Sometimes even the most careful planning, preparations and the utmost motivation are not enough. Sometimes it takes more courage to stop than continue. And sometimes you just can't challenge your own condition, the condition and well-being of the team. And you just need to admit that the circumstances or Mother Nature are not for your project.

To so many brave mountaineers these facts have become to a reality, and this happened to Miroslav Caban as well. His unique Project 4-4-8 aimed to the climbing 4 over 8000 meter summits in only 4 months without the use of oxygen. The harsh circumstances at Shisha Pangma – snow storm, dangerous combination of fresh and old snow and the wind prevented from making the summit. Perils at Cho Oyu and chilblains suffered at Broad Peak were more bad luck to come. Yet he couldn't give up the last one, the mighty K2.

"Even though we could not make the record this time, I am extremely happy that we set our target this high and went for it. I am so proud of Jan and the rest of the team who supported our project with total commitment," says Miroslav Caban.

We at Suunto are proud of Miro and his team as well and wish him all best for the coming projects – whether less challenging or even more adventurous as the Project 4-4-8 was.

Suunto Team

I kept feeling pain throughout the whole night. The painkillers worked for few hours only and then I woke up because of the pain. I was still undecided in the morning but then a clear sign came. A cloud of a specific rounded shape appeared on the sky, the same cloud like above Broad Peak, which means mostly the same all around the world - total worsening of weather within 24 hours of the cloud's first appearance. I explained this to two young Russian mountaineers (24 and 28 years) but they replied that they had to bring the oxygen bottles to C3 and disappeared. I knew then that due to the bad weather and problems caused by my chilblains my expedition 448 was getting over for me.

All the equipment Ghulam and I brought here had to be packed once again and for last. I had to carry those all on my own from the C2 which is at 6700m. Luckily, an Iran mountaineer was going back on the same time. Kazim was so kind that he carried one of my tents all the way down to ABC which took 7 hours to reach. On the way the pain extended from toes to the rest of the fingers which assured me that my decision was the only correct one. I had a brief discussion with the Russian expedition leader who confirmed that the weather was getting bad - three days of dense snow falls and wind that will reach 120 km/h on the K2's peak. His boys made it with the oxygen load to C3 but he urged them right back over the radio.

The whole way to the BC took me 11 hours altogether. There I was meeting sad looks from other mountaineers. Everybody knew that my long eighthousanders journey was at the end. I felt their sights as well as tears coming to my eyes. By now I know that my expedition Project 448 was a daring toward the nature. Maybe somebody else is destined to accomplish it. Unfortunately, nature hasn't allowed me to and I'm leaving for my home.

Miro

How surprised I got in the morning! I felt fine. No pain, I was totally calm and sure to continue higher up. The only concern was my toes. When a chill came I started to feel them immediately and very intensively. Thus again I had to wait for the sun to pop out instead to set off immediately for another 700 vertical meters that were in front of me. As I had a problem to rightly warm up the toes I moved the departure to 7am that morning.

Climbing up went under absolutely perfect physical and psychical conditions. But the pain piercing out from the chilblained toes was worsening with the higher altitude and rising chill. In the middle of the trek I ran into Ghulam who started to cry. He is a tough man thus, dazzled, I asked him what was the reason. He wasn't good in English so he only pointed towards his chest and said: Very bad, and kept shedding tears. We were supposed to build together C3 but instead I told him to go down as there was something wrong with his lungs.

Continuing up I met the whole Korean expedition. They had kept waiting during the bad days for a better weather to come there and to go for the very peak. They were now coming back without reaching it. The wind at C4 was so strong that it blew away one of their tens after another altogether with oxygen bottles and other equipment. I also found out that the expeditions left the idea of cooperating and everybody was going for the peak on his own. It took me 5 and a half hour to reach C2 which showed I was in good condition. The only thing that kept bothering me were my toes which hurt so much that I had to take some painkillers. This was a situation the Belgian doctor also described adding that in such case the curing process may stop or even reverse and the infection may start spreading into the inner of the body. That could have led to amputations of the fingers. Bad outlook but I left the final decision until the next morning.

