Free Thieves, Liars and Mountaineers: On the 8000 Metre Peak Circus in Pakistan's Karakoram Mountains by Mark Horrell Page A
Authors: Mark Horrell
the mountain's base – but after an hour of walking Chogolisa has disappeared into cloud and we're still not at the corner. We turn around and head back. I'm kind of thinking I still have plenty of spare days to come back here if I want to.
Back at our base camp Gorgan is entertaining three people from other expedition teams in the dining tent. He tries to kid me that we're leaving for the icefall tomorrow, but I don't believe him. Of all of us he's by far the most restless and believes we should be making forays up the mountain rather than sitting around Base Camp waiting for a weather window. The rest of us are much more patient. With all the snow that has fallen in the last week, we couldn't possibly have gone above Camp 2 on Gasherbrum II, and I'd far rather wait in comfort down here than in a haring blizzard high up. Although the weather forecasts change a little every day, they've generally been accurate, and two things will halt our progress no matter what: lots of snow and the jetstream. We still have time on our side. We're now waiting to see how much snow gets deposited on the 9 th , when another dump is predicted.
In the afternoon Phil comes running out of his tent with perhaps the most positive news we've had for a few days. His business partner Jamie McGuinness, whose data has so far been accurate, has emailed to say there looks to be a weather window beginning on the 12 th . We're keeping our fingers crossed that our patience will be rewarded. In the meantime most of us have decided to go up to Camp 1 tomorrow just to stretch our legs and keep acclimatised. This will be my first bit of serious exercise since I came down from Camp 2 on the 30 th , a week ago.
Ian is concerned about his 101 year old grandmother, who fell and broke her arm while we were in Skardu. He has sent her an email, called her on Arian's satellite phone, and has now decided to make her a home-made get well card, which he has sent back to Askole with some returning climbers in the hope they can post it in Skardu or Islamabad.
“Did you just send her a card?” Gordon asks in sinister tones while he is slowly dealing out a round of cards. “My grandmother always prefers cash … and she gets very upset if we don't give her enough … she's a sweet lady … except when she's been drinking …”
Sometimes our Canadian friend can be a bit creepy.
27. A leg stretch up to Camp 1
Tuesday 7 July, 2009 – Camp 1, Gasherbrum Cwm, Pakistan
A 5am start from Base Camp just as it's becoming light. Phil, Ian, Gordon, Arian, Michael and I make good time through the icefall in conditions that are extremely pleasant. It looks like it's going to be another beautiful day. The sky is clear but the sun is hidden behind Gasherbrum I as we make our way up, so we climb in shadow. Although it's cold, movement keeps us warm, and the sun's rays touch the top of Chogolisa and Baltoro Kangri behind us.
About halfway up I rope up with Arian and Michael, and Arian, leading, keeps up a steady but comfortable pace as sunlight radiates across the line of jagged teeth that is G5, G4, G3 and G2 directly ahead of us. We remain in shadow until we're nearly at the top of the cwm, and this time we make it to Camp 1 in just 4¼ hours. More encouraging than this is that for the first time in three ascents I manage to reach Camp 1 and I'm not completely knackered.
Figures on the glacier, with Gasherbrums V, IV, III and II up ahead
It's 9.30 when we arrive and the sky remains clear till shortly after midday. Our tents have been surrounded by a metre of snow, so we spend some time digging them out while Phil and Gordon head over to the lower slopes of Gasherbrum II to assess the avalanche risk. I'm no avalanche expert myself, but I can tell as I dig out our tents that the snow has not consolidated yet – the snow sits easily in light slabs one on top of another as I shovel away. When Phil and Gordon return from digging a pit at the bottom of the south face,
Back at our base camp Gorgan is entertaining three people from other expedition teams in the dining tent. He tries to kid me that we're leaving for the icefall tomorrow, but I don't believe him. Of all of us he's by far the most restless and believes we should be making forays up the mountain rather than sitting around Base Camp waiting for a weather window. The rest of us are much more patient. With all the snow that has fallen in the last week, we couldn't possibly have gone above Camp 2 on Gasherbrum II, and I'd far rather wait in comfort down here than in a haring blizzard high up. Although the weather forecasts change a little every day, they've generally been accurate, and two things will halt our progress no matter what: lots of snow and the jetstream. We still have time on our side. We're now waiting to see how much snow gets deposited on the 9 th , when another dump is predicted.
In the afternoon Phil comes running out of his tent with perhaps the most positive news we've had for a few days. His business partner Jamie McGuinness, whose data has so far been accurate, has emailed to say there looks to be a weather window beginning on the 12 th . We're keeping our fingers crossed that our patience will be rewarded. In the meantime most of us have decided to go up to Camp 1 tomorrow just to stretch our legs and keep acclimatised. This will be my first bit of serious exercise since I came down from Camp 2 on the 30 th , a week ago.
Ian is concerned about his 101 year old grandmother, who fell and broke her arm while we were in Skardu. He has sent her an email, called her on Arian's satellite phone, and has now decided to make her a home-made get well card, which he has sent back to Askole with some returning climbers in the hope they can post it in Skardu or Islamabad.
“Did you just send her a card?” Gordon asks in sinister tones while he is slowly dealing out a round of cards. “My grandmother always prefers cash … and she gets very upset if we don't give her enough … she's a sweet lady … except when she's been drinking …”
Sometimes our Canadian friend can be a bit creepy.
27. A leg stretch up to Camp 1
Tuesday 7 July, 2009 – Camp 1, Gasherbrum Cwm, Pakistan
A 5am start from Base Camp just as it's becoming light. Phil, Ian, Gordon, Arian, Michael and I make good time through the icefall in conditions that are extremely pleasant. It looks like it's going to be another beautiful day. The sky is clear but the sun is hidden behind Gasherbrum I as we make our way up, so we climb in shadow. Although it's cold, movement keeps us warm, and the sun's rays touch the top of Chogolisa and Baltoro Kangri behind us.
About halfway up I rope up with Arian and Michael, and Arian, leading, keeps up a steady but comfortable pace as sunlight radiates across the line of jagged teeth that is G5, G4, G3 and G2 directly ahead of us. We remain in shadow until we're nearly at the top of the cwm, and this time we make it to Camp 1 in just 4¼ hours. More encouraging than this is that for the first time in three ascents I manage to reach Camp 1 and I'm not completely knackered.
Figures on the glacier, with Gasherbrums V, IV, III and II up ahead
It's 9.30 when we arrive and the sky remains clear till shortly after midday. Our tents have been surrounded by a metre of snow, so we spend some time digging them out while Phil and Gordon head over to the lower slopes of Gasherbrum II to assess the avalanche risk. I'm no avalanche expert myself, but I can tell as I dig out our tents that the snow has not consolidated yet – the snow sits easily in light slabs one on top of another as I shovel away. When Phil and Gordon return from digging a pit at the bottom of the south face,
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