Dave Watson and Chuck Boyd on the other American team have headed down, it appears over for them in 2008. George Dijmarescu, along with Mingma Sherpa and Rinjin Sherpa (all on the  Sunny Mountain Guides expedition) are still headed up. They should be at Camp 3 right now with plans to move to Camp 4.

The snow is deep after the storm of last week. There will be no more e-mails, only sat phone calls when possible. The ropes from earlier expeditions are buried or gone... They are going to need to climb it. It is not going to be easy.

Wish them luck and keep them in your prayers this weekend ....

Earlier: Sunday, 8/17, I was the first to wake up (still sleeping in the kitchen/dining tent) to a fresh, new snow; this time the night brought at least four inches of snow. Since all night was windy with the big kitchen tent rattling like a little rag, I thought that much of the snow in front of the tent was mostly blown by the strong winds. I looked at the table in front of the tent and realized that it was perhaps more like less than three inches.  Once again the landscape looked pristine, clean, and peaceful. As I was reading my e-mail correspondence (in particular one from Betty Anne Cox of Hartford, CT, where she described the contrast of our weather here of snow and cold, there torrential rain and quickly decreasing hours of daylight), my mind brought me home once again, thinking of the roof that leaks during heavy downpours.  She also sent me a poem that she had written in the past; it delighted me beyond words.  Betty Anne writes poems and articles and is a regular contributor to a major local newspaper in Hartford.  She’s also sending me regular political headlines as well as the latest Olympic results. Such e-mails are very welcome here, even though  world news is almost irrelevant. In a way I can understand these Balti people and their oblivion to what is happening in the rest of the world. This world is so different from ours, and I understand better how much the media shapes our lives, telling us what is new and what is important (or not).  As I find myself removed from the daily dose of our own propaganda, I realize more that there is nothing more important to me than my immediate family, my children, my wife and my parents. On a positive note, these trips outside civilization make me understand more of what life is all about. Here on the other side, seeing people here living in a rut of poverty--without even shoes, just sandals, for walking in deep snow--makes me appreciate more the country I live in.  America is the country I always wanted to live in, and I won't trade it for any other. Things are not perfect there, but I never look for perfection; I doubt that it exists in this world. It’s easy, after observing these conditions of poverty, to become sensitive to what your eyes can see, what your brain can analyze, how your heart sympathizes with the less fortunate struggling to make ends meet.

There are many moments when we think of what is fair and what is not; but regardless of our own conclusions, there is little we can do to change the place we’ve chosen to be right now.  Our team is here for a purpose, to try and stay focused on our destination, the summit of K2. I look up and get a glimpse of the mighty mountain; it doesn't look like it got much snow at all, even though the wind may have blown it away. I look down at Mt. Chogolisa and see for myself that the instant weather forecast for the next few hours will be nothing but the same bad weather--snow, wind, and so,,, playing more cards. I read again, for the tenth time, the forecast sent by Everestnews.com, the best and most reliable source of mountaineering news in the world, with Hanif giving us here the most detailed forecast to date. Although a little disappointed with the predicted forecast, I am personally pleased with its accuracy. It called for snow and winds and that's what it is. Hanif goes beyond his forecasting job and advises us not to venture up at least until Tuesday. Thank you, Everestnews.com, and thank you, Hanif. Please continue to help us with the forecast.  It will make a success/failure, life/death difference. 

All of Sunday was, quite frankly, pretty crappy with snow, almost zero visibility, fog and only minutes of sun. I received an invitation to dinner from Chuck and Dave--they would have a "reception" in the parlor (their kitchen/dining tent) to honor Mike's departure.  With his porters here, he’ll go down this morning after breakfast. For the short time I’ve known Mike, I have to say that he is a great guy, smart, articulate and fun to be with. I will not hesitate to join Mike for future expeditions. Chuck and Dave sat on the table enjoying the last drops of brandy in this BC.  We, one by one, sipped from the little Marmot bottle, a fine, smooth brandy; but, surprisingly, we left the bottle half full. The topic of the discussion was the funny, then hilarious, story of the flying mice. I asked our Pakistani staff where these little creatures come from.  Judging from their answer, I thought they were just being humorous: "From the blue sky,” repeated Ali, Rozi, and even Muna. I started to dig more into this; the answer came back even stronger. Ali swears he had had a personal experience with one mouse landing on his arm and lying motionless for five minutes before scurrying away. Ali claims that these mice have wings and are sort of like bats, with a metamorphosis-like transformation, shedding their wings and becoming regular mice. Pay attention, National Geographic, this can be big. The Pakistani claimed that mice landed once in C2 as well. I argued the more plausible explanation—that the mice were being transported in the many, many food barrels and boxes.  As for their presence at C2 , Ali has absolutely no problem with my theory, but for the mouse that landed on his arm from the sky, he insists that “seeing is believing" and argues that the mice in Skardu (where the food comes from) look much different from those we see here. Having earlier committed to a plan to capture Chini and keep this zoological discovery in my possession, I have no plans to share it with National Geographic.  Instead I will set Chini free and wish him a happy life hereafter.  Conclusion--the high altitude affliction, hypoxia, is obvious among the Pakistanis as well as among ourselves.

I will come back with the mice news as the story develops.

Today, Monday morning, 8/18, Chogori looks once again inhospitable: the very top is in clouds, and, looking down at Mt. Chogolisha, I get the impression that today will be another card-playing day. After all, the forecast calls for just that. But, tomorrow is another day.  I am thinking of my children and family, my phone bill has gone over the cliff so I won’t be able to call home; so I use this venue to send you all at 51 Lorraine St. much love.  Please have faith in me that I will not do foolish things here. I miss you so much. From the Goodwin Austen Glacier, George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition exclusively for Everestnew.com only.