Because of my chilblains we set off at 6 am when the sun already shines warmly. It is 700 vertical meters to overcome to the C1. The declination is quite steep and with the entire load in our backpacks it's a tough workout. The first half was rather a pain for me. For 14 days I had been waiting for a better weather and during the time I tried to cure my chilblains. But all the rest & relax and doing of not that much rather harmed my fitness level. So during the first half of the trek I was struggling so much that every step I made was making me angry. At that point my brain said a strict: No!

I sat down and tried to calm down. Besides the pain from toes chilblains there was also lot of jitteriness. For about half an hour I kept thinking about how to calm down myself since my mindset was quite bad. I reached for a piece of chocolate and my thermo flask with juice I prepared in the morning. Ghulam, my altitude carrier, meanwhile disappeared up there and I was left completely alone with my problems. The stop helped and shortly after I continued to the C1. To reach it took me 7 hours so I stayed there to sleep over - at 6000m. Before falling asleep I kept thinking about what was happening with me down there. I laid totally exhausted in my sleeping bag and waited how would I be in the morning.

K2 Resists To Mountaineers

Though weather showed its better side to us and a nice day was here, all expeditions kept waiting until avalanches would fall down. Nobody started to go up the mountain in the early morning. Thus at 6 am I was taking photos of the ice fall and during that I decided to count the avalanches. Six big ones within half an hour and then I got tired of it and focused on the photography business. The idle attitude of the expeditions was just right as avalanches kept falling until through afternoon, though not at the morning frequency.

My plan was to set off with Ghulam in the afternoon for the ABC. But before that few trekkers from Czech Republic visited us and we had a lunch together in my mess tent. Thus we departed with one hour delay at 3 pm. The good part of that was that the sun already disappeared behind the clouds and we didn't have to walk in the hot. By crossing the ice fall we moved by 300 vertical meters up to the ABC which is at 5300m. Since Russians moved from BC to ABC as well, we weren't there alone.

I'm lying in the tent and thinking about the yesterday's mystical date of 7.7.2007. But as far as I remember nothing extraordinary happened. Only a meeting of the expeditions' leaders during the trek over Abruzi's ridge, which meant agreeing on when and how we will cooperate on the way to the summit. Tomorrow on the 9th all expeditions should start going up together. It should be altogether 20 people including the sherpas.

The forecast talks about nice weather for the 9th but with 80 km/hour wind at the altitude above 8000m. The same it should be on the 10th, with slightly slower, 60 km/h wind, when we should be at C3 at some 7200m. Seems fast? Yes, we plan to reach already C2 at 6400m on the first day. July 11th is set for reaching the C4 at 8000m but the wind is forecasted at 40km/h which will make the trek quite difficult. The summit day (12.7.) should bring 30km/h wind at 8000m which should change to cold 45km/h north wind on the very peak.

All the expeditions have been waiting so long for the good weather days that are not coming… The above mentioned days are the best considering the weather conditions of the past 30 days but nobody gives much chance yet for reaching the summit on these. Silently, all of us hope that during the climbing up the wind will cease to a fine level for the summit day. A climb up during a night is not a solution. The wind is weaker but still blows on and the temperatures are much lower which makes it, the conditions summed up, the same as during the day with the strong wind. The word goes around the BC that we might leave a day later. Let's see...

Anyway, lot of snow fell during the night and thus the first nice day will also bring the avalanche danger which is nothing pleasant to fight with during the climb up. Thus I think that the start of the climb up will be postponed. Talking about me, the toes stopped hurt and one of the friends from the Russian expedition gave me some special medicaments for speeding up the treatment. I walked the camp today in the altitude boots and nothing hurt. Yet I will go to the doctor and see what he thinks. It seems that I should go up together with the others.

