Tragedies on k2. Summit K2 - description, features and interesting facts

The second highest peak in the world after Everest has many names: Chogori, K-2, Godwin-Osten, Dapsang (8611 meters). This is the northernmost eight-thousander existing on the planet. Chogori is located on the border between Pakistan (in the administrative unit of Gilgit-Baltistan, controlled by Pakistan) and China, and belongs to the Karakoram mountain range.

The first to discover this peak in 1856 was a European expedition. This expedition assigned the original name for the mountain “K2”, as the second peak discovered in the Karakoram mountain system. Naturally, K-2 had a different name among local residents, but European geographers did not know it; besides K-2, 5 more peaks were also discovered. Historically, it so happened that almost throughout the world this peak is called “K-2”, but in the CIS countries the name “Chogori” remained.

The first attempt of climbers to conquer this peak in 1902 was unsuccessful; for 52 long years, climbers all over the world tried to climb K2, but their attempts also ended in failure. Only in 1954, an Italian expedition led by experienced climber Ardito Desio managed to conquer the previously impregnable K-2. The first woman to summit K-2 was Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz in 1986.

In 1987, a dispute arose between American and Chinese geographers - experts from the United States claimed that, according to their satellite data, the height of K-2 was 8858-8908 meters, and this particular peak was the highest in the world. Chinese scientists claimed that K-2 has a height of 8611, and Everest 8,848 meters, as later studies showed, Chinese topographers were right.

But the second peak in the world is ahead of all other peaks in terms of the number of climbers who died on its slopes. Among climbers, K-2 is also called the “Killer Mountain”, because among the 284 climbers who conquered Chogori, 66 of their colleagues died during the ascent. The mortality rate reaches 25%. Not a single climber has yet conquered K-2 twice, and all winter ascents to the summit have ended either in failure or tragically.

Chogori (K2) is rightfully considered the most technically difficult peak to climb; only Annapurna (8091 meters) and Kanchenjunga (8586 meters) can compete with K-2 in terms of climbing difficulty; a large number of climbers also died on these peaks, the mortality rate significantly exceeds 20 %. However, these two eight-thousanders have little popularity among climbers, so K-2 is the “leader” among the “killer peaks.”

Ridge Baltoro Muztag Top height 8611 m First ascent July 31, 1954, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni

Chogori, K2 - mountain peak in Karakoram. Altitude 8611 m - the second highest eight-thousander in the world. Other names of Chogori: K2 (Karakorum 2), Dapsang, Godwin-Osten. The mountain is located in Kashmir, in the Pakistan-controlled Northern Territories on the border with China (Tibetan Autonomous Region) and is the northernmost eight-thousander in the world. Chogori was discovered by a European expedition in 1856. The mountain was marked K2 as the second peak of the Karakoram. The peaks designated K1, K3, K4 and K5 were subsequently renamed and are now called Masherbrum, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum I respectively. K2 had its own name at that time, but it was unknown to Europeans. Historically, the technical name K2 remained the most famous in Europe. In Russia, until the 1950s, the mountain was signed on maps as Godwin-Osten, and then as Chogori.

The first attempt to climb was made in 1902 by Oscar Eckerstein and Aleister Crowley, but it ended unsuccessfully. The first to reach the top of K2 was the Italian expedition of 1954 led by Ardito Desio. On July 31, climbers Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni were the first to summit K2. The first woman to climb Chogori was Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz (1986). On August 22, 2007, the Russian team managed to overcome the previously insurmountable western wall of Chogori. The most difficult route in the world is Russian. Although Chogori is slightly lower than Everest, however, climbing Chogori is technically much more difficult than climbing the highest peak on the planet. Until December 15, 2005, 249 people visited the top of Chogori, 60 died while attempting to climb. At the same time, about 1,500 people climbed Everest.

Source: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2

Climbing program to K2 (Chogori). 8611 m. Expedition 2014, 60 days.

[email protected] Phone: +99898 3039846

Cost of the program for climbing K2 (8611 m.) Expedition 2014(60 days). Double occupancy.

Attention! We are recruiting guides and porters for the international team of the ClimberCA Mountaineering Agency for the season. Each applicant can fill out the questionnaire, which is located, and familiarize yourself with the corresponding agreement. Welcome to the ClimberCA team, dear friends!

Winter climb to the top of K2 2011-2012 from History...

Weather on K2

Photo: On November 29, 2011 in Tashkent, in the gym where the Racek Mountaineering Club at ClimberCA LLC conducts training, members, veterans and friends of the club, as well as employees of ClimberCA LLC gathered. “Dear Ilyas Khamidovich, we have gathered to see you off on your journey and wish you to return to us with victory. May God protect you!”

If you want to write to Ilyas, you can do it on the forum, where we have opened a special topic for communicating with him. Before leaving, he wrote down a link to the forum in his thick notebook and promised to look at the forum whenever possible. Let's believe that he will have such an opportunity. Forum address: http://ru.climberca.com/forum/index.php

General information: Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ClimberCA consortium, Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Master of Sports Ilyas Tukhvatullin again plans to take part in the ascent to K2 as part of the Russian team. The goal of the Russian team is to be the first in the world to climb the most difficult and northernmost eight-thousander in the world, K2, in winter. The team consists of climbers from different regions of Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tolyatti, Yekaterinburg, Nizhny Tagil, Novosibirsk, Magnitogorsk, Irkutsk. The national team is the strongest team in the world; Russian climbers have experience in conquering many eight-thousander peaks. The winter ascent to the summit of K2 will take place from December 2011 to March 2012 in Pakistan. The flight of the expedition members from Moscow to Islamabad is scheduled for December 9, 2011.

Ilyas Tukhvatullin

Let us recall that in the summer of 2007 a unique expedition of the Russian national mountaineering team took place in which Ilyas Tukhvatullin took part. Without oxygen and high-altitude porters, the team paved a new route to the second highest mountain in the world, the most capricious, the most dangerous and tragic in terms of death statistics, the Karakoram eight-thousander - K2 (8611 m). As a result of many days of exhausting team work on the mountain, the legendary Western Face of K2 was completed.

Winter ascent to the world's northernmost eight-thousander is the main unresolved problem in world mountaineering! The Russian national mountaineering team can solve this problem! May God help you achieve your goal and return home safely!

Route
Since no one has been to K2 in winter, from the point of view of solving the problem, any route that will lead the team to victory will do. This should be a relatively simple and fast route so that you can start moving practically from the base camp. Hence the conclusion - classic. But the classic, the Abruzzi route, is a ridge route. In winter, walking along the ridge is very unsafe. When a strong wind blows, a person with a backpack is simply placed on the snow. It turns out that you need to walk along the wall, or look for some route along the edge. An option along the South-Western ridge suggests itself; it is called the Chesena route. This is a route that cuts off the classics and goes to 8000 m. It goes almost from the very base camp. Since this is the South-West Face, the route will have maximum daylight. Although the sun there is low above the horizon, and at 5 o'clock in the evening it is already very dark and cold. The transition from heat to cosmic cold is very abrupt. So the team will take a route that is as close to the top as possible. And this is the Southwest Rib. There is another option to the left, along the South-Western Face, but there are strong icefalls there, which is very unsafe. It is possible that the team will start along the South-Western ridge and then through the snow fields will go straight to the top, without climbing to the ridge. In principle, there are places along the route where you can put up a normal tent. For example, the Red Fox Cave 4 tent can be installed in camps 1 and 2. Camp 3 will definitely have light tents like Solo because everything else can be blown away by the wind.