Earlier: George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition exclusively for Everestnews.com

The forecast we got from Everestnews.com [Hanif] has been right on target so far. Knowing Friday would be unpleasant and too dangerous to climb the slopes of K2, we decided to go ‘”sightseeing”, as Mingma put it. Dave and Chuck had the same idea, so we all picked up our backpacks, departing on a two-hour hike to ABC to camp there. If the weather, by some miracle, shows any sign of improvement, we will climb up directly to C2 and try to camp there instead. With Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori expedition’s thorough preparedness (with camp stashed with all the necessities of gas, food, oxygen, extra sleeping bags), we wanted to make the trip just to stay in shape for our eventual summit bid. As we settled in ABC, the night fell quickly, but we managed to get some soup.  The cold air started to bite, so everyone bundled up in the sleeping bags--except me. Having miscalculated the number of sleeping bags at ABC, I ended up without one.  But with the extra fleece and Mingma's down suit, I was able to keep warm. Just as I was falling asleep, I heard the noise of icy snow hitting our EMS tent, sounding like handfuls of rice being thrown on top of the tent. I sat up and saw that it was snowing "hard", just as Hanif had reported to Everestnews.com. I tried to get back to sleep but the noise was too much. As I rolled from one side to another, I felt the rocks beneath my back--my Thermarest had lost its air. I turned the lamp on; Mingma was completely covered in his down sleeping bag, along with Rinjing, sharing the same sleeping bag, purring like a cat next to him.  Chuck, Dave, and Mike were silent, sleeping  in the two tents next door.  Lying there I began losing hope that we would be going anywhere but down.  I tried again to get some sleep just in case we do go up; I can’t afford to be too tired going directly to C2. I woke up and saw a little light, but clouds rushing in from below were an indication the weather won’t be what we want. Rinjing sat up and sighed, “Ma, ma, ma, ma”. I learned years ago upon first meeting him that this response is his way of saying that things are not good.  He unzipped the vestibule and shut it in just two seconds and lay down next to Mingma again. I stared at the top of the tent thinking of my children at home, the unfinished second floor bathroom which I gutted almost a year ago, and all the remodeling things I still have to do in order to bring our early twentieth century home in Hartford, Connecticut, to its original appearance. My thoughts were interrupted by the conversation Mike and Chuck were having next door. I noticed Mike going down to BC--the weather wasn’t good; but I thought, “George, so far you’ve gotten accurate forecasting.” Rinjing, always a gentleman, got up and in just a few minutes the stove was roaring. Mingma was still completely covered. Rinjing handed me a large cup of coffee, not like the one I had in BC but good enough for the altitude. I asked Chuck if he wanted a cup of coffee, so he joined us.   As the tent got warmer Mingma joined us for our morning coffee chat. Dave poked his head through the door, making a funny comment. Then, with the five of us inside the EMS tent, we all agreed that, after the morning brew, we would all go down.

Dave looked at Mingma and said, "We go down, smoke a cigarette, Muna make good food, and we’ll sleep well." We all laughed. This is the kind of atmosphere I really like when climbing a big mountain like this--having such good company with climbers like Chuck and Dave makes me love these adventurous trips even more. Just as we were ready to leave, Dave noticed two large plastic bags of garbage left by other climbers under a large boulder. "Should we carry this garbage down"?  Dave asked us.  Goraks (blackbirds) had chewed through the two bags, so I asked if anybody had an extra. empty one. Chuck went to Mike's tent  to get two large kitchen bags; I took one and Dave one--we did something good for the environment. The garbage will be taken down by our porters when they arrive. Ali, our cook, separated all the aluminum and tin cans for recycling and the rest of the garbage will be incinerated. Although our trip to ABC was not what we intended, it was fun and helpful.  Too many days of playing cards with little physical activity isn’t good for any of us.

On the way back down to BC, I could see Mingma and Rinjing hurrying to the kitchen tent.  With empty stomachs, our minds directed us to our kitchen and, to my surprise, my favorite food was being served--bean soup. Having been gone from ABC for a night, I worried about Chini, the little mouse that took residence in our kitchen after Hoselito Bite, the Serbian climber, abandoned him.  He had plenty to eat for now and, in the night, I woke up with him sleeping on my belly. I really wanted to bring him inside my sleeping bag but so far I did not have enough ‘communication’ with him. Chini was baptized by Hoselito; I was grateful the Serbian climber, like me, was an animal lover. Chini has rounded up a little and I worried he’d become obese and get sick; after all he doesn't have to search for food—it’s everywhere. I asked Ali what Chini's nationality was: is he from Hushe, Askoli, is he Balti or what?  To my surprise Ali and most Pakistani think the mice come from the sky; maybe, but Chini must’ve piggy-backed on some of our food barrels. So now the poor thing is without friends or girlfriend, and all he has to do is eat. One thing for sure: he is acclimatized and, if in some way I can talk with him, I’ll ask him to join me for a summit push. If not, I told Ali to catch him before we go down and hand him over to me. I want to take him from here to the nearest village and tell him that there is much more to life than eating all day. I’m worried Chini will venture outside when it’s warm, for a sun bath.  He must be careful--the big black ravens and Goraks are everywhere and, most importantly, hungry.  How can I warn Chini of the ever present dangers, one bad move and he’ll no longer be with me. I’ll be brokenhearted; seriously, I love mice and all animals. I got used to seeing him; he’s my pal now. Ali told me he spotted him inside the tissue box (no surprise here; he’s not stupid), a lofty, soft and warm place.  My down jacket, softer and warmer than the tissue, will be off limits, if he discovers it.  It was an accident that Chini got here--if I leave him here he won't survive the winter, too cold and without food he will venture outside and get snatched by the black bird. I take this opportunity to ask people how I can save Chini from death. How can I fool him into a trap, put him inside my jacket pocket and take him down to a village where he can go on with his life? Thanks in advance for the advice. Ali promised he will try to capture him but at this point he doesn't know how to, either. 

This is where our minds have taken us while we wait for good weather! Cheers for Chini.

From The Goodwin Austen Glacier, George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 expedition exclusively for Everestnews.com

Earlier: From The Goodwin Austen Glacier, George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition exclusively for Everestnews.com.

8/13--I woke up again this morning to a white mantle of newly fallen snow from yesterday and last night. Chogori AKA K2 was invisible in the morning; Ali, our cook, woke up earlier to prepare breakfast, mine the usual espresso--only this time it was a double.  Dave, Chuck and Andy went up the day before yesterday to C2 to check out the route and conditions. Chuck and Andy returned to BC the same day but Dave decided to stay overnight at C2. The weather turned bad and Dave returned the next day with quite a story.  Playing cards remains our only pastime. We hope for a break in the weather to at least be able to move around, go to ABC or the upper camps. Andy came up to say goodbye--his time had run out and, although his departure was announced days in advance, we were sorry to see him go. 

