Alfred Schreilechner Broad Peak and K2 Expedition 2004 update 16

7/8: We started at 2.00 AM for the summit. The snow was deep and horrible and making the tracks was exhausting. After a lot of the about 20 people which started had given up (Fred already turned around after a few hundred meters), Chad Rory and I, amongst others, reached Windy Col around midday (7800m). At 15.30 an Italian, 2 Swiss, Rory Chad and I stood in the antesummit (8035m). We could not proceed to the main summit, because the storm was too severe and we could see a bad weather front coming towards us (when we saw anything at all.). After not even 10 minutes we started descending and reached our camp at 6700m around 17.30. Special thanks to Chad and Rory who did superhuman work in making most of the tracks to the summit.

7/9: Rory, Chad and I have been sleeping in the camp at 6700m after our yesterdays summit. While descending yesterday afternoon bad weather has arrived from the south. During the night it started snowing and in the morning we had a veritable snowstorm. When we woke up at 4.00 AM, there were 5cm of snow inside my tent and another 50 cm outside. We cannot see 10m but nonetheless we have to start descending. After 300m in the whiteout we reach Camp 2 from whereon rocks mark the way. After Camp 1 the snow is getting horrible. As it has been clouded during the night the temperature hardly dropped below cero. The mixture of wet old and new snow is clumping onto the crampons, which makes walking difficult and dangerous. Thus the short stretch from Camp 1 downwards takes me more than 2 hours. After another 2 hours I reach Basecamp at 11.00 AM, thirsty and tired. After lunch I sort out my things a little, and play videos and pictures into my computer. It is snowing more and more. Peter has come to say good bye. He has to go home for personal reasons, which is a pity.

Video 1  Video 2 (To Save press "Right Mouse-button" and "Save Target as..."),

Me in windy col at Broad Peak (ca. 7800m):

Chad and I at Broad Peak, 8035m

7/10: Today not much happened. Peter (Guggemos) left Base camp today. The weather is not very good, sometimes there are a few snowflakes. Sergei returned from Broad Peak (Camp 3) but his friend is still missing. Thus especially Gia is sorrowful.

7/11: Before lunch I shifted my tent. It has already been standing on a hill because the ice around was melting. The high altitude porter of Davoud, our Iranian member, has gaseous gangrene on his right thumb. An Italian doctor is treating him, but it might be that he has to be evacuated and brought into hospital. During our summit bid on Broad Peak there has been a lot of progress on K2. The porters of the Swiss/Italian Expedition have reached 7800m and established Camp 3 and 4. We have to abandon the Cesen route because we would only be three climbers there any more. The Japan Dosanko Team which is climbing there does not make any progress and is too weak and has no experience. They have reached Camp 1 and put fixed line from the bottom to there, where you do not need any ropes at all. In addition to that, they use fishing line, which is by far too stiff and too heavy for climbing.

7/12: Today was a cloudy day. Fred has started for Broad Peak in the morning. As the weather report foretells fairly good weather for the next two days, he wants to try the summit, hoping that some others will do so, too. I have started writing postcards today, that’s about all what happened today. From Tuesday on towards the weekend weather should turn bad, so we are planning our ascent of K2 for the next week.

Dispatches

Altitech2: Digital Altimeter, Barometer, Compass and Thermometer. Time/Date/Alarms. Chronograph with 24 hour working range. Timer with stop, repeat and up function. Rotating Bezel. Leveling bubble. Carabiner latch. E.L. 3 second backlight. Water resistant. 4" x 2-1/4" x 3/4" 2 oz. Requires 1 CR2032 battery. See more here.

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