 |
West Face, 14-15 radio contact
Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich are ascending above Camp 6.
Volodin - Penzov and Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik are
ascending to C6
Totmjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky are in C5.
Valery Shamalo is descending, he is below C2 already.
Expedition leader Victor Kozlov 20.08.2007 14:00
August, 20 2007
12-00
Victor Kozlov from BC: The visibility became better.
Shabalin's group is heading up from C6. Bolotov-Totmjanin-Kirievsky reached
C5. Sokolov-Vinogradsky-Gorelik-Penzov-Volodin are climbing to C6. Shamalo is
descending.
10-30 a.m.
info after 10-15 radio contact
Shabalin - Tukhvatullin - Mariev Popovich are in C6, waiting weather
improving. The mist covers K2 top yet, visibility not more than 50 m, wind
impulses are too strong. Volodin - Penzov - Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik
are climbing to C6. Totmjanin - Kirievsky - Bolotov are already close to C5.
Valery Shamalo sees them, he descends to C4.
The expedition has reseived the forecast from Hanif
(Pakistan Senior meteorologist) that it may continue their work, no storm is
expected today and next 3-4 days.
8-30 a.m.
info after 8 a.m. radio contact
Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich left C6 on 6
a.m., climbed more than a hour, but had to turn back to their tent - there's
deep mist, and visibility is only 50 m, and wind impulses are too strong.
They're waiting the weather improving in C6.
The duo Penzov - Volodin and trio Sokolov - Vinogradsky -
Gorelik are leaving C5 for C6. Valery Shamalo begins the descent from C5
according to the recomendation of the doctor Vinogradsky.
The trio Totmjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky left C4 for C5.
Expedition leader Victor Kozlov
August, 19 2007 The weather window has opened, but there are
still hard wind impulses above 7000 m.
Pavel Shabalin, Andrew Mariev, Iljas Tukhvatullin and Vadim Popovich ascended
to C6, have dug the tent and then have broken the trail above C6 till the
horizontal rock band. They'll spent night in C6.
The trio Volodin - Shamalo - Penzov ascended from C4 to C5.
The trio Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik ascended from C3 to C5.
The trio Tomjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky ascended from C2 to C4.
|
Earlier: The strong wind and snow
|
Victor Kozlov just called from
BC:
Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik and
Eugeny Vinogradsky descended to ABC.
Pavel Shabalin, Andrew Mariev,
Iljas Tukhvatullin and Vadim Popovitch are in C1.
Victor Volodin, Valery Shamalo
and Serguey Penzov ascended to ABC today.
The weather: rain, snow and mist
in BC;
strong wind and snow at the
altitude.
|
|
|
|
14.08.2007 20:00
|
Earlier: After 6-30 p.m. local time radio
contact
All three climbers are in C6.
There'll be dark in 20 minutes.
Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik
and Eugeny Vinogradsky ascended to C3 tday. They'll go to C4 or C5 tomorrow
Earlier: 3-00 p.m. local time
Only 100m below the summit,
but difficult rock is the barrier
Lost too much energy during the four days and fout nights waiting the normal
weather in C5, three strong climbers - Alexey Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and
Nick Totmjanin - began yesterday to ascend toward the summit. They set the
little tent - camp 6 - at the altitude more than 8000 m,. Today from 5 a.m.
they has "pluged" waist-deep or chest-deep snow and reached 8550 m. But they
appeared under the difficult vertical rock, and all attepts to overcome it
were not successful - there're deep precipies to the right and to the left
from the rock. Guys can't to climb it because they haven't special gear with
them. They are tired - it's a result of too long being on the high altitude.
They begin the descent. It's only about 100 m from the bottom of the
rock to the summit...
Earlier:
|
Guys are continuing to climb to the
summit |
|
Victor Kozlov just called from BC
after the radio contact with the front-line group: "The trio is continuing
to climb toward the summit. They are now under the serious rock massiff
and tried to find the way to overcome it. Gennady's altimeter shows 8550 m
(but the weather's fine, and data can be more than real height about 50 m)
Keep in touch till the next radio
contact! |
|
|
|
10.08.2007 12:20 |
Earlier:
|
Frontline trio left Camp 6 and goes
up |
|
Alex Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and
Nick Totmjanin left C6 on 5 a.m. and began to climb toward the summit.
