-750] [751-780] [781-810] [811-840] [841-870] [871-900] [901-930] [931-960] [961-990] [991-1020] [1021-1050] [1051-1080] [1081-1083] Äàëåå |
| (25.02.2005) All nominees are assembled. In some minutes the hanging committee opens representation of the projects - the most important alpine achievements over the past year. In the evening just past midnight (Moscow time) the Winners will be announced.
|
|
|
|
Our climb was rather uneasy - the route appeared very long and difficult. We had to haul a lot of gear as the route includes practically all elements: difficult rock-climbing, AID-climbing, ice and snow climbing. We did our best and showed a good result - for the first day we climbed the ice-fall, made 11 pitches up to the Col and 18 pitches after it and stop to spend the night sitting on a small ledge under the traverse. It was cold but according to the Patagonian measures rather tolerable as it could be much worse. Since the morning we quickly traversed and met a great company of British climbers descending to base camp after four day-climbing the route. They were impressed very much at our technique and speed of climb, and later, on the party they invited us to arrive in UÊ on annual international forum. In the same place we met Slovenian familiar girls Tanya and Monica that had luck this time: they found courage to return after a week-old failure and summited after a three-day climb. After the traverse we made four pitches more. The sun was already shining with all his might. It was the 4-th day of ideal sun weather. We prayed on good weather and we had it. However it brought us the main problem. Under the sun's rays the summit ice mushroom, hanging above a vertical headwall, began to thaw and crumble. When we got under it, the collapse of ice-blocks drew to a head. Every pitch more and more ice fell from above. Making the 4-th pitch we had to shelter from the ice bombardment with our backpacks for some minutes and to take advantage of a 30-second break to climb some meters more. It became too dangerous. And we decided that living is high and bailed being overpowered by nature. And it was not for nothing. Traversing back and being already in safe place we saw a great ice collapse falling on our route and sweeping away everything on the way. Really, we realized that the danger was over. Slovene girls descended this dangerous dihedral before us, but they were not such lucky - Monica was rather seriously injured and fractured rib. But all the same, they were very pleased indeed. For the same reason this day Dean Potter did not manage to summit Torre Egger, Thomas Huber bailed too, the Austrians Toni and Marcus stop climbing Cerro Torre via Maestri -Egger route. Too good weather appeared good-for-nothing for climb in Patagonia. Now we are reviving in Chalten and plan to leave on Fitz Roy to climb the American route. This time the weather is bad, but according weather forecast we will have a weather window on Monday. And on Monday we will leave Polish camp site at the foot of Fitz Roy. We have no enough time, in a week we have to leave back. So if they do not prove the weather window, we will not climb at all. It will not be easy to get under the route: we have to go through rather dangerous place - a couloir between Fitz Roy and Poincenot with hanging above huge ice seracs. We will try to work quickly. Wish
us of good luck. |
|
|
|
At night there was a nasty turn in the weather indeed, however the next day it improved again and we moved forward to Norwegian-camp at the foot of Cerro Torre. Having humped our heavy backpacks (about 40kg each) we made good time crossing 10 km onto a huge glacier, moraines and loose talus for 11 hours. Well, later we were requited for our uneasy trek.
Having spent the white night under stones at Norwegos we moved further. Under the plan we had to climb towards the Col where to spend the night. But on our way we were informed on a satellite phone about bad weather forecast for the nearest 3 days. It seemed to be the truth because since the morning the summit was tightened with dark clouds with lightning flashed in. Thus everywhere except for Cerro Torre the weather was good. Fitzroy (just in 3 km) was absolutely clear of cloud. We dropped the backpacks and went further with light baggage - to get limbered up and look at the route condition. On our way we met the Slovenes who bailed their climb due to the bad weather and then Dean Potter and Thomas Huber. They did not want to ask for trouble too climbing through bad weather. Thomas appeared a very pleasant guy, smiling and thanking a lot when we suggested them to throw off the rope for rappelling. As the result we climbed halfway up to the col. Rocks were wet with ice sites in places and we climbed in crampons. When small avalanches began to collapse we gave up and descended right up to Bridwell-camp.