The 4,000-meter Cesena Route on K2 (also known as the “Basque” or “Spanish Route”) follows the left buttress of the Southeast Ridge to the shoulder of the Southeast Ridge at 7,800 meters. Further, the Cesena route coincides with the Abruzzi route.

Abruzzi route

Cesena route

Most expeditions following this route set up three camps: at an altitude of about 6100 m - camp 1, at an altitude of 7100 m - camp 2, and at an altitude of about 8000 meters on the shoulder of the South-East ridge (the exit point to the Abruzzi route). Further, the mountain ridge disappears into an ice wall, with a steep couloir, this place is called the Bottleneck. This is perhaps the most dangerous place on the route, so passing the Bottleneck requires special skill. The couloir leads steeply upward, where the passage of the Bottleneck ends with a traverse along a snow-ice slope. For some expeditions located only a few hundred meters from the summit, passing the Bottleneck turned out to be an impossible task. It happened that the climb from a high-altitude camp at an altitude of 8000 m to the top of K2 took climbers 20 hours.

For reference: Tomo Chesen printed the route in 1986. Chesen passed the edge, but did not reach the very top due to the approaching storm and retreated. At the same time, the Slovenian climbed without a permit, so he did not particularly publicize or publish a report on the new route. A year later, a Basque team led by Juanjo San Sebastian climbed the same Southeast Ridge, sincerely believing that they were the first here. This expedition, however, also did not reach the summit and turned back at an altitude of 8350 meters. Slovenian climber Tomo Cesen (born 1958), a pioneer of solo ascents, became famous in mountaineering not only for his achievements, but also for his scandalous character. The announced results of some ascents have been called into question due to unrealistic speeds and lack of evidence. Passions were especially inflamed due to the first solo ascent in 62 hours on the South Face of Lhotse in the spring of 1990 - the most dangerous and powerful wall in the Himalayas, which became a myth in mountaineering and rejected the attempts of many of the strongest teams, repulsed the Italian expedition of 1975 and claimed the lives of such great climbers , like the Frenchman Nicolas Jaeger and the Pole Jerzy Kukuczka.

Team
Alexey Bolotov, Ekaterinburg - Master of Sports Awarded: Order of Courage, Medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.
Vladimir Belous, Irkutsk - First category.
Evgeny Vinogradsky, Ekaterinburg - Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Master of Sports of international class. Awarded: the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.
Nikolay Totmyanin, St. Petersburg
Valery Shamalo, St. Petersburg - Master of Sports of international class.
Vitaly Gorelik, Novosibirsk - Candidate Master of Sports.
Ilyas Tukhvatullin, Podolsk - Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Master of Sports.
Andrey Mariev, Tolyatti - Honored Master of Sports of Russia, Master of Sports.
Vadim Popovich, Nizhny Tagil - Master of Sport.

Victor Kozlov, Moscow - Expedition leader. Organized and led successful expeditions of the Russian mountaineering team: the first ascent of the Lhotse Srednyaya peak (8414m) in the spring of 2001; first ascent of the North Face of Everest (8848m) in the spring of 2004; first ascent of the Western Wall of the K2 peak (8611m) in the summer of 2007. Awarded: the Order “For Personal Courage”, the Order of “Friendship”.
Nikolay Cherny, Moscow - Senior coach of the expedition. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, Honored Trainer of the USSR, Participant of the first Soviet Himalayan expedition to Everest in 1982. Awarded: the Order of the Badge of Honor, the Order of Friendship, the Medal for Courage, the Medal for Labor Distinction.
Victor Pleskachevsky, St. Petersburg - Chairman of the expedition organizing committee. Organized a successful expedition of the Russian mountaineering team: the first ascent of the Western Wall of the K2 peak (8611m) in the summer of 2007. Master of Sports Awarded: medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree.
Sergey Bychkovsky, Ekaterinburg - Expedition doctor. Member of two expeditions of the Russian mountaineering team: on the North Face of Everest, on the West Face of K2.
Igor Borisenko, Moscow - Expedition cameraman. Member of three expeditions of the Russian mountaineering team: to the Lhotse Middle peak, along the North Face of Everest, along the Western Wall of K2.
Vladimir Kuptsov, Moscow - Expedition photographer. Member of two expeditions of the Russian mountaineering team: on the North Face of Everest, on the West Face of K2.
Yuri Dimchuk, Moscow - Television correspondent.
Sergey Gaidukov, Moscow - Photographer of the expedition.

Specifics of winter climbing
Winter at such altitudes is very harsh. Both in terms of climbing and in terms of living below the route. If at the base camp it is -20°C, then at the summit it can be -60°C. It’s hard to imagine how you can climb a rock at -60°C with wind. In winter, the daylight hours are shorter, and, therefore, the work time on the route in warm weather, when the sun is shining, is also shorter. In winter there are more areas of open ice. Frozen winter ice is like bottle glass, very hard and fragile. It is simply impossible to walk on such ice with stupid crampons: your feet will slip. With sharp cats, such ice is broken out in the form of ice lenses with edges like a razor. They whiz down and can cause serious injury. Therefore, there must be special requirements for crampons and ice axes. At the same time, since the movement in crampons occurs on the front teeth, you must have very good boots.

Experience
In 2003, Ilyas Tukhvatullin already took part in the winter ascent of K2 along the northern ridge, as a member of the Polish national team, as a “legionnaire”. A group of “legionnaires” existed to strengthen the team of Polish climbers. However, due to tactical miscalculations during the planning of the winter expedition to K2 in 2003, the summit was not reached.

Ilyas Tukhvatullin
Born in Leningrad on May 10, 1958, but lived all his life in Tashkent (likes warmth). He started climbing mountains in 1976 in the “Burevestnik” section under the guidance of the first coaches – Iya Alekseevna Popova and Vladimir Vasilyevich Tselovakhin (representatives of the Caucasian school of mountaineering).
The first peak and first love is the peak “Big Chimgan” - 3309 m (spurs of the Western Tien Shan). Then he walked and grew up in the Trans-Ili Alatau in Talgar, then the Fan Mountains (the peaks of Bodkhon, Chapdara, Castle, Adamtash), then the Yagnob Wall, further in. Guamysh, Karaganda, Pamir - Alai (peaks Blok, Iskander, Ak-Su, Dzhigit, Karakolsky peak). These are all technical class routes.

The first high-altitude ascent is Lenin Peak, then Khan Tengri and Pobeda. In the northwestern Pamirs I walked several routes on the. Marx and V. Engels (from this moment his journey as a high-altitude technical climber begins).

The first eight-thousander - Everest (1998) through the North Col
The second eight-thousander - Everest along the center of the North Face (2004) (first ascent)

From failed ascents (expeditions):
- attempt to pass the center of the North Wall. Zhannou (up to 7000 m)
- attempt to climb the mountain. Chogori in winter along the Japanese ridge (up to 7200m)
- attempt to climb the mountain. Kyukurtlu along the center of the Western Wall in winter (several ropes climbed).