The weather's fine. But the snow's
very deep - waist-deep or chest-deep on some sites.
Nickolay Cherny and doc Serguey Bychkovsky ascended to ABC today morning -
for radio translations. But now BC has straight relations with Bolotov's
group.
Sokolov's group is going up to
Camp 2.
Expedition leader Victor Kozlov |
|
|
|
10.08.2007 9:40 |
Earlier:
The letter from Iljas
Tukhvatullin, the member of the expedition
The sturm began from the
level more lower than usual. The snow after long snowfalls appeared today very
deep, and guys had to work hard. 5 hours they broke the trail from the
end of fixed ropes.
Slowly, very slowly (it's a result of 4 nights in C5 on that high altitude)
they ascended. Here, in BC we listened their voices in radio comms and
understood how they tired. They stopped at 5 p.m. and set Camp 6 - the
little tent "solo+" where three man can spent night.
Guys said that "all are fine and now are cooking tea and something to eat".
They ascended today close to the right rocks, and stopped 200 m below the
horisontal rock band.
Tomorrow guys are going to
the summit. Good night and good luck!
Iljas.
K2 Base Camp, 7-20 p.m. local time
Earlier:
The trio Alexey Bolotov,
Gennady Kirievsky and Nickolay Totmjanin are heading to K2 summit.
The very important moment has begun today early morning in the expedition.
Three climbers - Alexey Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and Nickolay Totmjanin
awaited 4 days (from Aug, 5) in Camp 5 without supplementary oxygen with the
hope for the short weather "window".
There were regular radio comms between C5 and BC, and guys said they felt
fine.
They couldn't left C5 yesterday - too hard storm wind was upper 7800, with
periodical snowfalls.
But early morning today they left C5, climbed 12 ropes, which has been fixed
earlier, and then
(before the noon) began free climb in the summit direction.
They have the tiny tent "solo+", gas, stove, 2 caremates, 2 sleepingbags -
minimum of the gear, but enough for
one - two nights.
The radio comms between the trio and BC - every 2 hours. The last was about
a hour ago.
The contact with the group is possible only through the another group - Gleb
Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik and Eugeny Vinogradsky - who are in C1 now.
Next radio comm will be soon, when the trio will complete today work and
begin to set the tent.
All are OK, feel good.
Sokolov's group will climb to C3 tomorrow.
Expedition leader Victor
Kozlov
Aug, 9, 4-40 p.m. local time
Earlier:
Evacuation from the base camp
04.08.07 At 9 a.m. (local time) the chopper took Alexander Korobkov to Scardu.
Dmitry Komarov goes with him for the care.
Aug, 1 Alexander felt strong pain in his leg and descended from ABC to the BC
with Shabalin's and Sokolov's groups.
In the same day expedition doctor Serguey Bychkovsky provided all needed
procedures and gave his conclusion: Alexander needs the immediate evacuation
and hospitalization it seems he has thrombosis too. Aug, 2-3 chopper couldn't
land in BC due to the bad weather. Today, Aug, 4 Alexander and Dmitry will fly
to Islamabad from Scardu if the weather'll be normal. They'll be met in
airport and provided to the hospital. Then they'll fly to Moscow as soon as
possible.
The expedition is very greatful for insurance company OSNOVA for the
professional help.
Victor Kozlov, the expedition leader.
05.08.2007 10:00
Three
other climbers are in high camp waiting weather improving.
Kazakhs on NW ridge are all in BC now.
August, 3 2007: So, it is
a time for the finish push. It's the very hard wind at high altitude now, but
the duo Alexey Bolotov and Gennady Kirievsky is ascending from C1 and the trio
Nickolay Totmjanin - Valery Shamalo - Victor Volodin is ascending from ABC.
They hope to reach C5 and then begin their summit bid as soon as the weather
improves.
Previous days diary:
31.07.07 The weather has
worsened. The hard wind forced both groups to descend to ABC. Bolotov's group
went up from BC to ABC.
