Kabru 2004

4/26: Tonight, Dragan and Milos are climbing the most difficult part of the course, to C-1. The height difference is about 200m of the icy vertical. Due to the melting of the ice during the day, this enterprise must be completed at night. If an ice-axe and an ice-hammer serve them well, then a tent will be put up at a plateau above the waterfall, C-1

4/25 They have succeeded! Dragan and Milos have set 400m of fixes more!: The second part of the course (the height difference is 400m, under the slope of 45 degrees and the cascades up to 70 degrees, with the icy and snowy cleft under which the water flows) has been scaled successfully. There is one more part of the route to C-1. Dragan has hurt his legs a lot, but they are continuing tomorrow night.

4/24: This day, snowy and windy, has not promised any action. But, in the afternoon everything has changed.
After lunch, the wind stopped suddenly and the sun shone. The climbers moved instantaneously: Soni (who has celebrated his thirty-first birthday today) and Bojan went to the mountain, at 5.500m in order to acclimatize, the porters with the prepared load for the high camps went to the glacier, and Dragan and Milos moved just after them. They should continue climbing 400m more up a frozen rock and a waterfall ( if the weather lets them do this ), and put fixes there. Everything should be completed before the sun appears melting the ice and our chances for scaling the peak. At the moment, the success of the expedition is depending on Dragan and Milos!

Q&A

EverestNews.com: -Andrej, are you sure Kabru has never been climbed before???

Andrej: That's correct that people saying that, but for now no one has real proves. We've got similar e-mails as well. And when I talked with Ms. Hawley she said Kabru IV was climbed in 1994 by Indians. She showed me a map drawn by hand where was only Kabru I, II and III. And no names of first climbers, not even which season, spring or autumn. The same was when Dragan with team met her. She had all official and unofficial/unrecognized climbs to all three Kabrus. So who knows. Because of this dilemma Dragan post a news on website about that issue. Important is the truth, he says and not who is the first.. last, etc..

 EverestNews.com: -We know little of this mountain...tell us more...

Andrej: Mostly mountains in Nepal which are not over 8000m or in Khumbu region have not adequate exposure as they deserve. Hence people can or cannot believe to mums of the words they hear. And in 'modern' climbing history were cases when 'first' climbers lied or faked the proves, used others photos, etc.. Hopefully this expedition will bring some new photos, video clips and other information to show this part of Himalaya on the border with Sikkim in new light. To clear a dilemma if there are 3 or 4 Kabrus, and what is the height of Kabru IV. 7318 or 7394. First number is on most of the maps you can get and from NMA list of unscaled peaks. And the second one Dragan has got  which confirmed to him that Kabru IV is unscaled and 7394m high. So what's the truth still need to be find:-). 

EverestNews.com: -In checking records they say it was climbed in 1965 by the Swiss...

Andrej: As I remember from Ms Hawley's briefing that can be true for Kabru I.  And the height is 7394m.  

EverestNews.com:  -Anyway... we don't know...

Andrej: Yes, it looks now like no one knows what is correct information. So we hope that people will come out with photos and other proves to make it clear. The word of first climber(s) without any evidence is just not enough anymore. Will you believe me if I'll say I climbed Kangchenjunga South and send you 'enough' photos done with a help of telelenses? And for missing top pictures excuse will be a bad weather and/or broked or lost photo camera? Pictures 'in the wall' can be done in Yalung glacier and surrounding peaks. Will you believe? Hard to say, I know and in such situations indirect proves, evidences or witnesses can serve well. People looks different when they come back from 8000m or above as if they returned from 6500m for example.

EverestNews.com: -Or is your route on the mountain unclimbed before??

Andrej: That's for sure. But who knows:-)))? Dragan has information from locals that in late 90's there were Polish or Czech team, but after they saw entrance of the wall they didn't try at all. And in history of Nepal Himalaya there were climbs done without permit, or just for acclimatisation without any publicity. Mt. Kabru is too high for acclimatisation, and too difficult from Nepal side. We had extensive discussion today about this issue and many questions about truth, statistics, chronology and related activities comes out. Best regards, Andrej

Dispatches

 

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