In 1991 Ilyas met Pavel Shabalin on his life’s path, and from that moment a new page in his mountaineering biography began - the era of climbing to the top of Ak-Su along the North Face. Over the next few years, six routes were climbed along this wall, of which I would like to note the first successful winter ascent, the second ascent of Popov’s route and a variant of the route through the “nose”. In pairs with Pavel, we climbed the center of the Northern Wall of Khan Tengri.

Recently, Ilyas has been leading the ClimberCA International Project, as a director of ClimberCA LLC and, at the same time, as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the International ClimberCA Consortium.

In the summer of 2011, as part of his personal training program, Ilyas climbed the peaks of Korzhenevskaya and Communism. Thus, he completed the ascent of all five highest peaks of the former Soviet Union and now has the honorary title “Snow Leopard”. Upon his return, in August 2011, Ilyas gave an interview to the media, where, in particular, he said: “For me, climbing these peaks is not a race for titles, but a tribute to all the climbers of past years, our fathers and even older climbers. We must remember and appreciate the past, because without the past there is no present.”

Ilyas devotes a lot of time to active coaching. Here is what he, in particular, says about this: “The mountaineering agency “ClimberCA” in Uzbekistan is, first of all, a revived mountaineering club named after V. Ratsek. The club was founded in 1973. It was created by my mentors in sports I.A. Popova and V.V. Tselovakhin. During its existence, the club has trained many excellent athletes. And now it exists in the form of a sports section under ClimberCA LLC, which allows us to plan club work and sporting events. In addition, "ClimberCA" projects are not limited to the borders of our country. After all, mountains are everywhere. And our goal is to create such conditions that our athletes have the opportunity to climb the highest peaks of the world. Therefore, "ClimberCA" is part of an international project called "Central Mountaineers." Asia", which has already been supported by our friends and partners in Russia, Germany, China and other countries. We believe that thanks to this project, the athletes of the V. Ratsek club will soon ascend to many peaks in the world. By the way, my ascents to the peaks of Korzhenevskaya and Somoni are the result of international cooperation within the framework of the international project "ClimberCA".

Peak K2 is a suitable name for the mountain, which has become the second highest on the planet after Chomolungma, and the degree of danger after Annapurna. Beautiful and desirable, she takes a fourth of the lives in relation to the number of those daredevils who conquer her. Few reach the peak, but the failures and deaths of their predecessors do not frighten the most desperate. The chronicle of ascents to its highest point is a story of victories, defeats, repeated attempts and hopes of the most aspiring and strong climbers.

Title and height

The working designation that later took root was given to the peak by pure chance. In 1856, explorer and cartographer, British Army officer Thomas Montgomery, during an expedition to the area, marked on the map two peaks seen in the distance: K1, which later became Masherbrum, and K2 - the technical name, which, as it turned out much later, so well corresponds to the peak. Chogori is the second formal name of the K2 peak, meaning High (Great) Mountain in translation from the Western Tibetan dialect.

Until August 1987, the peak was considered the highest on the planet, since measurements until then were approximate (8858 - 8908 m). The exact height of Everest (8848 m) and Chogori (8611 m) was determined by Chinese topographers, after which K2 lost its leadership. Although back in 1861, the same indicators were indicated by the first European to approach the slope of K2, British army officer Godwin Austin.

First ascent

The 1902 expedition to summit K2 was led by Briton Oscar Eckenstein, famous in the history of mountaineering for having invented the ice ax and crampons, a design that is still used today. After five serious and expensive attempts, the team reached 6525 meters altitude, spending a total of 68 days in high altitude conditions, which was an undisputed record at the time.

First photo shoot

The second ascent to the top of K2, 1909, brought glory to the mountain. Prince Ludwig of Abruzzi, a passionate and experienced mountaineer, financed and led the Italian expedition, which reached the 6250-meter mark. Professional photographer Vittorio Sell, a member of the group, took photographs in sepia technique. They are still considered one of the most beautiful images of Chogori. The expedition became world famous thanks to the public display of photographs and the statement of the Prince of Abruzzi, which became popular in the press, that if anyone conquers the peak, it will be aviators, not climbers. That climb remained memorable, also with the names assigned to the objects: Sella Pass, Abruzzi Ridge, Savoy Glacier.

First death tribute

The 1939 American expedition had an excellent chance of conquering Great Mountain K2, but Chogori is unpredictable and treacherous. The leader of the group, Hermann Weisner, with guide Pasang, had to cover 230 m to the highest point. Sunny weather interfered, turning the last part of the route into solid ice, and the climbing crampons and part of the equipment were lost the day before. The climbers walked without oxygen, and it was impossible to stay at an altitude of 8380 m for long. Having failed to win, Weisner and Pasang had to descend to the camp set up at an altitude of 7710 m.

Waiting for them there was only one member of the group, Dudley F. Wolfie, who was beginning to suffer from altitude sickness, and besides, he remained on cold dry rations for two days. Exhausted from fatigue, the three of them continued to descend to an even lower camp, which they reached at dusk. On site it turned out that there was no bivouac equipment there. Covering themselves with a tent awning and stuffing their feet into one sleeping bag, they survived that night. But Dudley became very ill, he could not continue the descent and decided to stay on the spot to wait for help from the Sherpas (porters) sent for him.

Weisner and Pasang reached the base camp half-dead from exhaustion and fatigue. Four Sherpas were sent for Dudley, but Dudley, succumbing to the profound apathy that was a sign of developing cerebral edema, gave the porters a written assurance that he refused to continue the descent and wished to remain in the camp. It took the Sherpas several days to rise and return with a note. By that time, Dudley had already spent about two weeks at an altitude exceeding 7000 m. Weisner again sent three porters for Dudley, but none of them returned. 63 years later, a Spanish-Mexican expedition found Dudley's remains, which were given to his relatives for burial.

Weisner was stripped of his American Alpine Club membership and blamed for the deaths of four expedition members. Weisner himself, being in the hospital with frostbite, could not speak in his own defense. However, after 27 years he was awarded the title of honorary member of the club.

Memorial K2

The next expedition in 1953, also American, waited out the storm for ten days at an altitude of 7800 m. The group, consisting of eight people, was led by Charles S. Houston, an experienced mountaineer and doctor. He discovered a venous thrombus in geologist Art Gilkey's leg. Blockage of the pulmonary vein soon followed and agony began. Not wanting to leave their dying comrade, the group decided to descend. Art was transported wrapped in sleeping bags.

During the descent, all eight people almost died due to a massive fall, which was stopped by Pete Schoening. The wounded climbers stopped to set up camp. The gilks were secured with ropes on the slope, while at some distance from it a place for a bivouac was cut out in the ice. When his comrades came for Arthur, they discovered that he was not there. It is still unknown whether he was carried away by an avalanche or whether he did this on purpose to relieve his comrades of a burden.

After the descent, Muhammad Ata Ullah, a Pakistani member of the team, erected a three-meter-tall cairn near the base camp in honor of his fallen friend. The Gilkey Memorial became a memorial to all those whom the summit of K2 called to forever. By 2017, there are already 85 such brave souls. Despite the defeat and death of a team member, the 1953 expedition became a symbol of team cohesion and courage in the history of mountaineering.