01.08.07 The duo Bolotov - Kirievsky ascended to C1. Alexander Korobkov felt
strong pain in the leg and went down to BC together with Shabalin's and
Sokolov's groups. 02.08.07 Totmjanin's group went up from BC to ABC. Bolotov
and Kirievsky stayed in C1 waiting the end of the hard snowfall. Details will
be soon ...
|
|
Earlier: The bastion has been climbed, but the West
Face is continuing ... |
Two groups - Sokolov's
trio and Shabalin's four climbers work on the route now. Yesterday
they reached the end of fixed ropes about 4 p.m. and were in time
to climb 1,5 ropes more. Today they climbed 6,5 ropes and finally
reached the snow field. The bastion has been climbed! But the West
Face is continuing till the top - as snow, ice and rocks. Tomorrow
guys will try to climb further and set Camp 6 on the safety place
under the rocks.
|
|
|
|
30.07.2007 15:30 |
Our guys have
completed all hard work on the wall and need only 3 days of good weather
to do their summit bid. They are ready to start from BC during bad
weather, and reach C5 in such conditionds by fixed ropes. But then they
have to start for 2 days ascent with only tiny tent without fixed ropes
to the top and need one more good day for the descent to C5. So, two
groups - Bolotov's and Totmjanin's are waiting in BC for the detailed
forecast to start for summit push...
25.07.2007 14:00
Today the support group leave BC- they'll go down to Scardu. Sokolov's
group left BC early morning
for ABC.
We're OK. Today's hot sun
in BC, but the strong wind and snow on the route as yesterday.
Last push Totmjanin's
group couldn't fixed more ropes due to the strong storm and snow
blizzard.
24.07.2007 13:00
July, 23 the support group visit our BC. There're our sponsors
and friends, 6 persons. Vitaly Ivanov in Moscow clinic is
better. His diagnosis is thrombosis. He'll fly to Novosibirsk on Friday.
22.07.2007 9:00
Camp 5 has been set, but the bad weather put the breakes on the climb
BC, Pavel Shabalin called: Greetings to all! We're in the BC. The Camp 5
has been set on the route 3 days ago by Bolotov's group at the end of
ropes, fixed by Sokolov and Vinogradsky. The altitude app. 7500 (It's
the data on Mariev's altimeter. We can't define the real altitude,
because all our GPS and altimeters give the different data for the same
place, and the difference is too large. In our last push we brought 9
ropes and climbing gear to C5 place. Then Bolotov's group has set C5 and
managed to climb 1,5 ropes - difficult hanging rock again... Yesterday
they could do nothing due to very bad weather. Today their group is
descending. Totmjanin's group's ascending. If the strong storm will be,
they'll wait in C3 - there's very comfortable tent. Nickolay Cherny
ascended to the pass and made pictures of the upper part of the route,
which we can't see yet from Camp 5.
We'll reach the snow field soon...
21.07.2007 8:00
July, 20 Vitaly Ivanov and helping him Vladimir Kochurov arrived to
Moscow. Vitaly will get treatment in one of the Moscow clinics.
Bolotov's and Totmjanin's groups work on the West Face.
Earlier:
K2 West Face expedition diary July 15 - 18.
15.07.07 Bad weather began July, 12 and is continuing today:
the heavy snowfall and strong wind are on any altitudes.
Alexey Bolotov's group asecended from BC to ABC.
Shabalin's group is in C2. Sokolov's group began the descent from C4.
In midday Eugeny Vinogradsky radioed that Vitaly Ivanov goes very bad and
can't descend without the mate's help.
During the rest of the day until 10 p.m. two groups - Sokolov's and
Shabalin's lifted the
oxygen bottle (which was prepared in C1 for an occasin) from C1 to C3 for
the suffered mate and gave him medical treatment in C3 tent.
16.07.07 In the continuing storm conditions Sokolov's group
descended to ABC to the evening. Vitaly's health became worse. The
expedition doctor Serguey Bychkovsky
and the coach Nickolay Cherny ascended from BC to ABC. The doctor stated
the advanced diagnosis and provided all needed procedures.
