Mike and Don: Broad Peak 2005: The Party's Over

Update: Broad Peak: The Party's Over

July 28: After the summit push of July 21, virtually everybody on every team gave up. Some of us, however, held out hope of a last break in the weather before the porters' arrival on August 1. A period of unstable, but possibly adequate weather was forecast for July 26-28, so a few of us decided to give it a shot. It helped that Don and I both had gear in C2 that needed retrieval in any case.

Well, our summit bid died before it was born. Don and another climber fell prey to the same illness (best called 'Field Touring Dysentary', after the kitchen of origin), while the other climber pulled the plug at C1. I ended up at C2, the last healthy climber still with desire for a summit push. Don gamely reached C2 after vomiting numerous times, but his only choice was to take his gear down.

In retrospect, nothing was lost. Fierce winds sprung from nowhere about the time that Don and I would have reached the summit ridge, and even a day later conditions along the ridge would have been too windy for the true summit.

Last year I reached 7900m on the summit ridge before I turned around. I knew that I was too dehydrated to reach the real summit, and I had no interest in the false 'rocky summit' that seems to captivate everyone else. So I turned around just below, hoping for another summit attempt that never materialized. This year, 2 American climbers bivied at the same spot. The next morning, the winds were too strong to reach the true summit, so they turned around without tagging the false summit.

Several other climbers were on their second or third attempt at Broad Peak, and none of us reached the top. Oh well!

I met Dennis and Sergei on their descent from their new route on

Broad Peak. A stellar achievement and the only two summiters of the

season.

So now we dry out gear, type dispatches, and wait for porters. K2 and Broad Peak are sheathed in clouds above 7000m. Only about a half dozen climbers are left at Broad Peak Base, everyone else having left during the two days I was on the hill. Time to pack up all my dry gear before it decides to snow. But first, a shave! Mike

Updates

Millet One Sport Everest Boot  has made some minor changes by adding more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to -75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads. Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated collar. Expedition footwear for mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold.  NOTE US SIZES LISTED. See more here.

A cold weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura® upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand See more here.

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