Greetings from the K2' BC,
Miro

The BC Today

I woke up at 5 am as on every morning and waited until 6 o'clock when the sun started to shine on my tent. The bandages on my toes tend to slip thus I thought about making new ones from the material Mr. Hugo (a Frenchman) gave me. He had problems with fingers in the past and the doctors gave him a special foam tunnel to keep the fingers warm. It took me some time and meanwhile Mojiz, the cook’s assistant, brought me a 'milk coffee' right into my tent. Arman, the cook, was awake as well and started to prepare the breakfast. When Hugo, who has his tent only 2m from mine, heard me to talk he told me that he received in the evening a new forecast from Chamonix and it is quite bad. He gets the forecasts from a meteorologist who had been preparing those for mountaineers such as Messner, Kamerlander and others. The fact is that his forecasts have been pinpoint until now.

After a while I left the tent with the bandages on. I made four since besides the toes I also feel pain in the fingers next to toes when there's a flow of cold air. The healing goes slowly and it works from the inside out of the feet. Everybody says that if I go up now the healing process would stop and turn around - the tissue problems would continue inwards. I need perhaps some 4 - 7 days to get over this risk.

It's been quite bad for me lately. After stepping out of the tent it was the first time in Karakoram I felt anything like a depression. Nicely sunny and the sky swept clean. The Koreans are going to the C3 today and tomorrow will try for the peak. Originally, I was supposed to be up with them. But tomorrow the wind should be 80 km/h there up high and the day after tomorrow 110 km/h. I have different feelings now and then whether I do the correct thing or not by staying here. Every eighthousander means undertaking some risk. Thus different thoughts have been coming to me. What if it is the last chance to strive for the peak? Then I feel like crying. For eight days I've been bathing my feet in warm water and watching other mountaineers to pass me by and go up. I can't take a longer walk even down the hill. Back home I was always quite active and this situation has been killing me.

I thought that I might get a bit better when I write about it to you. The weather has been nice lately and almost all mountaineers are up on the mountain now. Kazim, the Iraqi I share the cook with, is on the way from C2 to C3 today... For hours I've been thinking whether I haven't started to lose my level of acclimatization. And then if all the lying around doesn't diminish my physical abilities. As of now I feel such a strength that I would go straight to the C2, then C3, C4 and try for the summit. But what it will be like in 5 or even 10 days from now? At least I feel it gets better when I write about it. I believe that more consecutive nice days will come and I will be healthy enough and off for the summit.

I found a new enjoyment yesterday. From the Italian TV Rai Due team I've been getting the juice to charge my HP notebook and Olympus cameras. They are nice guys and yesterday I helped them with the Internet connection that broke down. After sitting together for a second time they offered me to charge the batteries whenever I want and even to share their big tent they have (a night image of the BC in the K2 section). All of that gives a possibility to put together all the panoramic pictures I took during the past three months. At last I have something to do.

Information from other 8000m + peaks:
There are so many people on Broad Peak that there's no room left for any more tents in the C1 and C2. On Gasherbrum II an Australian lady died in C1 under unknown circumstances. And that's all from me today from K2's BC.

Have a nice day,
Miro

The Untruth

The chilblained toe got worse yesterday so I visited this morning a Belgian doctor who has 15 years of experience of taking care of mountaineers. The outcome is this - new medicaments, an advice to walk as less as possible (which I did anyway) and dip it extensively in warm water. And yes, loose boots... A bit pessimistic analysis, same as from the Russian doctor. I must be as much as possible in the tent and keep my feet in the warmth of the sleeping bag. That's all to my chilblains from Broad Peak.

As it seems to be common regarding my person a message appeared on the Internet, which can be even see as a defamation, saying "... about 150m from our tent city with the national flag fluttering in the middle of it hides a lonely Czech Miroslav who has been going wide around our tents, pretending not to exist and doesn't saying even hello ..."