On the light side—We keep two tables outside for lunch during good weather; but now loaded with snow, Mingma, our veteran sherpa, started to build a snow man on top of them.  While we chatted with Andy, the snowman began to take shape: Mingma created an image of himself, we think.  We knew it wasn’t a snow woman, but with a closer look, we noticed one of the snowman’s ‘private parts’ was disproportionately long. Before the snow man began to melt, Dave took a snap shot of it. It was a hilarious note for Andy’s departure, one he’ll probably remember for a long time.

As we sat outside Dave's kitchen tent, basking in a fleeting sun, an avalanche came cascading down, pouring freshly deposited, powder snow down a narrow gully. The noise made us scramble for a video camera--I got quite a few minutes of this amazing display of nature at its most fierce, an event always feared by climbers who venture onto mountains loaded with snow. Last night another loud noise made us rush outside to see "what's falling now?”.  Just behind our kitchen tent, a massive rock falling avalanche, rocks the size of wash machines, tumbled down the mountain’s steep slopes, taking more rocks with them.  The  velocity of the falling rocks caused them to crash violently into others in their path, making them disintegrate almost into powder. Tons and tons of rocks tumbled to the bottom. All that remained was a cloud of rock dust, hissing an echo of the piercing noise. We couldn’t resist watching such a powerful display; it made me think even more how insignificant and powerless we are in this environment on K2. 

Staying inside because of the weather makes our isolation seem worse--we need to exercise to keep our bodies in shape. None of us have a short wave radio, so we all are craving for news from home.  At this point, even political news is welcome. Olympics....go, USA, for the most gold medals!

To my family: Sunny, Shiny, Lakpa, Claudia, my niece, and my father, Valeriu. I am fine, don't worry about me, we are safe here in BC; it may take more days before we head up the mountain once again.

On behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition George Dijmarescu reports exclusively for Everestnews.com

Earlier: Today, Tuesday, Aug 12, I woke up to a warm morning, went outside and saw the landscape of a fairyland--everything white, soft, and, most important, clean. The snow continued through our time at breakfast.  I placed a radio call to Dave, who went yesterday to C2 and decided to stay there.  He reported wind and snow, but his main concern was the danger of an avalanche. I always ask him to be extra careful on the way down; so, as always, he complies—safety first. The forecast we received from Everestnews [Hanif's] is so far perfect: today; Tuesday, was predicted to be "hard", with the two following days to be good weather, and Friday’s weather  deteriorating again.

Mt. K2 is in a bad mood now, but we hope the mood will change and give us a chance to prove our abilities to climb it.

Yesterday we played cards with Mingma, Rinjing, Ali and Muna, Chuck Boyd's cook. I was surprised how fast time passed as I learned one of the local card games. We laughed, and Ali once again enchanted us with the Balti songs and his pleasant voice. There isn’t much to do here while waiting for good weather. I was planning to hike up to the icefall here to get a better view of how deep the crevasses are, but poor visibility made it prohibitive for good picture taking.  For perfect pictures, I need a clear day.  A two-hour climb on a scree slope will put me almost at the heart of the icefall with more icefall above. It must be an impressive sight. As I look up, Chogori AKA K2 shows its face only at the lower elevations, so I placed another radio call to Watson, who, still on his descent, responded that he was in “full winter condition”, with "frozen ropes, spindrift and wind".  But warming temperatures will most likely make the snowy white mantle disappear, with the rocky moraine on which we live, once again, all too familiar. 

It’s so easy to lose your drive for the summit with weather like this, but our Sunny Mountain Guides group is determined as ever to be patient with this mountain and wait till it says "welcome". Time, patience and luck--the first two we have; the last, we will see. A few good wishes from the Everestnews readers will be very welcome messages at this time. [You can e-mail them at ] We don't have the wherewithal to just do "nothing"!  Thanks in advance. Once again a message to my family, Sunny, Shiny and Lakpa, as well as my niece, Claudia, and my father, Valeriu:  I love you all so much.  Please have faith in me that I will make the right decision; my decisions will be with you all in mind. I miss you.

From the Goodwin Austen Glacier on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition, George Dijmarescu reports exclusively for Everestnews.com

Earlier: For the K2 expedition, Lakpa Sherpa (Sherpani) six-time Everest summiter, dispatched two sherpa here--one, her brother-in-law, Rinjing Sherpa, a four-time Everest summiter, and Mingma Thunduk Sherpa, also a four-time summiter of Everest but also an older, veteran Himalayan summiter of numerous other, eight-thousand-meter giants. I had met Mingma, this man of small stature years before on Everest, but got to know him better at a party in Kathmandu at the home of one of Lakpa's twin sisters, Pasang.  (Married to a French man from Paris and residing there as well, often return to Kathmandu, in part to get their son, Dani, used to the Nepali language.) It was a party I will never forget--most sherpa were from Makalu, happily celebrating their summits. Large grilled fish, lots of salads with American-bought dressing, were served along with Carlsberg beer and French wine; we listened to music from all over the world, including Romania. The sherpa wore kadar, the traditional Nepali shawl with shades of light yellow, representing good wishes. Elderly Nepali folks joined the party as well. Mingma, with his ever-present smile and small stature, stood apart from most. As our climbing partner here, Mingma has the job of ensuring K2 is summited and summited safely. Only last year Mingma topped out K2 with a Korean woman. They summited rather late, at 6 p.m. but managed to be back in C4 by 10:30 p.m. As a climber who knows the route, Mingma serves as the eyes and our guide to the summit; his knowledge of the mountain is vital to our success. I sat down with Mingma many times and he told me stories of his past climbs, but one seems to circle time and again. As I made the comment that K2 is much harder than Everest, he assured me that I haven't seen a hard and dangerous climb yet:

The South Face Of Lhotse in winter, arguably the most dangerous climb anywhere. But why in winter--isn't South Face hard enough, why in winter?  Well, one only has to listen to Mingma about his experience just last year, 2007. The expedition started in December, the main reason being that the Korean team banked on the fact that cold temperatures would keep the shear rock and ice face in one piece and not send missiles down on the summit.  Wishful thinking. Mingma was chosen to be the sherpa leader, or sirdar, and he gathered nine sherpa, with six from Makalu. The only place safe from falling rock is ABC; and after going only to C1, four sherpa considered it suicidal and left the team with only five sherpa.

