
June 15, 20007:
team descended to Base camp
June, 14, 2007
The team set Camp 1 at 6000 m, overcome berg and began to climb rock on the
West Face. 6500 m
Nickolay
Totmjanin called:
"We've just
returned to BC. Together with Valery Shamalo we began yesterday to climb from
the upper isefall pillow, reached the berg and crossed it, then climbed 6
ropes and have tought the rocks. There was snow-covered ice, and rock bastion
begins further.
Our group
consisted of four persons - Valery and me fixed ropes and Victor Volodin and
Serguey Penzov brought the ropes to us.
We started from
ABC (5600 m) yesterday, worked one day, spent the night in Camp 1, and now
have returned to the base.
Berg is huge, but
we found the serak overhunging the berg, so crossed it without problems.
The wall is very
steep - I had to lift up my head to look at it. And it's obviously that it's
the same further. But the bastion is not dangerous - there're no falling
stones, no stones treks - absolutely clear wall, only snow streams are falling
down.
The wall's
exposition provides the sun during the whole day on the whole wall, from the
bottom to the top, from 8-9 a.m. Extremely hot! We worked in the base layer
only. But it's too difficult to choose the right clothes - if you are in the
shadow - it's very cold. We're experimenting with our equipment yet.

All is healthy, but we are coughing, of cause - the air is
too dry on the altitude. Doc treats us in the BC.
We don't work on the route on our power limit yet because
our acclimatization is not completed. And carrying heavy loads is very hard on
the altitude, and it's too hot... I think we'll do faster soon, after our
acclimatization will be completed.
The weather's fine. But the snow began here, in BC. But it
was better on the wall - no snow. Today Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik, Eugeny
Vinogradsky and Vitaly Ivanov carried loads to the end of our ropes and have
fixed 2 ropes more.

Camp 1 is on 6000 m, but we have to remove it to the more
convenient place
Earlier: Pavel Shabalin, Iljas Tukhvatullin, Andrew Mariev, Gennady
Kirievsky, Alex Korobkov and Vadim Popovich set ABC camp (two tents)
Earlier: The team have reached BC
yesterday- the first expedition's stage is over successfully 1 day earlier than
planned. Six climbers have already gone to reconnaissance Savoya glacier -
they've marked the way to Japanese camp and are going back.
Victor Kozlov's call from K2
BC (4-50 p.m. Moscow time): "Yesterday we arrived to K2 BC. We are
respectively luck with the weather - today it's better, as the forecast
predicted. We got up early morning, on 5 a.m., and after tea began to go to
BC. Reaching the place, we gave bonus to our sirdar and porters - they were
satisfied. Yesterday evening and today we do our camp comfortable.
In the morning 6 climbers have already gone to reconnaissance Savoya glacier
- they've marked the way to Japanese camp and are going back.
We set the huge antenna and
have now BGAN terminal connection.
Than we lifted Russian flag, and Pakistan flag too - for our LO pleasure. The
"official opening" of the BC will be tomorrow -we'll stay
under the flag and sing the song "Varjag" (the famous Russian ship - ed. note)
- it's our tradition.
Except six climbers who work
on the glacier, others work in BC. All's OK, we are 1 day faster than is in
our timetable because we thought that had to spent one more day in Askole.
The loads which had been stayed there will be in BC soon. We have not yet to
cook the cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage but do it as soon as possible
(we cooked only one barrel in Askole)"
Nickolay Totmjanin: "We have
to do a lot now to do our camp comfortable. But the weather's ideal, and our
souls need already to work at the route... Yesterday we have set living tents,
today - the technics tent, smoothed out 0,5 ga of the terrain.
Our technics works already, and we hope it'll be work on 100 percents tomorrow
- so, don't worry.
We have built the sauna (Russian
banja) on the bank of the stream, with kerosene stove - all's according to our
plan.
The Mount is in perfect
conditions, as on classic photo. Now it's covered by the snow - after
last days snowfalls, but there's no a lot of snow in the region. We see
American-Czech camp not far from ours, but have not met yet. We saw two
rescue choppers yesterday - they picked up one man to the board.
Greeting to all".
Background: Victor Kozlov - the
expedition leader, Nickolay Cherny - the coach
Climbers: Serguey Penzov (Severodvinsk),
Victor Volodin (Moscow), Valery Shamalo (Saint Petersburg), Dmitry Komarov
(Moscow), Pavel Shabalin (Kirov), Iljas Tukhvatullin (Podolsk), Andrey Mariev
(Togliatti), Vadim Popovitch (Nizhny Tagil), Gleb Sokolov (Novosibirsk),
Vitaly Ivanov (Novosibirsk), Vitaly Gorelik (Novosibirsk), Eugeny Vinogradsky
(Yekaterinburg), Alexey Bolotov (Yekaterinburg), Nickolay Totmjanin (Saint
Petersburg), Gennady Kirievsky (Magnitogorsk), Alexander Korobkov (Nizhny
Tagil), Victor Pleskachevsky (Moscow) - the head of organizing commitee of the
expedition, Serguey Bychkovsky (Yekaterinburg) - the doctor
News from K2 West Face Russian team
The team went up to Goro II today. There's the winter yet on
the Baltoro Glacier. Members wearing all warm clothers which they have (to the
contrast, they went in shorts two days ago). "It's difficult way for the
sportsmen too, - said by sat phone Nickolay Totmjanin today - we hope that our
porters will be able to reach the base camp. We have problems with porters every
day - have to check the weight of the loads.
The weather's very bad. Poor visibility, clouds, mist, but
today Masherbrum was cleared for the moment, and some of us could see it.
Our LO is great guy! He
brings a lot of books with him to the BC! We've bought the yak, and he goes to
BC with us - Iljas Tukhvatullin cares about him.
 |
Millet One
Sport Everest Boot has made some minor changes by adding
more Kevlar. USES Expeditions / High
altitude / Mountaineering in extremely cold conditions / Isothermal to
-75°F Gore-Tex® Top dry / Evazote Reinforcements with aramid threads.
Avg. Weight: 5 lbs 13 oz Sizes: 5 - 14 DESCRIPTION Boot with semi-rigid
shell and built-in Gore-Tex® gaiter reinforced by aramid threads, and
removable inner slipper Automatic crampon attachment Non-compressive
fastening Double zip, so easier to put on Microcellular midsole to
increase insulation Removable inner slipper in aluminized alveolate
Fiberglass and carbon footbed Cordura + Evazote upper Elasticated
collar.
Expedition footwear for
mountaineering in conditions of extreme cold. NOTE US
SIZES LISTED. See more here. |
|
|
 |
A cold
weather, high altitude double boot for extreme conditions The Olympus
Mons is the perfect choice for 8000-meter peaks. This super lightweight
double boot has a PE thermal insulating inner boot that is coupled with
a thermo-reflective outer boot with an integrated gaiter. We used a
super insulating lightweight PE outsole to keep the weight down and the
TPU midsole is excellent for crampon compatibility and stability on
steep terrain. WEIGHT: 39.86 oz • 1130 g LAST: Olympus Mons
CONSTRUCTION: Inner: Slip lasted Outer: Board Lasted OUTER BOOT: Cordura®
upper lined with dual-density PE micro-cellular thermal insulating
closed cell foam and thermo-reflective aluminium facing/ Insulated
removable footbed/ Vibram® rubber rand
See more here. |
|
|
|