A pure bullshit made up by somebody was put on the Internet. I took it as an immediate invitation for visiting this expedition. So I went to talk to them about it this noon. I told them that as many steps I have to their tents for a visit, the same they have to mine. It was a coincidence that I didn't meet anybody in their camp. I went through it three times on the way to the Russians (whom I cooperated with on the Broad Peak) who cared for my chilblains. On the way back I had no mood for a visit to anybody.

That I'm hiding in the tent? I hope they were not aware of my chilblains which you have to keep in warm. I was so angry about the defamation that I even forgot to tell them about my problems possibly leading 'me hiding in the tent'. If there's sun I will try to warm my feet in front of my tent in the direct sunlight.

I also spend quite some time in the mess tent with an Iraqi mountaineer (38 years old) and a French mountaineer (60 years old). Both are very good guys, as is the cook as well, so we talked for hours in the tent he cooks in. We stopped using the other mess tent and eat in this one altogether with sherpas, the cook and his assistant. Together we have lots of fun while I bath my feet in warm salted water.

Despite of the forecast for unstable weather Koreans went up this morning. But I will wait for the real summit day which should also give me a bit more time for curing the chilblains. The forecast remains bad and the expeditions keep watching the raging wind and snowing on K2.

Miro

The Germans are locked up with the weather in the C3 at 7000m. There is a good danger from avalanches and they are to wait for three days when the weather should get better. But I'm leaving already tomorrow for the K2 Base Camp. Over there I will have myself inspected by an American doctor. I think that the toes are more bruised from the going down than from the chill but they have a strange color. I share the permit for K2 with the Americans so I believe they will cure me up.

So finally I'm fully acclimatized as I needed for the K2. The altitude carrier is very well also as he felt alright also in the 7800m altitude. No headaches or other problems at all. That's all from 448 as of now.

We will take a few days rest under K2 and then will start the way up via the Abruzzi ridge. I made a cooperation agreement with one more expedition, but not Czech one unfortunately. The same as at Broad Peak - when I come under K2 and according to the weather conditions we will agree on the peak day and will go for it together.

I woke up worrying about my toes and the Germans. The fingers didn't get swollen but hurt intensively. With the sun reaching the camp we started packing up everything at 8:30 am. At nine I was putting on the boots. Interesting thing was that I felt better having my feet squeezed in the tight boots. The Russians passed by forming another wave to try for the peak but they were back in ten minutes. Their leader radioed them back and sent down finishing the expedition at Broad Peak since their major goal, same as mine, was the K2. The Russians also told me that the Germans reached the peak at about 7 pm and climbed down to the C3 through the whole night reaching it at 3 am.

I showed the Russians clouds forming in the shapes of small fish. I explained to them that we must hurry down since such clouds mean a negative change of weather within 24 hours. They stared at me but I kept telling them. This time the other way - in 7 hours the carrier and in eight me sat back in the BC. And we were happy to be there since my prediction was correct. The mountain is overcast and it is snowing up there. I tried to radio the Germans in the evening and was lucky. The leader explained to me that they were not able to go down that day since they were totally exhausted with no energy left for battling with the fresh snow. They were left there alone. All other expeditions went down to the BC.

The peak day

At 2 am I stand with my carrier in front of the tent and we go up. The German tents are a bit higher and as we pass them we see them ready. Their leader follows as the first. As we thought the snowshoes prints were of little help for us and more to that, the wind that blew during the night covered those anyway. For the first 200 vertical meters me and my carrier were bulldozing the path, which thought was more than enough. Then we waited for the others and the German leader replaced us. In some 20 meters much more difficult slope elevation came. We were collapsing through the snow up to our crotches. After a while the German leader waived on my carrier to get in front of him and do the bulldozing. At that point I got quite angry. I pushed both of them aside and started the labor on my own. I continued up to an icy point and by that time the German leader got the message. A guy from their expedition asked me if I wanted to be replaced. I went back becoming now seventh in the row. Then a perfect exchange started as it was supposed to be from the very morning.