Leo and Kevin just summited Fitzroy, Cazarotto route (North ridge). They had expected to climb the route for one day (under the description it's difficultly no more than 6b, and the guys are the real experienced climbers of 8-graded lines). However the route appeared very complex. They had to spend 2 cold nights on the wall without sleeping bags and a stove, meal and water. They were heated putting on backpacks on a head. After they descended Leo was sleeping for two days and then was drinking nonstop one day more. Now he is as sober as a judge, and they'll leave tomorrow for the next climb: this time it is El Mocho turn. Dean and Stephanie yesterday descended to Bridwell and tomorrow are going to Norwegos. They want to try to summit Cerro Torre all the same. We'll leave tomorrow too. We decided to try to start directly from Norwegos in alpine style not to bivy at the Col. It would be hard. All the route includes about 40 pitches. We'll start at night on Monday. We have a good forecast on Monday - Tuesday, but on Wednesday the weather will start to spoil. We'd like to hug tight all of you, |
|
Tomorrow we will climb hardly upper and spend the night on a shoulder's bergschrund there. Thomas Huber and Dean Potter plan to start climbing in 2 hours and ascend all the night, i.e. tomorrow to reach the top and then Dean Potter wants to make a b.a.s.e.-jump right from the summit. |
|
That is all there is to it for today. |
|
And in Buenos Aires the real summer holds. They are dancing tango in the streets, beggars and paperboys are passing to and fro. The day is sweaty. Tomorrow we take off for El Calafate. We'd like to hold you in our arms.
Today we arrived from Buenos Aires in El Calafate. Cerro Torre and Fitzroy were visible from the plane. The sky is grotesque here. Low torn clouds, absolutely flat, bear heavily on your mind. There was only one terrible tent and we had to buy it unconscious of how to use it. But there was no other alternative. And we bought a cool newest down sleeping bag in weight of 700g. Tomorrow at 7 a.m. we leave in Chalten by bus. This journey will take us for 5 hours. Alxander, Leonid, Olga.
|
(31.01.2005) In the Super Final in Valle di Daone the Austrian and German beat Herbert Klammer from Italy and Natalia Koulikova from Russia. Simon Wandeler from Switzerland and Jenny Lavarda from Italy placed third. For full news reports and a great photo gallery by Giulio Malfer, please visit: http://www.daoneicemaster.it/
|
| Such fast ascent's ending appeared unexpected for a lot of fans. We were adjusted for waiting for good news for some days. As it turned out during communication Kodar-Krasnoyarsk Nikolay omitted mention of the bottom 4-5 pitches of an abrupt snow-ice couloir they had climbed. Thus, all the route is really of 22 pitches, extent of its wall part - 17 pitches. All the plans have been completely accomplished. The team prepares for returning. Term of return depends on helicopter's availability in Taksimo and good weather. We congratulate and wait for the winners! |
| We decided not to take off the fixed rope for extreme descent in case of bad weather. Today is negative 34, but a thermometer has already registered -38 and-40 degrees centigrade. The wall is very cold and all ice-covered due to its exposition: within all the day any stream of sun does not reach its slopes. Large monolithic blocks, corners, chimneys are characteristic parameters of wall's terrain structure. It's hard to organize a safe belay. We use sky-hooks to climb very firm granite plates, but it's really difficult. Steepness is up to 80 degrees in places, but the top part of the route seems more abrupt on the average. Everything is lovely in the base camp. The warmed tent Rock Pillars is worth its keep. When it's made up the fire in it we have about +20 inside. Under the wall we dug a good cave for 6 people. The area is very interesting, wild: there is not any local habitation, hunting shelters or man's traces. Loginov and Sikilinda climbed a beautiful winter 5B-graded route on the next (left) mountain spending 2 days for fixing the rope and one day for the summit push. The other free members of our expedition climbed less complex routes 1B- and 2A-graded. We keep shootings a film about our expedition. In spite of the fact that the camera is frequently freezing, we have already shot an hour and a half. Misha Vershinin actively works. Now it's full of the moon, and Mike is shooting even in the moonlight. Unfortunately, there is no opportunity to send photos. And we can only receive SMS-messages but not send them. Keep in touch with us!