First victory

Finally, an Italian expedition managed to conquer the summit of K2 in 1954. It was led by the most experienced rock climber, researcher and geologist Professor Ardito Desio, who by that time was 57 years old. He made strict demands on the selection of the team, its physical and theoretical preparation. The group included Pakistani Muhammad Ata Ullah, a participant in the 1953 ascent. Desio himself was a member of the Italian group of 1929, and along its route he planned the path of his team.

For eight weeks the expedition overcame the Abruzzi ridge. For the ascent, compressed oxygen was used, the delivery of which was provided to the 8050 m mark by Walter Bonatti and the Pakistani Hunza racer Amir Mehdi. Both nearly died after spending the night without shelter at such a height, and Hunza paid by amputating his frostbitten fingers and toes.

Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni climbed the highest point of K2, the most unruly peak, on July 31st. Having stayed there for about half an hour, and leaving empty oxygen cylinders on the virgin surface, at seven o'clock in the evening they began their descent, which almost ended tragically. Exhausted by fatigue and lack of oxygen, the climbers suffered two falls in the darkness, both of which could have been fatal.

About routes

The legendary climber, who eventually conquered all 14 eight-thousanders, said that for the first time he encountered a mountain that was impossible to climb from either side. Messner came to this conclusion after he failed in 1979 while trying to overcome the southwestern ridge, which he called the Magic Line. He climbed to the top via the Abruzzi Ridge, the standard route of pioneers, after which he declared that conquering Everest was a walk compared to K2. Today there are ten routes, some of which are very difficult, others incredibly difficult, and others are simply impossible and have not yet been climbed twice.

Very difficult

Using the standard route laid by the Italians, 75% of climbers climb through the Abruzzo Ridge. This, located on the Pakistani side, is the Southeast ridge of the peak, overlooking the Godwin Austin Glacier.

The ascent along the North-East ridge was completed in 1978 by an American group. She found her way around a difficult rocky section covered with long cornices that ends above the very top of the Abruzzi Ridge.

The Cesena route along the South-Southeast Ridge, after two attempts by American and Slovenian climbers, was completed by a Spanish-Basque team in 1994. This is a safer alternative to the standard route via the Abruzzi Ridge as it avoids the Black Pyramid, the first major obstacle to the Abruzzi route.

Incredibly complex

The route from the Chinese side along the Northern Ridge, almost opposite to the Abruzzi Ridge, was laid by a Japanese group in 1982. Despite the fact that the path is considered successful (29 climbers reached the summit), it is rarely used, partly due to the difficulties of passing and problematic access to the mountain.

The Japanese route through the Western Ridge was established in 1981. This line starts on the distant Negrotto glacier and passes through unpredictable rock formations and snow fields.

After several attempts on the South-Southeast Ridge, the Magic Line or Southwest Pillar managed to defeat the Polish-Slovak trio in 1986. The route is technically very demanding and is considered the second most difficult. The only successful ascent was repeated 18 years later by a Spanish climber.

Routes not yet repeated

The Polish Line on the South Face, called the suicide route by Reinhold Messner, is such a difficult and avalanche-prone route that no one else has ever considered attempting it again. Climbed in July 1986 by Poles Jerzy Kukuczka and Tadeusz Piotrowski. The route is considered one of the most difficult in the history of mountaineering.

In 1990, a Japanese expedition climbed the North-West Face. This was the third of the northern routes from China. One of the two previous ones was also climbed by Japanese climbers. This path is known for its almost vertical snow areas and the chaos of rock formations that accompany you to the very top.

The 1991 ascent of two French climbers along the North-West Ridge, with the exception of the initial section, largely repeats two previously existing routes on the northern side.

From the beginning of June until the end of August 2007, the Russian team climbed the steepest western face. On August 22, 11 climbers climbed the Russian peak K2, having passed the most dangerous path, entirely consisting of rocky cracks and snow-covered depressions.

Fierce Mountain

Savage Mountain is translated as Wild (Primitive, Fierce, Cruel, Merciless) Mountain. This is how climbers nicknamed Chogori because of the extremely difficult ascent and extreme weather conditions. This is what draws the most intrepid heroes to where the peak of K2 is located. Many climbers claim that it is technically more difficult to climb than Annapurna, which is considered the most dangerous due to its avalanches. If winter expeditions to Annapurna ended with an ascent, then on K2 none of the three attempts were crowned with success.

Chogori constantly imposes a deadly tax. And sometimes these are not isolated, but mass cases. The season from June 21 to August 4, 1986 claimed 13 lives among members of various groups. During 1995, eight climbers died. On August 1, 2008, the simultaneous death of 11 people from international expeditions became the worst disaster on K2. In total, 85 people did not return from the mountain.

And if only the dead are counted, then statistics are not kept on limbs amputated after frostbite, mutilations, injuries and fatal diseases that kill after return. But such facts will not discourage daredevils obsessed with the passion of climbing. They will always be tempted and attracted by its peak K2.

I translated from English Steve Swanson’s article “Burnt by the Sun,” published last spring in the paper version of Alpinist magazine. It is dedicated to the tragic events of 1986 on K2, when 13 climbers died.
I also posted the translation on the website risk.ru on December 22, 2012.

Scorched by the sun

What is reasonable aspiration? There is a peak at which the thirst for satisfaction of ambition can go so far beyond the bounds of reason that it slides into obsession; when fixation on the result drives a person beyond the point beyond which reasonable caution should turn him back - assuming that in a given situation survival becomes as important as achieving the ultimate goal. Tom Holzel and Audrey Salkeld, "The Mystery of Mallory and Irwin", 2000

In 1986, twenty-seven climbers summited K2, five using new routes. In the process, thirteen men and women died, and the total number of misfortunes on the mountain more than doubled. The events of Black Summer reminded me of the ancient Greek myth of Icarus. The man made wings from wax and feathers for his son and warned him not to fly close to the sun. Overwhelmed by the natural euphoria of flight, Icarus flew too high. The heat of the sun melted the wax, which led to the fall and death of Icarus. History contains memories of the great achievements of 1986, but much more - of the terrible losses among strong individuals, and these stories drown out all the joy and pride.

That summer, the Pakistani government issued permits to nine groups, and nearly eighty people hoped to reach the summit. Among them were many of the most experienced high-altitude climbers at that time. Their methods and ideals varied greatly.

The first deaths occurred as a result of the climbers simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. On June 21, the sun sunk a giant boulder above Negrotto Col, causing a massive collapse that buried John Smolich and Alan Pennington. After this, several members of the Italian and Basque expeditions switched from the Magic Line to the Abruzzo ridge.

This was the beginning of the accumulation of groups on the classic route, which steadily and dangerously increased over the next few weeks.