The Korean climbers made every effort to keep up with the Nepalese sherpa, and helped them fix the ropes as well. The BC is only an hour from the village of Chukum--a green, relaxing place. On his team was also Pasang Bhote who perished here on K2 Aug 1st.

Mingma described the South face of Lhotse:  "From ABC is ice, then at C1 rock, then ice hill, then rock, C2 is ice, then rock, C3 is only rock, the C4 at 8075m was not established, except in ABC, rock fall is ever present."

The first sherpa who was hit was Nima Tenzing of Makalu.  A large rock hit his left thigh, seriously injuring him.  He was sent limping to Kathmandu for treatment, but the brave, perhaps foolish, sherpa wanted to come back for more, and did. Only five days after his return working on the upper slopes of Lhotse, Nima Tenzing’s fingers froze and were amputated in Kathmandu. Nima Sherpa became the next victim of the notorious Lhotse when he was hit by a massive rock and ice boulder, dislocating his shoulder--putting him out of action and off the mountain. Two weeks in the hospital ended his climbing season. While carrying loads between C2 and C3, Lhakpa Unghel suffered frostbite to his fingers, but immediate treatment spared them the doctor's knife. One by one the team got smaller and smaller. The next victim, Pasang Nanghel of Thame, was hit by a rock in C1. Luckily it came at a weird angle, penetrating his down jacket and all the other layers of clothing Pasang was wearing, barely piercing his stomach.  But the force of the impact left the sherpa breathless, and constant pain made him abandon the climb. He spent two days in Khumjung Hospital and was released. Mingma's down jacket lost its loft due to the impact of small rocks hitting it, and he had no other weather protection to continue the climb. The leader of the Korean expedition, who only reached just above C1, called the climb to a halt. Lhotse will not succumb to the Korean team this time.

On the slopes of the same mountain, a strong Japanese team with 18 sherpa made better progress and reached the top, or so they claim; however, the sherpa had a different story. Tired and exhausted, confused sherpa claimed that the team made a lesser summit, not the main one. Whatever the truth, the climbers battled an enormous, difficult mountain. So unfortunate was the Korean sherpa team that the talk about the rock falling even spread to me, but I never knew Mingma was part of it. The Koreans and Japanese rarely report their climbs to the outside world; their reports remain within their personal alpine clubs. The inability to speak English may contribute to their silence; but even though they didn’t reach the summit, their attempts and sacrifice ought to be recorded.

This story, as told by Mingma with his limited English, is only part of the story, from his point of view. Hard climbs such as the South Face of Lhotse will always remain examples of bravery. In spring of 2008, Mingma Thunduk Sherpa looked down from the top of Lhotse on the South Face, and it seemed it was hanging over entirely. Climbing again with a Korean expedition, this time on the normal route, Mingma reached the summit, together with his Korean climbing partner, without incident. 

The ascent this time followed the same route as Everest up to C3, both mountains share the three camps. The fourth camp at about 7700m is the starting point for the summit. The route continues from C4 upward on a plain snow field for about 2 hours, then follows the notorious Lhotse with its blue ice, visibly narrowing at the top. The middle summit is the main summit. The very top is very sharp and climbers can’t stand atop it; an ice axe planted on the icy summit serves as a good anchor for a summit picture. Mingma Thunduk Sherpa, from the village of Nurbugao in district of SankwaSabha in of Makalu, fulfilled his Lhotse summit dream this time on a more humane route. A hard climb at altitude over eight thousand meters, combined with its constant rock falling and frigid temperatures of Himalayan winter, brings such climbs to the very top of world mountaineering. The South Face of Lhotse even took the life of the ace Polish climber Kukuchka.

Many will follow Mingma and suffer the fate of Kukuchka.  But as long as there are difficult climbs, people will reach out with their own spirit of adventure and sacrifice. I was thrilled to hear Mingma's stories and felt privileged to have the opportunity to share not only this mountain but also his vast experience, his brushes with death, and his luck to be around us to share them.

From the Goodwin Austen Glacier George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition exclusivily for Everestnews.com

Earlier: In winter, people pay attention to the weather forecast, especially in New England, where I live. I rely on it, too, due to my occupation--but a forecast is a forecast.  We’ve benefited from technology, and most of the time the forecasts are on the mark.  But when it comes to climbing K2, we need a perfect forecast. As I write now in the kitchen tent, the temperatures drop with the wind chill factor.   The Everestnews.com forecast comes in, compiled by a conscientious Pakistani, Hanif. I’ve watched his forecast for the past year and know he’s dependable. Even this season at K2, Hanif has provided perfect forecast predictions. So, as predicted, the wind has started to pick up; he gave us a small window for a summit push with Wednesday and Thursday as the best days; but he also warned us that Tuesday and Friday will be "hard". So since the two good days are flanked by potentially stormy weather, we had no choice but to play safe here. The prediction that the following week will be unfavorable for a summit attempt made no impact on our decision to stay.  If we have to wait longer, we will; and if the mountain doesn't want to accept us this year, we will accept its wish--we want to go home as we came, in one piece and unscathed. As I got up during the night, I looked up on K2 and could see a fierce storm up high. The forecast is accurate so far--the winds are here to stay.  The current forecast does not go beyond Friday, so we’ll have to wait for the next report.  As always, passing time is something every climber does differently. Yesterday Dave Watson proposed we go do some bouldering; looking down from BC we saw a couple of big boulders just 15 minutes away. Dave, Andy and I started first, followed by Chuck Boyd a half- hour later. I knew Dave was a great rock climber, having seen him in action on Everest.  This time I just wanted to enjoy watching this smooth climber. Andy Selters used the opportunity for a photo shoot and, as he predicted, with K2 as a backdrop, it will produce some impressive shots for their sponsors. I scramble on the face of one of the larger boulders and, to my surprise, I was able to top out with only a few moves (helped by my height, reaching higher than a shorter climber). Andy took off his hiking boots and borrowed Dave Watson's Mamut rock climbing shoes, enabling him to top out one of the more difficult faces of the larger boulder. We sat down together at the bottom of the boulders and looking down at Broad Peak and the route up to Camp One, we commented on how much snow and ice has melted since they left the mountain. Dave has skied down the slope, but now it’s impossible. Chuck Boyd made a few moves himself on the boulders but mainly chose to do pull-ups.