17.07.07 In the morning the party Nickolay Totmjanin - Valery
Shamalo left
BC for ABC for help in Vitaly's rescue. They transported him on the sledge
via the plate upper part of the glacier and then Vitaly went
by himself with the help of mates through the part with crevasses. In 2
p.m. they reached BC.
Due to his bad condition the expedition desided to evacuate him to the
hospital.
Bolotov's group ascended from C1 to C2. Shabalin, TUkhvatullin and
Popovitch ascended from C2 to C4,
Mariev from C1 to C3.
18.07.07 The weather's ideal. On 8 a.m. Vitaly and Vladimir
Kochurov (the expedition video-operator)
were evacuated by chopper to Scardu.
Shabalin's group work today above C4, Bolotov's group is ascending from C2
to C3.
In spite of 6 bad weather days (July, 12 -17) our team has
saved all tents in high-altitude camps
from the storm wind and snow blizzard, lifted equipment for the futher
climb from low camps to the upper ones,
and rescued mate Vitaly Ivanov. The expedition continue K2 West Face climb
and is very thankful for all
who believe in the team and support guys on the expedition site.
All the team's very thankful to OSNOVA insurance company for the help in
organizing the evacuation.
From BC - Victor Kozlov, Nickolay Totmjanin.
July, 18, 10 a.m. local time
K2 West Face diary July, 8-14
08.07.07
Snowfall all night around.
Alexey Bolotov's group descended to BC for the rest.
Gleb Sokolov's group stayed in ABC. Totmjanin's group works above C4,
but they could only remove loads to the end of ropes because of durty
avalanches.
09.07.07
The weather's fine. Sokolov's group ascended to C2. Totmjanin's group
climbed 3 ropes and has prepared the place for the removing C4 tent .
10.07.07
Sokolov's group ascended from C2 to C3. Then Sokolov and Gorelik
brought some more equipment from C2 to C3. Totmjanin's group
removed C4 on 6 ropes up and climbed 1 rope more. Victor Volodin went
down
because of health problems.
11.07.07
Shabalin's group went up from BC to ABC. Sokolov's group ascended to C4.
Totmjanin's group climbed 3 ropes more and descended to C2.
12.07.07
Shabalin's group ascended to C1,
Totmjanin's group returned to BC fo the rest.
Sokolov's group climbed 2 ropes more.
13.07.07
The weather have worsened - clouds, snowfall, hard wind.
Sokolov's group stay in C4, periodically cleaning the tent from the
fresh snow
- a lot of durty avalnches...
Shabalin's group is ascending from C1 to C2.
14.07.07
The snowfall's continuing... The duo Sgabalin - Tukhvatullin stayed in
C2, the duo Mariev - Popovitch
ascended to C3 with the equipment and digged the tent from the snow.
Sokolov's group remained in C4.
From the BC Victor Kozlov and Nickolay Totmjanin, July 14
Earlier: Some news from the
West Face
K2
West Face, July, 01 - 08 .
01.07.07 The duo
Andrew Mariev - Iljas Tukhvatullin climbed 3,5 pitches
and have found the place for Camp 4 (7200 m). Party Pavel Shabalin -
Vadim Popovitch has brought loads from С1 to С2. Bolotov's group
ascended to C1.
02.07.07 Shabalin's group brouhgt equipment and set the tiny tent
«Solo+» in С4.
Mariev and Tukhvatullin spent night there, Shabalin and Popovitch - in
C3.
Bolotov's group ascended to C2.
03.07.07 In the
evening Shabalin's group descended to С1.
Bolotov's group ascended to С3.
04.07.07 Bolotov's
group ascended to С4 and set the big tent «Cave 6»
for 4 persons. Shabalin's group returned to BC. Totmjanin's group
ascended to АВС.
05.07.07 Bolotov's
group climbed 2 pitches to the left from C4.
Totmjanin's group ascended to C2 from ABC.
06.07.07 The duo
Gennady Kirievsky - Alexander Korobkov in the very bad weather
climbed 2 pitches up. Totmjanin's group ascended to C3. Tomjanin and
Shamalo
have brought loads to C4.