Routes on the south side of K2
A: Along the western ridge and wall (Japan, 1981)
C: Magic Line (Poland-Slovakia, 1986)
D: Polish Line (1986)
E: SE buttress
F: Abruzzese Route (Italy, 1954)

Maurice and Liliane Barrard, Michel Parmentier and Wanda Rutkiewicz were already in the middle of climbing the Abruzzese semi-alpine route without supplemental oxygen.
The first on the route this year, they lacked the help of other groups in the form of new ropes, left supplies, and filled tracks. The higher they rose during their last throw, the slower they moved. Leaving most of their gear on the Shoulder, they struggled through the deep, powdery snow at the Bottleneck. At an altitude of 8300 m, all four of us, without sleeping bags, squeezed into a two-person tent. The next day the sky was so blue that Parmentier felt as if he were standing on a warm beach, looking out to sea (Pari-Match, September 1986). Rutkevich reached the top first and reported this to the others, who stopped several hundred meters below the top to cook soup.
While Rutkiewicz waited for them, she left a note in a plastic bag in the rocks: “Wanda Rutkiewicz, June 23, 1986, 10:15, First female ascent.” She also added: “Lillian Barrar.” During the 70s and 80s, women fought to gain recognition as high-altitude mountaineers. By 1986, Rutkiewicz had earned a reputation as one of the best Himalayan climbers and one of the most fiercely determined. Four years earlier, with a broken hip, she had walked with a crutch the 150-kilometer approach from the village of Dasso to Chogori base camp to lead the first all-female attempt at K2. And now, finally, the woman stood at the top of “Mountain Climbers.”


Pictured are Lillian Barrar (center) and Wanda Rutkiewicz (left)

An hour later, Liliane joined her, along with Maurice and Parmentier. On the descent, they decided to spend a second night at 8300 m - now without food or water. Rutkiewicz would later write: “In the rays of the sun I did not know that death was following us down” (Jim Curran, K2: Triumph and Tragedy, 1987). A group of Basque climbers passed their tent on the way down from the summit. Lilian said: “I hear the living,” Maurice replied: “I don’t give a damn about life” (Pari-Mach). As they continued their descent towards Camp IV in the morning, the Barrars' gap grew further and further.

Since there was little fuel left, Parmentier convinced Rutkiewicz to continue moving with the Basques to Camp II, while he remained to wait for Maurice and Liliane at Camp IV. Through the falling snow, Rutkiewicz caught a glimpse of the Barrars silhouetted in the clouds high above her. They seemed exhausted and descended slowly. A French climber from another expedition, Benoit Chamoux, turned back near Camp IV in view of an approaching storm. When Parmentier refused to leave his friends, Chamot left him his walkie-talkie. As the storm raged, Parmentier called Chamo at Base Camp: he realized that he would have to go down alone.

Chamot led Parmentier through the whiteout and strong storm winds from memory using radio communication. Every ten minutes Parmentier called Base Camp: “Benoit, are you here?” And Shamo answered: “Yes, Michel, I’m here.” Each time the radio went silent, Chamot feared that Parmentier might have fallen. Finally, Shamo announced to the gathering crowd: “He found urine marks in the snow.” Everyone was happy.

Parmentier returned to the route line close to the place from which the railing ropes went down (Benoit Chamot, Le Vertige de I"lnfini, 1988). Together with Rutkevich, he reached the base camp two days later. The Barrard couple disappeared. Rutkevich wrote in her diary: “There are events that I experienced, but I still can’t fully accept them” (Bernadette McDonald, Freedom Climbers 2011) (The same book Freedom Climbers describes how Wanda fell behind the Basques and at some point lost her). suddenly she saw two black features that turned out to be ski poles. Next to them, Wanda decided that the poles had been left by the Basques - for her, a lot of fresh snow had fallen. they simply serve as a guide to the beginning of the railing, but there was no strength to climb back - they were only enough to save himself. Parmentier wandered at the top for a long time in search of the railing. And only constant radio communication with Benoit Chamot helped him to go down. , how events would have unfolded if she had left the sticks in place. This addition is included in the post to make it clear that even experienced climbers can make mistakes after being at altitude for a long time. - approx. ed.)
A month later, Lillian's body was found in an avalanche blowout at the base of the south side. In 1998, climbers discovered a corpse on a glacier wearing a shirt with Maurice's name embroidered on it.

For days, Shamo looked at the mountain above Base Camp, still hoping to see Barrar move along the moraine: “I began to feel that the desire to climb was absurd... but if some people die for the mountain, it must be because it is incredibly important to them - to go higher and higher... Be that as it may, we go to the mountains in search of the seemingly irrational, but in fact - human.”

Benoit Chamot

On July 4, using established fixed ropes and camps along the Abruzzese route, Shamo intended to make a one-day ascent of K2. At 18:15 he started from 5300 m. At 22:30 he stopped at the Korean tent at 6700 m to cook himself something to eat. By 7 a.m. he was on the Shoulder. He tried to melt the snow, but his stomach would no longer accept the liquid. He left his gear and began to climb up the Bottleneck with only a few lollipops in his pocket. Almost every hour he leaned his head over an ice pick when he was overcome by bouts of vomiting. Finally, the warm tones of the distant fields beyond the glaciers were revealed to his gaze. It took him only twenty-three hours to reach the top (Le Vertige de l'Infini).

By that time, two Polish climbers Jerzy Kukuczka and Tadeusz Piotrowski had been attempting to climb the central ridge of the southern side of the mountain for almost a month. One by one, their teammates dropped out. On July 6, they set up a bivouac at 8200 m. In front of them rose a 100-meter steep wall, which was not visible from the base camp. It took them a whole day to hang one thirty-meter rope. Kukuchka recalled: “I gained height centimeter by centimeter... I fought for every step... The hardest climbing section that I had to overcome in this Himalayan climb” (My Vertical World, 1992).

They returned to their previous bivouac, where they used a candle as fuel to heat two small cups of water. On July 8, they left everything behind except their climbing equipment, bivouac bags and camera. Fog was gathering over the mountain, and they left their excess equipment where their route connected with Abruzzi's. Higher up in the snow they saw soup bags thrown by Barrar. At 18:25 the slope gave way to a horizontal surface. They stood at the top.


Jerzy Kukuczka

They planned to descend along the Abruzzi route. They reached their gear as it began to get dark. While changing the batteries for his headlamp, Kukuchka dropped it, and they were forced to descend to the bivouac at 8300 m. At dawn, they wandered, lost, in the whiteout, covering a simple 400-meter section until the next night. On July 10, on the third day, without food, water or shelter, they reached a steep ice slope. Kukuchka asked for a rope, but Piotrovsky left it at the bivouac. When they got down, Piotrovsky's crampons flew off. He fell on Kukuchka and then disappeared behind the bend of the slope.

Five and a half hours later, Kukuchka crawled into a vacant Korean tent at 7300 m on the Shoulder, where he found food, a burner, and slept for twenty hours. Earlier that summer, other climbers had criticized the Koreans for their heavy style, but if not for their throws, it is unlikely that Kukuchka would have survived. “My experience on that mountain was too tragic,” he recalled, “and the price paid for victory was too high” (American Alpine Journal 1987).

The Polish-Slovakian team and Italian singles Renato Casarotto were still working on the Magic Line. Since Messner's 1979 expedition, Casarotto has become one of the world's top soloists, and his difficult first ascents included Denali's twelve-mile cornice-crested ridge called the Ridge of No Return. But he never gave up the dream of the Magic Line. By mid-July it had reached 8200 m twice. “This is a wonderful route,” he explained to the Polish climbers. “If I reach the top, I will give up my solo climbs” (“K2: Triumph and Tragedy”). On his third attempt, he was met by strong winds at 8,300 m, filling his tent with snow and ice, permeating his clothing. He felt that good weather was needed for the final mixed section. After lengthy conversations on the radio with his wife Goretta, who was waiting for him at the base camp, on July 16 he decided to stop the attempt completely.