Having spent a pleasant day outdoors, we arrived in BC and the wind started to pick up. Muna, their cook, was busy preparing dinner, and I chose to spend the evening with them. After eating, we tuned into a live radio interview on a local Salt Lake City station.  We joked that the radio station, the only one in the world to talk with K2 climbers, is stationed right in BC.  As Dave waited for the phone he got a glimpse of the US news: the Olympics, its troubles, and news of an outbreak of E-Coli in more than 20 states. Presently none of us have a short wave radio, so no news about what is happening at home.

The gas heater in the dining tent brought the temperatures way above the outside temperatures, but by now the wind was strong I headed back to my sleeping bag. I crawled inside, shut the gas light and tried to sleep. My children came to mind again so I became too restless to sleep. I decided to turn on the computer and write the last few notes and observations related to this expedition and my quest for K2 summit. But it was too cold to type, so I tried again to sleep.

The morning brought my Espresso coffee, which, for me, counts as breakfast (even at home). Looking up at K2, it looks inhospitable.  Although the winds have died down a little here in BC, on the upper slopes of Chogori, they have not. Another weekend spent at the foothills. I turned my mind to the vegetable garden I planted with my daughter Sunny--too many tomatoes, some lettuce, chilly peppers, etc.  She and I also planted a few cherry trees, a couple of peach trees and a couple of plum trees. Only time will tell if we are going to eat their fruit. It was a happy time spent with my kid, and now I crave a live image of those green surroundings of nature. In contrast, everything here is dead except us. The spectrum of color is limited--black, white and in between. I just want to lie down on a field of green grass, fall asleep smelling the grass instead of the unwashed synthetic fabrics of my clothes. I don't want to see the down feathers on my fleece jacket but instead want a freshly washed cotton T-shirt and a pair of shorts. But my self-exiled environment is what I deserve. 

Again I say hello and goodbye to my children, Sunny and Shiny; my wife, Lakpa; my niece, Claudia Dijmarescu, who writes me E-mails asking smart questions; and my father Valeriu.  Hello to my customers, especially to Lauree, (sorry my computer with your E-mail address has stopped working) in Hartford, CT.  I once again ask for your patience; when I get back we’ll start that second floor bathroom remodel; meanwhile, enjoy your new swimming pool.

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From the Goodwin Austen Glacier, on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides 2008, George Dijmaresscu reports exclusivily for Everestnews.com

After receiving the weather report from Everestnews.com we had the hope we’d be going for a summit push. Chuck Boyd's forecast came as a surprising match of what we had, with the slight exception that next Thursday may not be a full day of good weather, which could put us at the summit in a storm. After intense debate, we agreed that we need a minimum of a good, two-day window to safely make a dash for the summit and retrace our steps back down at least to Camp 3. But now, with only one and a half days, we decided not to take this dangerous risk. It is also reported that the following week will be a no-go for the summit, so I made the decision to wait. Mingma and Rinjing accepted my decision, so we’ll all be waiting for new forecasts. The wind already started to pick up here in BC as well as on the upper slopes of K2, so all that remains here for us to do is watch the great mountain's mood and be flexible with it. I always said that climbers with time on their side have a better chance to summit without incident.  It was years ago that I adopted this philosophy--making sure I am not constrained by the time, pressures of work, lifestyle and other normal life commitments. Time will tell if I am right.

Dave Watson and Chuck Boyd, the only other two climbers from the other group still interested in summiting, had to resign to the same approach; the winds up high are of great concern, with the wind chill factor sending temperatures way below an acceptable level. Looking down toward Concordia and, in particular, at Chogolisa, our instant weather forecast makes us say: yeah, if Chogolisa looks bad, K2 will be bad. It is true our mood has sunk to a negative level due to the unfavorable forecast; every climber wanted to start the climb ASAP.  Staying in BC for too long is not a good idea--muscles have to be exercised, lungs inflated, mental state kept sharp. It is silent here in BC most of the time, and it will get even more silent after the last porters depart today. In the night we were used to seeing lit tents everywhere we looked, up or down, but last night our camp was the only one lit. Ali, our kitchen boy, has entertained us single-handedly with Balti songs and improvised drum beating. Knowing how to pass the time has become crucial. With my laptop in non-working condition, and unable to watch movies, I try to keep my mind relaxed as much as possible. The sun still shines for now in BC, but the weather may deteriorate.

Much love to my family back in Hartford, Connecticut, and especially to my younger daughter, Shiny, who is one and a half years old today. Happy Birthday, young life.

From The Goodwin Austen Glacier George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition exclusively for Everestnews.com

Earlier: George Dijmarescu reporting on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition exclusively for Everestnews.com

Today is another sunny day--warmth sending streams of water on the main and only path of our shrinking walks up and down the moraine. Drawn by the gravitational pull, nothing can stop this melting glacier, streams of clean water winding chaotically between rocks and newly present donkey dung. My visits are only to Chuck Boyd's camp only yards away. Their set-up is clean with delicious food; Muna, the cook, is very good and today I was invited to eat couple of slices of pizza--the best pizza since I left Kathmandu, where Fire and Ice rules the pizza taste. But here one has to be thankful with less, and Muna keeps the standards up. I also said goodbye to some of the Americans who departed today, with them Dorje, who gave me a big hug and wished us good fortune and luck. Their steps down the hill appear to be rushed, with Dorje as the only summiter and the rest appearing to want to go to civilization, to their own respective lifestyles, and, like me, return to their families. I left my family with sadness in my heart, as tomorrow, my younger daughter, Shiny, will be 18 months old. She was born a sweet and rather big girl! Her pediatrician told us she will be a tall girl, which may not give her the chance to be a top climber--but basketball is a big sport in America. She must be confused hearing my voice on the phone and wondering where her playing partner has gone. Being a father is a big disadvantage for high altitude climbers.

