Peter
Atanasov
Nikolay Petkov
Dear
Sirs, My name is Boyan Petrov and this summer I was a member in the Bulgarian
team for climbing Gasherbrum-1 and Gasherbrum-2 as a part of Jasmine Tours
shared permit. I am type 1 diabetic with previous experience in the Karakorum
Mt (2001- Bulgarian Broad Peak Expedition up to 7300m and 2005-
Polish-Bulgarian K2 Expedition up to 8150m).
With the present letter I would like to clarify some details of my accent to
Gasherbrum-2, which I did on 1st August 2009.
Gasherbrum-1 (26th July 2009)
As a
member of the Bulgarian team led by Mr. Nikolay Petkov, on 26th of
August 2009 all four members from our group (together with
Veikka Gustafsson
and Kazuya Hiraide)
reached the summit of G-1 between 10:40 and 11:25 AM.
On
27.07.2009, all four Bulgarians descended to Camp 1 (5960m), where I decided
to try solo Gasherbrum-2 in the following days.
Gasherbrum-2 (27th July – 2nd August 2009)
27.7.2009-
I climbed directly to Camp 3 (6950m) where I slept in the tent of the missing
Spanish climber Luis Barbero after taking the permission from the leader of
his team, Mr. Carlos Soria.
28.7.2009-
After two unsuccessful attempts (in 1AM up to 7100m and in 5AM up to 7250m) in
worsening weather conditions in 9AM I decided to go down. I reached Camp 1
about 1PM that day.
29.7.2009-
Rest day in Camp 1.
30.7.2009-
Again without support from any other climbers I broke the trail from Camp 1 to
Camp 3.
1.8.2009-
I
started alone for the summit at 3AM. Breaking the trail in the soft fresh snow
on the traverse beneath the summit pyramid was the most challenging part of
this climb. In about 12:15h was at about 100m below the summit ridge. I was
not fully prepared for climbing G-2 right after G-1 and did not read the
description about the last part of the climb. I was unable to estimate where
the true summit is and decided to climb straight up in the middle of the
ridge. I reached the sharp, corniced ridge in 1:10PM and broke the cornice to
see Broad Peak, K2 and beyond (Picture 1). Then I realized that the summit of
G-2 is actually to the left of me at about max. 40m (Picture 2).

Picture 1: Broad peak (in the
clouds) and
K2
on the back as seen from the summit ridge of Gasherbrum-2, 1.8.2009,
13:14h,
B. Petrov
Having
only one ice axe and a stick I started traversing towards the summit from the
Pakistani side. Beneath the fresh, powdered snow I stepped on a very hard ice
and in a fen to twelve meters horizontal traverse I felt twice for 2m. Then I
decided to quit. Thus the highest point reached by me is actually at about 30m
horizontally from the highest point of the Gasherbrum-2’ ridge and about 5-7m
lower.
In 5:10
PM I reached Camp 3 and found the Spanish Sechu Lopez and the Iranians Mohamed
and Hussein. All of them have planned to push for the summit in the next
morning and I decided not to disturb them. After a short break I continued to
descent and reached Camp 1 in 8:05 PM.
2.8.2009-
I
packed all the gear and the tent from Camp 1 and safely reached the Base
Camp.

Picture 2: The summit of
Gasherbrum-2 (the highest part of the snow ridge to the left) as seen from the
Chinese side of the mountain, 1.8.2009,
13:15h,
B. Petrov
6.8.2009-
While crossing Gondohoro La pass I fell 13m in a deep ice crevasse. I was
rescued by the Spanish Andres, Luis and Jorge with the help of several
porters.
18-29.8.2009-
I passed many medical urological, neurological and endocrinological
examinations, tests and other checks to verify the health consequences due to
all disorders I have suffered after the fall in the crevasse.
From
30.8.2009 I am resting with my family at the island of Thassos in Greece.
Please consider all facts and the enclosed pictures in this letter in order to
include me or not in the list of G-2 2009 summiteers.
With my
best greetings,
Boyan
Petrov
2nd
September 2009, Thassos, Greece.