Renato and Goretta Casarotto

That same evening, Kurt Dimberger became concerned because a small moving dot had disappeared from the avalanche icefall on the De Filippo Glacier. Casarotto fell into a deep closed crack, but he managed to get a walkie-talkie and contact his wife.
“Goretta, I’m dying in a crack not far from the base camp,” he told her. Goretta accompanied Casarotto on many of his adventures and quickly organized a rescue party. They pulled him out of the crack still alive. Despite the efforts of several expedition doctors, he died soon after. In accordance with Goretta's wishes, his body was returned to the crack.

With each death, the survivors tried to make sense of the accidents, to find a reason why they were going to K2, or why they were climbing in the first place. Some left, like Smolich and Pennington's associates. Others remained.

Polish climber Anna Czerwinska explained: “We began to get the impression that we were participants in some kind of mystical drama, and everything that happened was beyond the limits of ordinary statistics and chance” (“K2: Triumph and Tragedy”). Working in teams of three women and four men, she and her comrades secured railings up to 7,600m on the Magic Line. On July 29, Peter Bozhik, Przemyslaw Piasecki and Wojciech Wruz left the base camp and climbed the snow-covered bastion along rocky steps and steep ice. They spent the night in Camps 2 and 3. Using a shared bivouac, without sleeping bags or supplemental oxygen, they spent another night at 8000 m and the next at 8400.

On August 3, after pendulum traverse to get around the overhang, Pyasetsky realized that they would not be able to descend along the ascent path. At 6 pm they decided to descend from the summit of K2 along the Abruzzi route, where they could use the ropes and camps of other teams. But the Austrians and Koreans roped only certain sections of the traverse above the Bottleneck, not realizing, of course, that others could use their ropes blindly in the dark.

Around 11:30 p.m., Piasecki, the only one with a working headlamp, noticed a tear in the railing. He shouted a warning to Bozhik, who was behind him. Bozhik also shouted about this to Vruzh. When Pyasetsky and Bozhik called out to Vruzh from below again, the silence of the night was broken only by the sound of metal hitting stone. In a state of extreme fatigue, Vruzh apparently slipped off the end of the rappel.

Around 3:00, Piasecki and Bozsik came across a crowded Camp IV. Bong-wan Jang, Chang-sun Kim and Byeung-hon Jang (all from the Korean expedition) returned from the summit on the same day. Willi Bauer, Hans Wieser and Alfred Imitzer (from the Austrian expedition), Dimberger and Tallis (from the Italian expedition to the "Magic Line"), Alan Rose (from the British expedition to the northwest ridge) and Dobroslava ("Mruvka") Miodovic-Wolf (from the Polish expedition on the Magic Line) processed the Abruzzi route.

Even earlier, near the base camp, Dimberger noticed a teapot among the debris of the ice avalanche. It looked like it belonged to Austrian Camp IV. When the Austrians realized that a gigantic collapse had destroyed their upper camps, they decided on a complex and unrealistic plan - to reach the summit without replacing the lost supplies. On August 1, they were supposed to use the Korean high camp. The next day they would set up ropes for everyone, continue to the summit and descend into Camp III, clearing the tent for the three Koreans climbing up.

Dimberger realized the risk of this strategy and offered the Austrians a spare light tent. Wieser replied: “No... Bauer agreed on something with the Koreans over the radio.” This mistake was one of the links in the chain of events that led to the disaster.

On August 2, the Austrians hung the railings at the Bottleneck, expecting to be at the top that day. Completing this job took longer than expected and they returned back to 8400m. But since they wanted to try again, they insisted on staying at Camp IV again even though there was not enough tent space.

After an argument with members of other groups, Bauer and Wieser squeezed into a three-person tent containing three Koreans. Imitzer pushed into the two-person tent belonging to Rose and Mruvka. Dimberger and Tallis refused to let anyone into their tent: “This is our third expedition to this mountain... We must be fresh tomorrow.” The next morning the Koreans went to the summit. Unable to sleep due to overcrowding, Rose and Mruvka postponed the attempt for another day. Dimberger and Tallis stayed with them to wait.


Dimberger and Tallis

After fourteen expeditions to the Karakoram over the past thirty-two years, I have found that more than four days of clear and calm weather are rare. The lost day for everyone significantly increased the risk of being caught in the storm, adding another link in the chain. Together with Pyasetsky, Bozhik and the Koreans who returned from the summit, there were twelve people in Camp IV. Rose and Mruvka took Piasecki and Bozsik into their tent, leaving Rose to sleep half under the awning.

On the morning of August 4th, Rose, Mruvka, Imitzer, Bauer, Wieser, Dimberger and Tallis set out to storm the summit. Wieser turned back soon after leaving the camp, but he refused to go down to the lower camp with Piasecki, Bozsik and the Koreans, remaining to wait for his team at Camp IV.

The day turned out to be warm. Much lower on the mountain, a large rockfall caused by the sun knocked down Sirdar Mohammed Ali and he died near Camp I. By 11 a.m., Diemberger noted, only the summit cone of K2 remained bathed in light above the gathering clouds. A southerly wind was blowing and a storm was approaching, which forced Alex and I (we are talking about the author of the article, Steve Swenson, and his partner Alex Lowe - translator's note) to abandon the climb on the northern slope. Mruvka, half asleep, crawled to 8500 m and turned back to Camp IV.

Alan Rose

The others followed Rose as he hit the steps all the way except for the last 100 meters before the top. When Dimberger and Tallis reached the summit on the last evening, the fog was thickening. On the way down they made contact. Tallis soon fell, tore off Dimberger, and they flew 100 meters. Safe and sound, but now outside the route and in the dark, they spent the whole night wrapped in powder coats at 8400 m. In the morning they descended in whiteout, screaming, until Bauer's voice led them to the tents.

A furious storm began. Seven climbers were trapped in a snowstorm at Camp IV, already exhausted from being at altitude for so long. Every day their condition worsened. Diemberger and Tallis's tent collapsed from the gusts of wind that continued to bury them all. He moved to Rose and Mruvka's tent, and she moved to the Austrians' tent. Between the night of August 6th and the morning of the 8th, Tallis died in her sleep. Soon everyone ran out of food and fuel. Rose began hallucinating. On August 10th there was a hint of sunshine. “Aussa, aussa,” Bauer shouted, trying to get the survivors to move as best they could. Before he died, Rose asked for water, which no one had. Despite the help of Mruvka and Bauer, Wieser and Imitzer were greatly weakened and died 100 meters below the tents.

Mruvka

Dimberger, Mruvka and Bauer rappelled alone in the gloom of snow and clouds.
By this time, the climbers below had already written them off. At dusk on August 11th, Bauer came to BC like something out of a horror movie. He reported that Dimberger and Mruvka were somewhere behind. A rescue team came out at night. A faint shadow appeared in the darkness, descending above the Advanced Base Base. The first thing Diemberger whispered was: “I lost Julie.”