I keep the pictures of both children hanging around my neck and remove them only when I am showering; they're reminders of the world I belong to, the world of responsibilities toward the young lives I brought into this world. My aging father, also at home, still holds on against all odds with his liver transplant which, to this day, surprises his doctors at Hartford Hospital. I must stay focused on the climb but must also be home to walk my six-year-old daughter, Sunny, to Noah Webster School in Hartford, Connecticut, where she starts first grade. This is important, and K2 is important (I know, brother, you have disagreed with me for a long time, and this is fine).

The tension of going up to summit K2 is unique--you have to live it to understand it, with the thought of possibly seeing some of the guys who were partying with us just couple of weeks ago lying mortally wounded by a vengeful, collapsing serac. They had been clapping along with Pakistani kitchen staff, singing pleasant Balti songs. I remember Gerard, who always sat in front of the "live band", clapping, imitating the distinctive Balti way of clapping. His beard grew long after the long stay here at the foothills of K2. Gerard, "The Irish," as we all got to know him, resided in Alaska with his girlfriend. Our long evening discussion with him brought me to realize that he was a fine man who was living a full life but a life on the edge. May God rest his soul here on this mountain.

The loss of 11 climbers has left a void in all of us, but it could have been worse. With the survivors now talking, I will say that if there is a need to find a hero, no one comes close to Pemba Sherpa, one of the climbers from the Norit team. He single-handedly saved the lives of three people who chose not to rest until their expedition leader was found. With a stroke of luck he was spotted from BC and below, and Pemba was directed to the place where the stranded leader was. Days after the leader was airlifted from BC, Pemba voiced his opinion .. His words were not light. I asked Pemba to speak out to ensure future understanding and clarification, and he promised that we will be sitting together in Kathmandu to further discuss what he will have to say publicly about the 2008 K2 season. I also told him that Everestnews.com is a very good place to start, the Internet being the fastest way to report today, and that the print can follow later. This sherpa climber, Pemba, showed us all that he is a man who cares about life (a true Buddhist), and as he put it, "Western people one day will understand that there is a big difference between sherpa and the rest of the world when it comes to high altitude mountaineering." Pemba was not shy in admitting that there are some climbers with exceptional climbing abilities, matching those of sherpa. Even this year, a young Spaniard climbed the mountain, almost totally silent and even helped with fixing the ropes. So there is no intent to generalize here, but I think most climbers have no doubt about sherpa strength at high altitude, and their ability for making proper judgment.

If the media or anybody is interested in what happened this year on K2, then there is no better question than this one: What were you doing at 8PM on the summit of K2? And, if the survivors can answer this question truthfully, then more should be told. The weather was better than any climber wishes for--the mountain was on their side. The blame game has begun, but in the end, I will assure you, the victims were at fault. Two women walked away with the summit and their lives, but one lost her life partner, her husband, and I could feel the sadness that surrounded her when I saw her in ABC. I hope her scars will heal, but the memories of summiting K2 with someone will never fade or be forgotten. She goes home as a hero and a champion; perhaps as a champion who never wanted to wear the medal, but will, perhaps, just for her beloved husband. Lakpa and I have summited Everest together five times and we've often discussed the possibility of one or both of us remaining on the slopes of Everest. The thought of walking home without your climbing partner, let alone your life's partner, is crushing. So the reality that this young woman is facing, versus our mere thoughts, must be quite different. Their having children at home magnifies the grief exponentially. The 2008 K2 chapter will be critical, but the lesson learned from it is what is important. The negative publicity will bring more climbers next year and, if history repeats itself, well, history always repeats itself.

From the Goodwin Austen Glacier, George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides 2008 Chogori Expedition exclusively for Everestnews.com

Earlier: George Dijmarescu reporting on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 exclusively for Everestnews.com

After the tumultuous and, to some, disastrous summit and summit attempts of the majority of climbers at this almost empty BC, the mountain appeared to be relieved of the human burden. Piles of garbage at camp one and lesser at the superior camps, gear abandoned by tired and rushing-for-rich-air climbers, some too tired to pick up their own sleeping bags. In some cases, precious equipment and electronics were left behind only to lighten their loads. Sunny Mountain Guides decided to pull down some of our own tents, finding it unnecessary to keep up there and risk losing to high winds. There are just far too many tents left behind that we could occupy.

The mighty K2 appears serene and calm, with a cloudless sky. The nights are also warm, displaying a sky sought after by many--the unmistaken projection of the Milky Way adds brightness to the night landscape. The silence of the night brings us the sounds of the ice-moving phenomenon of glacial movement and, since we are residing on this moving river of ice, we could hear the cracks of ice, some with sharp clicking sounds, while others on the opposite side were sounds of 'thung', reminding us that nature is so powerful. The tents on BC remained perched like nests on top of ice mounds that once were leveled with everything else. In no other place have I seen such a rapid melting of ice. It would be impossible to sleep in the same place; one would need a ladder to climb up to the tent, so climbers find new places for their little residences. I decided to move my house to the kitchen tent and just keep my personal tent for some of my equipment. The temperatures of daylight bring small waterfalls, and with avalanches on the flanks of Broad Peak and K2, rock falls are such an ordinary event that we don't even pay attention to them.

As had happened on Everest, it appears that the climbing season here is delayed by about two weeks. When the first K2 expeditions arrived there was almost a foot of snow.  Belongings were left behind, and I saw sleds for carrying up the gear. BC is nothing but rock flanked on either side by an ever growing river of glacier ice.  On one side are the toilets, on the other the drinking water. Burning garbage becomes the routine end of the expeditions; with climbers gone for days, the Pakistani staff burns everything including propane gas cartridges that display loud bomb-like detonations and, like everything else, they make a joke about it: Bin Laden is here and is testing new devices for America. Porters arrive in ever smaller numbers; it seems there aren’t enough of them as hundreds of plastic barrels are left behind and ‘harvested’ by needy Pakistani villagers.