24.01.05. |
(26.01.2005) In ice-climbing organizers do not want to peddle cups: if they carry out something it will be a championship. The results of World Championship-2005 were summed up: Austrian Hari Berger and Petra Muller from Switzerland won Difficulty and Evgeny Kryvosheytsev from Ukraine and Natalia Kulikova from Russia were the first in speed. Results Difficulty. Men 1 BERGER Hari (Austria) Difficulty. Women 1 MULLER Petra (Switzerland) Speed. Men 1 KRYVOSHEYTSEV Evgeny (Ukraine) Speed. Women 1 KOULIKOVA Natalia
Russia Photo:
Hari Berger. Author: Giulio Malfer, |
(24.01.2005) Sergey Borisov Master of Sport of International Grade The last climber who was called as "The best climber of the USSR" (1990 and 1991) just before USSR's disintegration. 1990 - won the USSR championship in a technical class (Fanskie mountain) having ascended 8 summits for 13 days (six 5B-graded routes and two 6À). 1991 - the USSR championship, a rocky class, Karavshin gorge of the Turkestansky ridge. The team of Alexander Klenov, Sergey Borisov, Michael Bruk, Igor Bugachevsky, Michael Donskikh, Alexander Solodovnikov summited peaks "Slesova", "Asan" and won "the gold". 1991 - the USSR championship, a technical class, Aksu gorge of the Turkestansky ridge. The team of Sergey Borisov, Alexander Klenov, Michael Brook, Michael Donskikh, Alexander Kolesov, Alexander Limarenko summited Admiralteets, Iskander, A.Blok and won "the gold". 2002 - Everest via Northern col. |
| 22.01.05 21.01.05 19.01.05 |
| The day before we start our descent adventure we lost our Kitchenboy Chiring, who went to ABC to take down the last things….. In the evening he didn’t come back to BC and we was very worry…. All together we went out in the darkness and the storm, looking for him. We thought about the worst, because the temperature was very low and it had snow a lot. Luckily Chiring organised by himself one bivac 2 ours far from BC, when he understood the difficulty of the situation. But we pasted a very bad night…. The day after we droved by the jeep to Zangmu, the boarder to Nepal. There we take showers and sauna for 3 ours non-stop!!! Today we arrived at Kathmandu. On more shower and now we are preparing to go out from our Hotel and I want to eat a big beef and make party for be back to the normality. P.S. Today, the 20th of January the CTMA certificated our summit with the sentence “first winter Summit” as the first winter summit from Shisha Pangma, maked by Simone Moro ITA and Piotr Morawski POL at the 14th of Januray
|
| On January 19 at Parallel Slalom Denis became only 13th and Svetlana - 12th. The world championship is carried out twice a year. And against rather sad results of Russian skiers in technical sports (slalom, giant slalom) success of our snowboarding team is impressing.
|
| Ines Papert won Difficulty event with the best time 19:53 and thousand spectators could enjoy her sending the most complicated mixed line in the artificial ice canyon. She was the unique women made TOP - really that was not a sensation, but that fact that her time was the best by the end of the competitions went through like a packet of salts! A cool Canadian athlete Will Gadd yielded this fragile German girl almost for two minutes, and Harry Berger from Austria - much more than that. It is fair to say that Will Gadd sent a final line without "Heelhooks" manner and that took much more time to send. Well, this result and sending the route of "Vertical Limit" are confirmed Ines's high class and unconditional leadership among all the masters of frozen water.
The tenth annual festival "Events in Ouary" (Salt Lake City, Utha) became unqualified success of its Organizers, some thousand spectators were obvious confirmation to that. The conditions for ice-climbing in Ouary canyon were simply phenomenally good. And slide shows and a fashion parade of exclusive sports mark "Arc'teryx" completed even without that interesting evening programs. Ines's result is really unique. The Chief of Black Diamond European branch said: "Ines is very cool. I do not know any woman in athletic sports in which a girl could become better, than the best man!" Total report
Photo - www.bergsteigen.at |
|
|
| The Wall justifies our expectations: impressive, severe, tempting. It's very abrupt and has altitude difference not less than 1000m. We set a camp in 3 kilometers from the Wall. Woodland is insignificant there. Today the part of our team went downwards the gorge for preparation of fire wood for the stove, and the others went to break trail to Wall's foot. Yesterday the temperature in Taksimo was negative 40, but in the gorge it is a little bit warmer. Our greetings to everyone who is a fan of us! 14.01.2005 Our Expedition started.
|
|
|
|
One of these days the guys come back, but I want to be late a little and stay here to take a walk. Our greetings to all of you. |
(14.01.2005) This is first winter ascent on Shisha Pangma in history (callendar winter started 21st December) and we can truly say that in typical winter conditions (strong wind, no snow, a lot of ice). Now only six 8000 meters peaks are waiting for its first winter ascents...
Simone and Piotr |
|
It is worthwhile to say that Nick and Stuart sent the route clean, i.e. free climbed. Nick already tried the route last year but fell and broke his anklebone, and this year he returned there with MacAleese to have luck again on 13-pitch mixed route. All the route took them four days, from which two full days they were climbing.
|
|
http://www.planetmountain.com/
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Simone and Piotr |
|
The wind is still blowing with terrible force. But we'd like to reach the col (about 7300) and hope to set up Camp 2 behind the col. Today, during the way to the ABC we were watching a wind smoke on the summit ridge, and we didn't want even to think what was up there... Also the south wall of Shisha has totally changed character comparing to that 2 weeks ago: instead of snow we could see big fields of pure ice! |
|
|
|
We are in a good physical condition and motivation is high... In any case we will follow his advise and Piotr and I will go tomorrow "only" to try to finish to fix all the route till the ridge at 7300 and fix C2. Than we will be back in base camp waiting for good news from Karl and his perfect forecast.