Kurt Diemberger (top) and Willi Bauer (bottom)

Despite fatigue, Piasecki, together with Michael Messner, climbed up to approximately 7000 m in search of Mruvka. They found only an empty tent near what was believed to be her last location. In 1987, about 100 meters above, a Japanese expedition discovered her body, still standing upright, strapped to the railing and leaning against the wall.

Chogori is the world's most challenging mountain to climb, better known as K2 Peak. Last August, Kazakh climbers Maksut Zhumayev and Vasily Pivtsov, after five attempts over several years, finally conquered the summit. The expedition lasted more than two months. The team, which included representatives from Germany, Poland, Austria and Argentina, faced all the challenges of a dangerous climb and endured all sorts of bad weather conditions. Vox Populi presents Maksut Zhumaev’s diary, which tells how it happened.

(Total 49 photos)

1. Expedition "K2" started in Bishkek. Seven people were supposed to participate in the ascent to K2, but one climber from the States could not join us due to visa problems. As a result, our team consists of six people - Vasily Pivtsov, Tommy Henrich from Argentina, spouses Ralf Duymovets and Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner from Austria, videographer Darek Zaluski from Poland and me, CSKA sergeant Maksut Zhumaev (in the photo Ralf is choosing melons, photo by Gerlinda Kaltenbrunner)

2. June 17. I woke up in the yurt at 6 am, fresh and cheerful! After breakfast, we regrouped the expeditionary cargo with only one goal - to hide the satellite terminal and Thuraya telephone, and most importantly - the sausage! They explained to us that Chinese customs have an acute intolerance to civilization products

4. June 19. City everyday life began with the purchase of food. “Food” is the most pressing topic on the expedition. We were warned that on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border, all food products would be requisitioned in favor of the “party cause.” But at our own peril and risk we transported 40 cans of horse meat stew

5. Our caravan started from the village of Ilik, here local residents, ethnic Kazakhs and Kyrgyz, rent camels. This service is very expensive, but they have a monopoly, since helicopter transportation for climbers is prohibited in China, and it is not possible to find a hundred porters

6. The day the caravan departs is a great holiday for all local residents. After all, they earn money for the whole year in advance from one expedition. 40 camels and 10 drivers were allocated for our expedition. Each camel takes 80-100 kg. When all the goods have been distributed, they begin to load them

7. June 24. In the morning it was cloudy and windy. In the mountainous region through which we walked to the base camp, there are many nameless peaks that have never been touched by humans. In the clouds at the top I spotted a stone figure that looked like a praying angel

8. June 25. In the desert area of ​​the mountain gorge, even the stones reflected the light; the thermometer was +35 degrees. In addition to the Shizgam River, ahead of the caravan was a crossing over the mountain river Chogori. The crossing was the most dangerous; the water washed over the camels up to their bellies. And the stones that rushed under the water, driven by the current, could knock them off their feet. But everything worked out, and we safely reached the base camp

9. Here, in an oasis among the desert gorges in the bushes, lives a herd of kulans. We met these beautiful animals back in 2007, when we made one of our attempts to climb K2. We set up a base camp on the edge of the oasis, and on the other side lived kulans

10. July 1st. From the first day of arrival at base camp, all the team’s actions were aimed at the upcoming ascent. Setting up camp is one thing, you still need to get to the mountain. The specifics of climbing K2 are such that you need to overcome 20 kilometers along moraines and glaciers. We divide this path into three sections: from the base camp to the advanced camp and then to camp 1. Each exit to the mountain is an event; I regularly had to send information to my homeland. Only two of our team had experience in climbing the chosen route. In 2007, the expedition completed the ascent at an altitude of 8450 meters. Above the 4th high altitude camp the route presented a big problem. And we had to solve this “deadly” problem (photo by V. Pivtsov)

11. Our main home is ABC (Advanced Base Camp). Grass and flowers still grow here, but walk 100 meters and you are on a lifeless glacier. In the camp, everyone has their own tent, one dining room, which is also a wardroom, where the whole team gathers and spends their free time. Next to the large tent under an awning is the kitchen where our chef works culinary miracles. Snow in the advanced camp usually fell at night, and every morning we cleared the snow from the tents. In good weather we worked on the route, and in bad weather we stayed at the base. But everything has its own charm. When the weather is bad at the top - there is an avalanche danger and fear for life, when it is snowing below - nostalgia for winter in the midst of summer

12. Ralph and Gerlinda constantly reported on the progress of the expedition

13. The situation in the camp is spartan; during the first week we broke all three thermoses. Kettle, mugs, spoons - all this is not important, the main thing is the top

14. Darek Zaluski is our high-altitude videographer. Originally from Warsaw (Poland). We are connected by a good, long friendship. Darek is rightfully one of the most experienced high-altitude videographers in the world. Shooting video in the mountains is a very difficult and challenging job. Showing a snow hurricane, faces frozen in the bitter cold, conveying all the beauty and depth of the mountains is not something everyone can do

15. July 5. First day of good weather. At 8:40 am we left the camp. Ralph and Gerlinda were looking for a new path. But one way or another all the paths lead to one main moraine corridor, which leads to the base of Chogori

16. It was always bright and spacious in our tent for Ralph and Gerlinda, who came to drink tea with lemon and discuss plans for tomorrow. The first trek took a lot of energy, so after tea everyone quickly fell asleep (photo by Darek Zaluski)

17. 06 July. The exit to the mountain is scheduled for 5:00 am. Ralf Dujmovich is Gerlinda's husband, the first representative of Germany to complete the program of 14 eight-thousanders. He is a successful businessman, the head of the largest travel company Amical and just a good climber

18. Hanging rope railings on an avalanche-prone snow slope. Vasily is working ahead, Ralph is on the belay. Looking ahead, I will say that it was on this slope that an avalanche descended on us on one of the assault days. But we survived, holding on to the rope railings that we had hung earlier. According to tactics, we constantly divided the team: the first three climbers work the route, hang the railings, the second three climbers at this time make cargo walks, bringing equipment, ropes, snow safety stakes, ice screws, and rock pitons under the route. Any work is difficult and vital

19. Tent life is simple and straightforward. One large saucepan for four. The main task is to restore water balance. A climber loses up to 3 liters of fluid per day, mainly through breathing. Water is needed to prevent the blood from thickening, otherwise the likelihood of frostbite increases (photo by V. Pivtsov)

20. 07 July. Rise at 3 am. According to the plan, take as many ropes as possible and hang them up to the 2nd camp. Today there are six of us going out: Ralph and Gerlinda are the first to leave the camp, then Vasily and I, the last are Darek and Tommy

21. Vasily and I went forward to trample. We change each other every 100-200 steps. Gerlinda asks to come forward, we politely ask her to save her strength and let us work. We all return together to the tents of the 1st camp after 6 pm. A hard day of work that brought satisfaction from the work done. We managed to hang the ropes up to a height of 6300 meters. That evening, after dinner, Ralph reported that tomorrow there was a forecast of snow and increased wind. We collectively decide that tomorrow everyone will go down to Depo-camp, take the ropes and bring them to the 1st camp for further work. After which we can go down to rest in ABC with a clear conscience. Calm and peace reigned in our tent. Tired, we fall into deep sleep