07.07.07 The duo
Alexey Bolotov - Alexander Korobkov climbed 3 pitches and then descended
to C3. The duo Gennady Kirievsky - Serguey Penzov brought loads to the
end of ropes and then descended to ABC. Totmjanin's group
ascended to C4. Sokolov's group, and doctor Serguey Bychkovsky and
the coach Nickolay Cherny ascended to ABC.
08.07.07 Bolotov's
group returned to BC for the rest.
From BC Victor Kozlov,
Alexey Bolotov and Pavel Shabalin July, 8 on 6 p.m.
Expedition diary June, 25 - 30
25.06.07 Totmjanin's group had changed Bolotov's group
and continued the climb above C2: the party Nickolay Totmjanin - Valery
Shamalo climbed 3 ropes and reached the snow ledge, where they managed to
set the tiny tent "solo+", while Victor Volodin and Alex Komarov were
hauling up equipment from C2 to C2. The trio spent the night in that tiny
tent in C3, and Komarov descended to C2. Sokolov's group hauled up
equipment from ABC to C1.
26.06.07: Duo Victor Volodin - Valery Shamalo climbed 3
more ropes above С3. Totmjanin - Komarov have brought loads from C2 to C3.
Three climbers spent the night in C3. Gleb Sokolov and Vitaly
Gorelik reached C2.
27.06.07: Tomjanin's group climbed 1 more rope, hauled
equipment to the end of the fixed ropes, and descended to ABC. Sokolov -
Gorelik spent night in C3. Vinogradsky - Ivanov hauled loads from C1 to
C2.
28.06.07: Sokolov - Gorelik climbed 1 more rope and
descended to C2, Vinogradsky - Ivanov spent night in C3. Tomjanin's group
returned to BC, Shabalin's group ascended from BC to C1 in spite of
worsening weather. ;It was rain in BC in the evening, and the snowfall in
ABC and above it, with the strong wind. ;
29.06.07: Sokolov's group returned to ABC, Shabalin's
group ascended to C2 during the bad weather.
30.06.07 The weather became better; the snowfall has
stopped, there're less clouds. Shabalin's group ascended to C3, did the
ledge under the ten more comfortable and set large tent there - now 6
persons can rest there. The duo Sokolov - Gorelik stayed in ABC for a
while for the safety of the leading party.
Tomorrow Shabalin's group will continue to climb the
route, if the weather will stay the same, and Alexey Bolotov's group will
leave BC for ABC.
After the first extremely steep rock band on the
bastion, which can be compare with vertical rocks on Jannu North Face, nor
less complex rocks are on the next, middle part of the bastion, at the
altitudes above 7000 m. The climbers need not only the excellent climbing
skills, but either be under the altitude and cold pressing. Hope, the
rocks relief and the weather will give us the chance to climb free
further. The rock is hard, there're many long vertical cracks and inner
corners, covered by ice - the good drytooling poligon.
All are
brave. Victor Kozlov and Nickolay Totmjanin - from the Base Camp, June,
30, 5 p.m.
Earlier News from K2 West Face:
June, 23, 2007 BC called (0-20 p.m., Moscow time): Yesterday we had a
funny party - congratulated Pavel with his grandson. We wish him a
granddaughter too! There's too hot in the BC - we can't enter our small
tents, only big mess -tents save us due to its good ventilation. All guys
who are back from the wall, use banja today and are washing their clothes.
Our banja on the river's bank is very comfortable - you can open the tent
and jump into the icy river! We'll call with news from the route just
after the evening radio contact. The weather's good, guys are working.
Bye!
June, 22, 2007 Evening:
We got the message on 5-30 p.m.: "Pavel Shabalin became a grandfather
today: His grandson was 4180 g, 56 sm!!!" Congratulations!!!
And only 5 minutes later
the happy grandfather returned to BC. Drinking the first glass for his
grandson's health, he has reported:
"Our push was partial
during the bad weather. June, 19 we carried loads, removed our Camp 1 from
6000 m to 6200 m. June, 20 the weather improved, so Iljas Tukhvatullin and
Andrew Mariev fixed next 5 ropes on the route. June, 21 they work together
with Bolotov's group and fixed one more rope and found the place for the
Camp 2. Then descended to 6200.