With all the different things on display here, in a way I feel relieved of the crowd that only a few days ago made up the majority of BC.  At almost fifty meters away, we set up camp, the "Connecticut Connection", with Chuck Boyd as the leader and Dave Watson, who was born in Southington, CT. In addition, there is Andy from California who is not only a climber but also a writer and photographer. Andy, like any professional, is trying to relay to the world what had transpired here with the unprecedented tragedy of losing 11 climbers in just one day in what I call a "freak accident.”  As Dave Watson and I were discussing how it will be described to the world, a dismayed, uncharacteristic look came over his face as he said, “It will be told by someone half-way across the world who is not a real climber but perhaps with a seasoned climber to add drama to the story in order to sell.” Sure enough, I just learned that Outside Magazine is planning a story and that one of the writers will be M. Kodas of Hartford, Connecticut. He lives less than a mile from my house and, from my personal experience with this man, I will just say that Outside is making a grave mistake assigning him to this story.  As a photographer who works for a local newspaper, he often manipulates the truth in his stories, under the guise of journalistic freedom of speech. For the many of us who know this, we won’t buy the magazine.  Why not choose a writer such as David Roberts to tell the story, a man who has mesmerized the world with his books?  Or why couldn’t Andy, the man who witnessed it, who talked with the climbers involved and had first hand observation of the events, be selected to take on this task? As I look at the whole picture, I anticipate more erroneous reporting, a gross disservice to the events that unfolded on K2 these past few weeks.

I am happy with my Everestnews.com dispatches--they have kept my family informed of the progress of my small expedition on K2; they have served me well during my collaboration with them on the 1998 genesis of my Everest climbing experiences. I found Everestnews.com to be the best and most reliable source of information for climbers, and their families and friends. For those who enjoy gossip, there is the other website who claims to be the best above the rest but, in fact, all they do is go after the climbers’ websites and copy their material without being given proper permission, and then call it reporting. They have attacked me as well as many top climbers, even Messner, without any shame.  I encourage climbers to avoid the other American website and keep collaborating with Everestnews.com; the people here are, most importantly, ethical.  Each time I asked them not to publish sensitive material, they didn’t.  I have trusted them since 1998; you should trust them, too. They are the true source of information about serious mountains and serious mountaineers. Mountaineering is not a sport where corporations can sell tickets and make a profit.  Sometimes they send a filming crew to “document” the climb but most of the time the result is not reality.  As climbers, we don’t come here for publicity and, from my previous experience, I will never again allow a journalist to speak with me, let alone get close to me.

Apparently, my sentiment is shared by a man who was here on the mountain during this expedition.  While I was in the vicinity of the Serbian camp, I approached a man with a distinctive moustache, slim, and close to my age.  I wanted to ask him about Christian Stagl (sorry for misspelling his name) since I saw them talking several times. I learned that he is German and that he may be the only German on K2. He spoke very good English and, early on in our conversation, I learned that he was a Karakorum veteran who wandered this inhospitable land for many years. His square jaws were typical of the Germanic race, the wrinkles on his face testimony to the years of exposure to the harsh temperatures and environment. Our conversation drifted to the subject of Lhotse, so I brought up a young Nepalese woman named Pemba Doma who fell to her death on Lhotse. “I know Pemba,” voiced the German climber, “she was my sister-in-law.” I remained mute for at least five seconds. “Then you must know Lakpa Sherpa," referring to my wife. "Yes, I know Lakpa, and I know you."   “Are you married to a sherpa woman?” I continued.  “Of course,” the man across from me replied in a calm voice.

Lakpa summited Everest on May 18, 2000--one day before Pemba, who topped out on May 19, the same day I made my oxygen-less ascent in 2000. Lakpa became the first Nepalese woman to climb Mt. Everest and speak about it, and Pemba remained, unfairly, unnoticed. As I continued to listen to the strong German man, the conversation drifted to the subject of journalism on the big mountain. The man in front of me did not waste much time before he made clear his dislike for journalists, his feelings so strong that he made it clear he would never talk with any of them. "They are all the same."  If you think about it, this was a powerful statement. Before we parted, I asked, " What is your name, sir?"  An almost silent reply came: "Peter."  “Sorry?” I asked. “Peter,” he repeated.  "Peter.”  And the last name, sir?" “Guggemos.” “Wait a minute--you are the famous Peter Guggemos?” As he walked away, he turned half-way toward me and shrugged. We shook hands and we exchanged smiles. As he parted he told me that I could use his Camp 2 tent and that he was not going back up. For years I knew this man’s name and his accomplishments; it was truly a pleasure to meet him.  I never knew that, he too, is married to a sherpani woman. Rest assured, in the years to come the world will learn more about Mr. Guggemos.

The attention remains on K2, the most difficult mountain in the world to climb.  For those of us who remain here, the quest for the summit is a matter of believing that what happened is nothing more than a freak accident, not failure on the part of the expeditions. What could the chances have been that you are under a serac just as it collapses??  We think it seems impossible that the same thing will happen when we are there, so our group has decided that we will not be deterred by the unfortunate accident that happened a few days ago. Our confidence is solid and we’ve decided to attempt the summit next week. 

Our Pakistani expedition provider, Jasmine Tours has called in to assure us of their extended commitment; Asghar Ali Porik has committed more food with fresh vegetables and anything else we may need, but since we were well supplied from the beginning, I assured him we are just fine for now.  The only item we are missing is the beer, but it will take far too many days for the beer to arrive here so we didn’t ask for it. Thank you, Jasmine Tours, for the services. 

In conclusion, as always, I say hello and good-bye to my two lovely children Sunny and Shiny, to my wife and boss, Lakpa, back in Hartford, Connecticut; to my niece Claudia Dijmarescu; to my father, Valeriu; and to all my customers and neighbors who know about my trip here to Pakistan. 

From the Goodwin Austen Glacier and on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008, George Dijmarescu reports exclusively for Everestnews.com 

Earlier: Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition reports from Base Camp exclusively for EverestNews.com

Earlier: July 16th 2008.

Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 Expedition reports from Concordia.