22. July 12. At 6 a.m. everyone gathered for breakfast, where they lively discussed the weather forecast, which promised continued clearing. After breakfast, everyone received a legal ration of fried potatoes. As Ralph said: “Potatoes are not only a storehouse of energy, but also a source of vitamin C and minerals.” You can't argue with him about this

23. July 13. At three o'clock in the morning a signal went off on my phone - it was time to get up. We take turns getting ready, then light the burner and heat water in a saucepan. For breakfast, only 3-in-1 coffee and one chocolate bar for two (photo by V. Pivtsov)

24. We were lucky; an avalanche paved our way to the rocky couloir. Following her trail, we reached the beginning of the railing and further along the ropes we began to slowly climb. Gerlinda works in front, walks powerfully on two jackals (a jackal is specially designed for traversing steep ice), pulling the rope out from under the snow and ice. Everyone else walks along the railing step by step, measuring upward meters and centimeters with their zhumars (zhumar is a device for moving up a rope railing). I go second to last, only Tommy follows me, he walks without a helmet. Something is falling from above in a constant stream, sometimes snow, sometimes pieces of ice. Often flies into the helmet, and Tommy tries to dodge troubles flying from above. Cursing and shouting can be heard more and more often behind me. “Not more ice!” Tommy shouts, but no one can hear him, everyone is already high ahead and starting to climb the snowy ridge

25. July 15. In the morning it started to snow, we were faced with a dilemma: to go to the 2nd camp for an overnight stay or to go down to the advanced base camp for rest. We decided to wait for the Darek-Tommy deuce and decide together what to do next. For our four, spending the night in the 2nd camp would not have hurt, but general fatigue took over. Darek and Tommy approached, throwing off their heavy backpacks, they showed with all their appearance that they would not reach the 2nd camp today. The decision came naturally, everyone is going down (photo by Darek Z.)

26. July 20. We are preparing ourselves for difficult work, fighting deep snow on a snowy ridge. The weather is favorable to us, cloudy below. Sometimes the wind lifts the clouds, and then we walk in a fog. By lunchtime we reached the rocks, and from there it’s a stone’s throw to the camp (photo by Darek Z.)

27. July 21. Tommy and Darek are also preparing to leave. Despite the bad weather, we pack up and take our tent with us. We go upstairs at 9 am

28. From the top of the ridge, the wind drives small avalanches. Vasily pulls out the railing from under the snow and we slowly go upstairs. In the afternoon we finally reached the 2nd camp. Here on a wide snow ridge there is snow above the knee, but there are only 100 meters left to the camp site

29. By the time Ralph and Gerlinda arrived, I managed to prepare a pot of green tea with honey (photo by Darek Z.)

30. (photo by V. Pivtsov)

32. July 23. Gerlinda was 100 meters away from us, when suddenly an avalanche hit nearby. Based on the direction the avalanche was moving, it was clear that we would not be caught, but the wind was in our direction. And 10 seconds later we were covered by a cloud of snow dust. It wasn’t scary, but we didn’t want to think that we could be within the radius of an avalanche cone. We got up, shook off the snow and began to wait for our friends (photo by Darek Z.)

33. July 25. According to the forecast, the storm will dominate the mountain for a week. We decided to go on vacation to the lower “Chinese” base camp. There is no chance of climbing the mountain in the next few days. According to our data, the wind speed increased to 100 km/h. There is nothing to do on the mountain in this weather. All that remains is to go down to the base camp to rest (photo by V. Pivtsov)

34. 04 August. The sun illuminated the tent at 7 o'clock in the morning. That day we worked all day, and by five we reached the 3rd camp; we could have done it earlier, but the deep snow slowed down our pace of movement. At sunset we held a meeting and at the same time celebrated Darek's birthday. We congratulated the birthday boy as best we could, treated him to meat, and Vasily allocated a few milligrams of alcohol, which he diluted with water

35. 05 August. 6 am, yesterday was Darek's birthday, and today my son turned 3 years old. Wish to my son: “It just so happened that when you were born, I was kneading the snow of Lenin Peak in the Pamirs. And on every birthday, your dad is in the cold, far from you. But with all the warmth of my love for you, my son Isatai, I wish you to grow up healthy and to our joy!” (photo by Pivtsov V.)

36. The amount of work done today gave a good chance of marking the route to the 4th camp the next day. Ropes and rock equipment had been left at the end of the railing. A good start has been made; all that remains is to approve the general plan of action for tomorrow. We decided to go in the same heavy style: we take all three tents with us, as well as food, things and gas, there is a possibility that a window of good weather will appear and, perhaps, we will have a chance to make an attempt to climb to the top (photo by Darek Z. )

37. 06 August. Tommy decided to go down to the base and wait for us there. This fact made some adjustments; Vasily and I take Darek to our tent. This did not affect the weight of the backpacks, but you will have to make room in the tent seriously. The wind had not covered the path since yesterday, so it was not difficult to walk. In front of the rock ridge we found a tangle of old railing ropes. At 4 o'clock in the afternoon we reached the site of the lower 4th camp, at an altitude of approximately 7900 meters (photo by Darek Z.)

38. 07 August. When we woke up, it was snowing. During snowfall there is no point in going out, down jackets will get wet. We called meteorologist Charlie, who reassured us that the snow would stop falling as night fell. Soon we began to run out of food and gas

39. 08 August. The weather is excellent, thick clouds under our feet. There is only bright sun in the sky, snow lies in a thick layer on the rocks. We calculated that about 40-50 cm fell. Above our tents, the old railings were all covered with snow, so it was difficult to guess the direction of movement. Avalanches are dangerous everywhere, even on the dome of a tent. At 9 am, the three of us go out for processing, Vasily works first, Gerlinda and I bring ropes to the belay. The most dangerous was the traverse along the snowy slope. As soon as Vasily began to cut the slope, a snow board came out from under him, but he held on, sharply driving the jackal into the slope. Then I walked more carefully (photo by Darek Z.)

42. Another problem - during the transition from camp 1 to camp 2, melt water flowed along the couloir, the railing rope constantly froze and froze into the ice (photo by Ralph D.)

46. ​​August 22. Last night we made the difficult decision to use this day to rest and work on the route. We spent a very cold night at 8000 meters (photo by Pivtsov V.)

47. August 23 - there will be no more good weather and we have the last chance to climb to the top. I don’t know where the strength came from, but it took 12 hours of superhuman effort, but we did it. At 7 pm our entire assault group reached the top! (photo by Pivtsov V.)

48. In the morning, Vasily Pivtsov and I set out from our overnight stay at an altitude of 8300 m towards the 4th camp. At 10:30 we successfully reached it. Everyone is feeling normal, we plan to go as low as possible today

49. For Maksut Zhumaev, Vasily Pivtsov and Gerlinda Kalterbrunner, this is the 14th eight-thousander! We did it! Now Kazakhstan is in 1st place in the world ranking, out of 28 people on the planet who have climbed all 14 x 8000+, three are from Kazakhstan! And most importantly, all three - Maksut, Vasily and Denis made all the ascents without the use of oxygen equipment! (photo by Darek Z.)