Alexey Bolotov and
Gennady Kirievsky spent the night in Camp 2 (6750). Today they have fixed
next 2 ropes. "Wow! It looks like Jannu!", - said Gennady climbing one of
the cornices. The team believes the lower part of the bastion could be the
most difficult part of the route. "The wall looks like a composition of
Everest North Face with Jannu North Face - so steep rock wall on the high
altitude" - said team members.
Nickolay Totmjanin and
Valery Shamalo carry loads for Bolotov's group, who will spent the night
in Camp 2 today (4 persons). Tomorrow they will continue their work and
then will descend, and Totmjanin's group will replace them on the wall.
Gleb Sokolov's group will climb to Camp 1 and begin to help them.
Temperatures on the lower
part of the wall are really crazy, pending from -13C at night, up to +49C
midday at 6200 m! There're extremely hot and very difficult to work. But
at 6800 it's better - we can live there, because there's the wind... In
ABC it's very hot from midday till 3-30 p.m. We use snowshoes on the
glacier.
Victor Kozlov called from
BC early morning today:
"Three days we couldn't
call by sat phone and had no internet, but now all's OK. The weather
improved from June, 20.
The results (from June,
21 evening radio relations, 6 p.m. local time): Two groups work at the
bastion - Pavel Shabalin's and Alexey Bolotov's. Camp 1 has been moved
from 6000 to 6200 m. Camp 2 set at 6750 m, ropes fixed till 6830 m.
Today morning (June,22)
the group led by Nickolay Totmjanin left ABC and is going up to change
Shabalin's group on the bastion.
|
Earlier: June, 21, 2007 Victor Kozlov
called from BC early morning today:
"Three days we couldn't call
by sat phone and had no internet, but now all's OK. We had to change the sim-carte.
The weather improved from June, 20.
The resuts (from June, 21
evening radio relations, 6 p.m. local time): Two groups work at the bastion
- Pavel Shabalin's and Alexey Bolotov's. Camp 1 has been moved from 6000 to
6200 m. Camp 2 set at 6750 m, ropes fixed till 6830 m.
Today morning (June,22) the
group led by Nickolay Totmjanin left ABC and is going up to change
Shabalin's group on the bastion.
Earlier: June 15, 20007:
team descended to Base camp
June, 14, 2007
The team set Camp 1 at 6000 m, overcome berg and began to climb rock on the
West Face. 6500 m
Nickolay
Totmjanin called:
"We've just
returned to BC. Together with Valery Shamalo we began yesterday to climb from
the upper isefall pillow, reached the berg and crossed it, then climbed 6
ropes and have tought the rocks. There was snow-covered ice, and rock bastion
begins further.
Our group
consisted of four persons - Valery and me fixed ropes and Victor Volodin and
Serguey Penzov brought the ropes to us.
We started from
ABC (5600 m) yesterday, worked one day, spent the night in Camp 1, and now
have returned to the base.
Berg is huge, but
we found the serak overhunging the berg, so crossed it without problems.
The wall is very
steep - I had to lift up my head to look at it. And it's obviously that it's
the same further. But the bastion is not dangerous - there're no falling
stones, no stones treks - absolutely clear wall, only snow streams are falling
down.
The wall's
exposition provides the sun during the whole day on the whole wall, from the
bottom to the top, from 8-9 a.m. Extremely hot! We worked in the base layer
only. But it's too difficult to choose the right clothes - if you are in the
shadow - it's very cold. We're experimenting with our equipment yet.
All is healthy, but we are coughing, of cause - the air is
too dry on the altitude. Doc treats us in the BC.
We don't work on the route on our power limit yet because
our acclimatization is not completed. And carrying heavy loads is very hard on
the altitude, and it's too hot... I think we'll do faster soon, after our
acclimatization will be completed.
The weather's fine. But the snow began here, in BC. But it
was better on the wall - no snow. Today Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik, Eugeny
Vinogradsky and Vitaly Ivanov carried loads to the end of our ropes and have
fixed 2 ropes more.