Due to power problems I wasn't able to send any news about our group climbing K2.

Because of the Tibet issue this Spring I decided to climb K2 instead. Preparations were made quite late and, because Pakistan requires a 60-day waiting period for granting permits, our group was formed hastily. This K2 expedition marks the serious starting point for Sunny Mountain Guides, a company run by Lakpa Sherpa of Hartford Connecticut.  Because she is my wife and is home nursing our second child, I decided to take care of the entire trip on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides.  Our group consists of two climbers from Romania, the star of the group being a  25-year-old woman, Thea.  She is a determined young woman who makes her living in Romania and Switzerland as a ski instructor and member of the ski patrol in Switzerland. With her is her partner, Mircea, who lives in Romania and, although he's a few years older than Thea, shares the same aspirations. Mircea initially wanted to climb Everest but unfortunately this Spring no foreign climbers were allowed.

 

Lakpa decided that in order to secure a better enviroment for a safe and succesful ascent she hired two of her family members. Our sirdar, Mingma Sherpa of Makalu, summited K2 last year with a Korean team and helped a Korean woman summit the great mountain. Mingma just returned from Lhotse where he summited without any problems. Mingma has summited Everest four times. The second sherpa is Rinjin of Makalu, whose wife is Lakpa's sister (hence, my brother-in-law).  Rinjin has also summited Everest four times and helped Chuck Boyd in 2004 with his summit. They are eager to see each other here, and I, too, George Dijmarescu, am a first-time visitor to K2.

 

The mountain is indeed impressive but, although I seem to like it a lot, I hope not to visit it 10 times, as I have Everest. But, as the locals say: IshAlah or God willing.

Our Expedition provider is Jasmine Tours of Islamabad, Pakistan, and is run by Asghar Ali Porik.

 

Just got to Concordia today, tomorrow BC. First glimpse of K2, impressive, very impressive. A good summit day for K2 but no one is up now. All members are in good health, but I miss my daughters, Sunny and Shiny and thought about them all day today. I wish Sunny would talk with me on the phone when I call.  Also wondering how first grade school registration is going for her. Our weather is fine but a little too hot, so I hiked in shorts until today. Last night was cold with temperatures below freezing.

 

July 17th:

Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 reports from Base Camp.

Shortly before reaching BC I decided to visit Broad Peak BC where I knew two of my climbing partners form Everest 2004 and 2006 would be. Sure enough as I approached the camp I was greeted by their cook and Andy, one of their climbing partners, who decided to give his body a rest due to the heat. It was nice to meet this gentleman form California; he seemed to know a great deal about me from Dave Watson who climbed with Lakpa and me  in 2004 and 2006. According to his note to me, Dave knew I was supposed to be coming soon. Andy patched me on a radio call with them and Chuck Boyd was the first to answer the call.  Just like me he seemed to be excited to hear my voice. What a small world!  I spoke with Dave a little longer, and he assured me he would visit K2 BC as soon as they came back from C3 on Broad Peak. I said good buy and marched on to my own place on the mountain.

 

As we walked a large avalanche swept down the face of the mountain with huge clouds of powder snow, engulfing most of BC. No one was hurt or inconvenienced so most people took video and photos of the event. Just as I walked in met another old friend, Joselito, from Serbia. We first met on Everest a few years back and he hasn't changed. He recognized me just as fast as I recognized him. The rest of the day we spent sorting out porters and we said good bye to those who had accompanied us for the last six days. We spent the chilly  evening being entertained by a band of Balti staff. I could never understand how anyone  could  have such a good time without a sip of acohol. We managed to break the rules in Islamabad and managed to get some 100 cans of beer. All except two had survived the trek to BC, and the singing lasted well into the early morning hours. Chogori AKA K2 welcomed us with a great view of its majesty with as blue a sky as any summiter wishes for. I was surprised to see all the climbers in BC; it was rumored that bad weather was coming and with such a miriad of weather forecasts, climbers make decisions on their own. Our Puja took place today; it seemed a little funny because, instead of a lama praying for us as was done on my ten previous Everest expeditions, the songs were played on an IPod with speakers. We were generous enough to share our supply of beer with all the people who were interested in joining our Puja. Mingma and Rinjin decided to make a trip to ABC because they thought Thursday would be a better day than Friday. I decided to catch up on the E-mails and news. The great mountain showed us the second perfect summit day, and I wished I were up there!   'Til next time, stay tuned. Signing off from K2 base camp on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides.

George Dijmarescu.

PS Much love to my two children Sunny and Shiny Dijmarescu and to my wife, Lakpa, for empowering me with this great privilege to be at the base of this great mountain.

 

Today: 07/18/08

Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008 reports from BC. Today Mircea and I made our first carry to ABC. Mingma and Rinjin decided to give themselves a well deserved rest after they carried five tents yesterday at ABC.  We had our back packs loaded with food, some gas and two shovels. It was surprising to see that the way to ABC is an intricate zig-zag between ice pinnacles marked with flags on top of bamboo sticks. We lost our way and wasted about 45 minutes but regained the route shortly after.  Looking up the Abruzzi Ridge it appeared to look quite easy, with Mingma encouraging us that K2 is much easier than the Tibetan side of Everest.  Oh well, his opinion, we will just have to see. The slope is quite gentle along a rock band. We were lucky to see a couple from Norway sliding down on their butts and having fun on the way down, oblivious to the well-advertised 'falling rock'.  Mircea and I spent about an hour at ABC when it started snowing. We went down all the way to BC with rice-like snow on our faces. At BC we had the best meal thus far so we congratulated Ali, our cook and kitchen boy. I have to announce that I made my way to ABC in blue jeans and Addidas sneakers; I fell in several puddles so my socks got saturated.  My next trip will be in different shoes. We spent the evening laughing along with our neighbor from Serbia. Tomorrow we'll make another carry to ABC and just watch for the weather as we hear it'll deteriorate on Sunday and two days after that. We want to make a trip to camp 2 as soon as the weather permits. Everybody is in good health, motivated and ready to go. 'Til next time, so long from K2 BC.  George Dijmarescu reports on behalf of Sunny Mountain Guides Chogori 2008.