Nanga Parbat 2005: Everest Summiter IVAN VALLEJO RICAURTE: The nobleness of Nanga Parbat

Base Camp in Nanga Parbat

Dear friends of Ecuador and the world.

When I write this note is 10:20 in the evening of Friday, July 22, 2005.  Just a little more than 24 hours ago I arrived again to the shelter and safety of my tent in BC after reaching, thank GOD, the summit of Nanga Parbat.

I haven't had enough time to understand and process all the feelings and lessons I had in these last five days I needed to take off, climb, get to the highest point and then get back alive to base camp. However, the luggage is ready to start the return march to Islamabad.  The 80 porters we need for all our stuff will arrive tomorrow at 8 in the morning and I have to say goodbye to Nanga Parbat.

The truth is, friends, if it had been on me, I would have asked for one more day in this base camp to chat with Nanga Parbat, to talk face to face, without it meaning that I had lost respect for this beautiful mountain; I mean that dialog that can be held between two friends that know each other, that accept each other, who love each other, but above all, who grow together with what they have communicated in the time of their friendship.

I will share later with more details what have been my reflections and learning from the friendship with Nanga Parbat, but I can advance that this mountain, with generosity, showed the light and the path to cover each one of its spaces to place the camps; then, with subtleness it let us know that we had to go back and wait, because it wanted more time and space for itself; finally it winked an eye and said that the moment to get to the highest point had come. On Wednesday morning we reached the summit, it was still clear and beautiful on Thursday so that we could climb safe down to BC and today, Friday, it waited for the two late climbers to come down safe, although sick.  Since then it became covered and it started to rain down here and to snow in the altitudes.

Tell me if this is not nobleness.

Tomorrow, Saturday, I am going back to civilization where I take as a souvenir and gift, among other things, the nobleness of this beautiful mountain which, right now, it is part of the memories of glad things that life has given me with generosity.

With my big love I send a hug from my last night in BC, at the bottom of Nanga Parbat.

IVAN VALLEJO RICAURTE

Expeditioneer

Translated from Spanish by Jorge Rivera

Updates

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