Camp 1 is on 6000 m, but we have to remove it to the more
convenient place
Earlier: Pavel Shabalin, Iljas Tukhvatullin, Andrew Mariev, Gennady
Kirievsky, Alex Korobkov and Vadim Popovich set ABC camp (two tents)
Earlier: The team have reached BC
yesterday- the first expedition's stage is over successfully 1 day earlier than
planned. Six climbers have already gone to reconnaissance Savoya glacier -
they've marked the way to Japanese camp and are going back.
Victor Kozlov's call from K2
BC (4-50 p.m. Moscow time): "Yesterday we arrived to K2 BC. We are
respectively luck with the weather - today it's better, as the forecast
predicted. We got up early morning, on 5 a.m., and after tea began to go to
BC. Reaching the place, we gave bonus to our sirdar and porters - they were
satisfied. Yesterday evening and today we do our camp comfortable.
In the morning 6 climbers have already gone to reconnaissance Savoya glacier
- they've marked the way to Japanese camp and are going back.
We set the huge antenna and
have now BGAN terminal connection.
Than we lifted Russian flag, and Pakistan flag too - for our LO pleasure. The
"official opening" of the BC will be tomorrow -we'll stay
under the flag and sing the song "Varjag" (the famous Russian ship - ed. note)
- it's our tradition.
Except six climbers who work
on the glacier, others work in BC. All's OK, we are 1 day faster than is in
our timetable because we thought that had to spent one more day in Askole.
The loads which had been stayed there will be in BC soon. We have not yet to
cook the cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage but do it as soon as possible
(we cooked only one barrel in Askole)"
Nickolay Totmjanin: "We have
to do a lot now to do our camp comfortable. But the weather's ideal, and our
souls need already to work at the route... Yesterday we have set living tents,
today - the technics tent, smoothed out 0,5 ga of the terrain.
Our technics works already, and we hope it'll be work on 100 percents tomorrow
- so, don't worry.
We have built the sauna (Russian
banja) on the bank of the stream, with kerosene stove - all's according to our
plan.
The Mount is in perfect
conditions, as on classic photo. Now it's covered by the snow - after
last days snowfalls, but there's no a lot of snow in the region. We see
American-Czech camp not far from ours, but have not met yet. We saw two
rescue choppers yesterday - they picked up one man to the board.
Greeting to all".
Background: Victor Kozlov - the
expedition leader, Nickolay Cherny - the coach
Climbers: Serguey Penzov (Severodvinsk),
Victor Volodin (Moscow), Valery Shamalo (Saint Petersburg), Dmitry Komarov
(Moscow), Pavel Shabalin (Kirov), Iljas Tukhvatullin (Podolsk), Andrey Mariev
(Togliatti), Vadim Popovitch (Nizhny Tagil), Gleb Sokolov (Novosibirsk),
Vitaly Ivanov (Novosibirsk), Vitaly Gorelik (Novosibirsk), Eugeny Vinogradsky
(Yekaterinburg), Alexey Bolotov (Yekaterinburg), Nickolay Totmjanin (Saint
Petersburg), Gennady Kirievsky (Magnitogorsk), Alexander Korobkov (Nizhny
Tagil), Victor Pleskachevsky (Moscow) - the head of organizing commitee of the
expedition, Serguey Bychkovsky (Yekaterinburg) - the doctor
News from K2 West Face Russian team
The team went up to Goro II today. There's the winter yet on
the Baltoro Glacier. Members wearing all warm clothers which they have (to the
contrast, they went in shorts two days ago). "It's difficult way for the
sportsmen too, - said by sat phone Nickolay Totmjanin today - we hope that our
porters will be able to reach the base camp. We have problems with porters every
day - have to check the weight of the loads.
The weather's very bad. Poor visibility, clouds, mist, but
today Masherbrum was cleared for the moment, and some of us could see it.
Our LO is great guy! He
brings a lot of books with him to the BC! We've bought the yak, and he goes to
BC with us - Iljas Tukhvatullin cares about him.
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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. |
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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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