Yesterday they get a really hard job and difficult conditions and this morning was difficult to take decision to left the sleeping bags and start for the descent to ABC and BC. Jan also started to come down from ABC to BC and this evening we will be all together here at 5200 meter of Base Camp. Tomorrow we will take decision and strategies for the next important week....
Yesterday we finished to repair one of the 3 tends we get in ABC that had been seriously broken from the big hungry birds. The birds were looking for food and brake all the tends, without find any food (we left especially in a plastic drum). Maybe the damage is a revenge....?
Tomorrow they will try to carry higher....
Cross the finger for us.... The next 1/2 weeks will be extremely important for
the climb.
Darek and Jacek were working all the day above the C1 (6550
m). They probably reached 6800 m, foot of the last few hundreds meters of couloir. Our route occured longer than we expected and with ropes we already have up, it will be difficult to reach the col. But we will do our best.
Our generator stopped to work and "get frostbite". Piotr and Jan today made a surgery operation and they obtain to get 12 volt power from it. Together my solar pannel we should continue to give enough energy to our camp...
Karl Gabl (our Austrian Guru for the weahter forecast) said to be patient and to call him Monday in Innsbruck. We will have our next weather forecast and we hope to have good news... We wish again a nice 2005 full of smiling moments...
Last night the wind and the cold had been a good test for our capacities. The bad weather should persist for the next 3/4 days and we will take a good rest and "charge our motivations and determination". Tonight we will celebrate the new year and we wish to all of you a 2005 in health and without any polemic... Have a nice 2005!! and I hope you will continue to follow the adventures from me and my friends also in 2005. |
|
Tomorrow we'd like to work higher. Now the weather is quite good, a lot of clouds, sometimes sun and the wind is shaking our tent, but not blowing us out from the wall. Ciao, Simone |
|
Today we worked to fix all the tends of base camp and fix them with ropes and big stones to avoid that wind brake them during next storms. Tonight we will celebrate our Christmas and Jan prepared a nice Christmas tree in the dining tend. Tomorrow we probably go to ABC and back to BC, to carry some equipment. We wish all of you our greetings and Marry Christmas!!!
Simone, Jan, Darek, Piotr, Jacek |
|
We arrived
in Nyalam today. We left yesterday because today there was supposed to be
a strike with numerous blockades on the street from Kathmandu to the border. Unfortunately,
although we left yesterday we still had problems half an hour before Kodhari (on
the border of Nepal and China). A military street blockade with a barbed wire
and machine gunners lined up forced us to wait until the next day to continue.
We were able to sleep in a small private house and eat in a hut for the Nepalese.
A few days ago, before returning to Nepal, he gave Lafaille the certificate which proves his climb to the peak at 14:00 on December 11th, but he did not write "WINTER EXPEDITION" even though the Frenchman insisted he write it because he didn't consider it a winter climb. Nawang says that he has 10 years of expedition experience in all 4 seasons and Lafaille's climb was not to be registered with the TMA as a "WINTER EXPEDITION" but as "LATE AUTUMN." Anyone can contact Nawang at the TMA in order to confirm this. The French alpinist got his Chinese Visa extended because
he only intended to stay 30 days and as he entered Tibet and started the expedition
before December 1st, he acted with the normal autumn permission. With all this
news and clarification, added to the scientific one of the world season calendar
which says that winter starts the 21st of December, we must consider that Shisha
Pangma has never been conquered in winter. Now it's up to us to see if this climb
is possible… Translation by Jonathan Etes |
|
Having stayed for some days in only 150 meters up to the summit waiting for the weather window, the guys began their sad descent. |
|
In
any case we would like to congratulate JC Lafaille for the good climb and the
success. Really! We also would like to congratulate him for the tactics.....
Simone, Darek, Piotr |
|
It is the first successful ascent on Shishapangma (8047m) done solo and without supplementary oxygen. The information is provided by Katia Lafaille, France, www.jclafaille.com
|
|
|
(24.11.2004)
|
| Men Women |
|
Only at base camp we will decide the route we will attempt. We want to see directly the snow condition of the face and the weather forecast we will have from Innsbruck from my personal friend Karl Gabl. Herewith I'm sending you the postcard I prepared for our expedition. I dind't received yet the cable but I took free all next week to realize all the procedure and training with iPAQ and Contact 3.0. Keep in touch |
| See all the results http://www.digitalrock.de
|
| |
| (11.11.2004) |
|
|
| (4.11.2004) UIAA Climbing-Worldcup 2004 Bouldering Women Men Speed Women Men Difficulty. The current rating Women Men All results http://digitalrock.de |
| (2.11.2004)
The leaders of Big Cup Mrazek and Sarkany. Chabot and Eiter are the second. |
 |
| © 1999-2007 Mountain.RU Mail to: info@mountain.ru |
|
Check out on the Mountain.RU: 
13.01
