Inaki Ochoa de Olza summits K2

Update 7/28/2004: The navarrese climber Inaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen (technical shocks for high altitudes)-Diario de Navarra (local newspaper) expedition, has made summit on K2 (8.611 meters) this morning at 07.35 Pakistan time. Ochoa de Olza begun his final assault at 00.50 Pakistan time from Camp 4 (7.800 meters), so this means that he made the final 811 meters in the incredible time of 6 hours and 45 minutes without the use of artificial oxygen.

This is the 9 8000+ for the navarrese climber after Cho Oyu (twice), GI, GII, Lhotse, Everest, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak and Makalu. He begun the final push on Monday 26, when he climbed from base camp (4.900 meters) to camp 2 (6.600) in only 6 hours. On Tuesday 27, he climbed from camp 2 to camp 4 (7.800) in only 5 hours and this evening he has made his dream came true.

He plans to descend today until camp 3 (7.300 meters) and even camp 2 (6.600 meters). 

Update 6/30/2004: Inaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition, has climbed this past night and very early in the morning to the Camp II (6.700 meters) of the Abruzzi Spur of K2. The navarrese climber, in the company of the Basque Alex Txikon, climbed the 1.700 desnivel meters in a very fast time and they plan to sleep today (30th of June) in this camp and tomorrow go until 7.000 meters more or less to reaclimatize after his success in Makalu last month of may. Then, they came back to base camp (5.000 meters) and rest until his first attempt to made summit. Ochoa thinks that they could try the summit between 6 or 7 of July if the weather allows them.

This is the fourth visit for Inaki to K2, after 1994, 2002 and 2003, and the first visit for Txikon. The navarrese climber has 8 8.000+ (Cho Oyu twice, GI, GII, Lhotse, Everest, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak and Makalu. He hast too the Shishapangma Central).

Update 6/24/2004: Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition, has arrived today 24 of June at K2 base camp in Baltoro Glacier. Ochoa de Olza, who has made the approach to the mountain in seven days with the young basque climber Alex Txikon, will try the second mountain of the world for the fourth time in his long and successful career (in 1994, 2002 and 2003).  The navarrese climber, who has made the summit of 8 8,000 meter peaks (Cho Oyu twice, GI, GII, Lhotse, Everest, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak and Makalu, and Shishapangma Central), usually will attempt the summit via the Abruzzi Spur, but it depends of the conditions of the snow and the people who can be in this route, maybe more than 150 climbers in the 50 anniversary of the first ascent. He plans not to established neither camps I and II because there are no space to put any tent and thinks that, if the weather allow them, they could began the first summit push about 6 or 7 of July.

“Our intention is to go directly from the base of the spur to Camp II and carry a little tent with us or pass the night in friends tents if are space, because there are a lot of people in this route and no possibility to established a fixed camp. We are in very good conditions after Makalu (Ochoa de Olza and Txikon made the summit last 16 of May) and think that we can past without Camp I and, maybe, Camp II, but we have to wait to see all the conditions and the situation”, told Ochoa de Olza.

This is the fourth visit that Ochoa de Olza makes to K2. In 1994, when he was 27 years old, he worked with the Spanish television filming the ascent via the North Ridge. He suffered an 80 meters fall at 7.400 meters when an old fixed rope broke down. He broke his right arm and three ribs and suffered with injuries in his nose. Later, in 2002, working for a commercial expedition, the weather didn't allow nobody to even attempt the summit. Finally, last year, in his own expedition, Retena-Diario de Navarra, and in the company of Simone Moro and Dennis Urubko, the bad weather again impeded the navarrese to start the ascent in another year without summits in K

Update 6/15/2004: Iñaki Ochoa de Olza arrives to Islamabad

Iñaki Ochoa de Olza, from the Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition, arrived to Islamabad (Pakistan) last sunday 13 of june in the company of Alex Txikon. The navarrese climber, who has summitted 8 8.000+ meters peaks, departs today 15 of june in bus to Skardu. He expect to arrive to Skardu and begin the aproach to K2 on friday 18 and arrive to K2 base camp 23 or 24 of june.

Ochoa de Olza will attempt, in the beginning, the abruzzi spur. This will be his fourth trip to K2 after 1994 (he falls 80 meters in the north ridge at 7.400 meters) and 2002 and 2003, years without summits in the second mountain of the world.

Background: The navarrese climber Iñaki Ochoa de Olza (37 years), who summited Makalu last 16 of may (his eighth 8.000+ meters), will depart this Saturday 12 of June from Pamplona (north of Spain) to attempt K2 (8.611 metros). Ochoa de Olza, sponsored by Lorpen (technical shocks for the mountains) and Diario de Navarra (local newspaper), will try K2 for the fourth time (he had an accident in 1994, when, trying the north ridge he suffered a 80 meters fall; and in 2002 and in 2003, when nobody made summit) with the company of the young Basque climber Alex Txikon, who has summited Broad Peak last summer and Makalu last May.

Ochoa doesn't know yet what route they will attempt. “It depends of the weather, the conditions of the snow and a lot of factors. This year there will be a lot of people in the mountain and we have to wait until see the conditions. If all goes normally, we will attempt the classic route but without installing Camp I and II, because we are very well acclimatized. Our intention is to install Camp III at 7.400 meters and maybe spend one night at CII carrying a tent with us”, told Ochoa.

The Lorpen-Diario de Navarra expedition will compart team with another climbers, like Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner or Ralf Dujmovits, who are close friends of the navarrese.

Iñaki Ochoa has climb 8 8.000+ peaks: Cho Oyu (1993 and 2001), GI (1996), GII (1996), Lhotse (1999), Everest (2001), Nanga Parbat (2003), Broad Peak (2003) and Makalu (2004). He has too the Shishapangma Central (1995).

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