At 5:30 the sun lit the peak and I had to take out my Olympus E400 and keep taking more and more pictures. Perhaps that was the reason, or it wasn’t, but when I was finished I started to feel my feet as being pretty cold. I don’t know what happened. Already in the dark and cold morning I was appeased feeling the warmth in my boots. Well, know I had to take them off and massage my feet. It took my about 30 min but the group continued in a slow pace so it wasn’t a big problem to catch up with them then. I felt having lot of energy and being fine. But after an hour the whole situation was back and I had to massage my feet again. At that point I considered it to getting serious. So when I stood next to the Russian tent at 7500 m after another hour of walking I asked one of them to help me with warming up my feet. By coincidence it was the expedition leader. He lit up a cooker right in the tent and meanwhile he explained to me that they didn’t want that badly to be the first ones as it might looked. But there were lot of them and the weather was to change soon hence the rush. He also wasn’t surprised regarding my feet. They also set off at 2 am but they were back after some 10 minutes only due to the extreme cold. They had to warm up and set off again at 6 am but without him, as he still felt cold. Not even above the cooker could I warm up my feet. At one point I smelled a burning sock but no decisive warmth was to be felt. My toes seemed to be from stone. I continued with the procedure for a while and hoped that when I reach the sun at about 9 am everything will change and I will start feeling warmth.

I thanked him and rushed up. I caught up with the group in half an hour when they rested under an ice cliff. I saw two other people massaging their feet at 7550 m. Above the ice edge I saw the sun and couldn’t wait to let it warm us up. The group got split up. There was no need for changing the leader position since the path was already walked through by the three Russians. My feet started to feel like stones again or better, I didn’t feel my toes again. So for the fourth time I took off my shoes and started another massage at the altitude of 7550 m. As everybody advanced quite slowly I continued the warming procedure for about 30 min. I noticed no signs of total chilblains but on the other hand I didn’t feel my feet at all.

Never mind, when I reach the saddle at 7845m I will warm them up on the sun and feel them again. That was my goal. In front of me a German lawyer was climbing up who was besides a bad articulation also slowing me down. But you really cannot make it pass somebody at this altitude. Thus I reached the saddle right behind him. Another four people from the group reached the saddle afterwards and all of us shared the same view. We saw the three sad Russians who had been already for some hours watching the last 200m ridge of Broad Peak, too exhausted to start climbing it. Well, this final crest was a tough nut to crack - very dangerous final part full of rock berms and covered with 50 - 100cm of fresh snow. The Russians also explained that lot of ropes were necessary, more than anybody expected to. Each group had few meters of fixing ropes but still the Russians didn't want to go for it. I added that it was 1 pm and regardless the number of mountaineers cooperating it would take 4 - 5 hours to reach the peak under such conditions. The Russians turned away, said good-bye and went away.

The Germans also decided to go back down and I started taking photos from the saddle. It took about half an hour already when I realized that I wasn't sure if I stopped feeling the toes completely or they still chill. I was walking with my camera at 7845m here and there like I was on my porch. Little bit of breathe exercise now and then, everything else was just fine. Suddenly, I saw the Germans with backpacks again coming back. They said they will go for the peak. Obviously, they didn't realize that they will have to reach the C3 at night already, not mentioning a possible change of weather and definitely the chill of dark Himalayan night. And yes, climbing up with almost no backup.

I kept watching their leader who was a bit reluctant but one of the other mountaineers, a relatively young guy, started explaining him that they were a commercial expedition. He asked him to go up being aware of the risks. The leader gave up and thus all of them started the battle with their fate. Me and my altitude carrier began climbing down. The way down wasn't easy at all. The Broad Peak's slope made the snow slipping away under our feet. Most of the time there was the danger of us slipping and falling down with it.

It took me 4 hours of real labor to reach the C3 and one more hour for the carrier. When I started to take off the boots I knew it was bad. Both of the toes were partially chilblained and I was quite afraid that they would get swollen until morning. Then I couldn't put my boots back on and climb down. As the fingers kept slowly defrosting in the sleeping back my carrier kept watching me. The pain was so big that few tears slipped out of my eyes, probably something he hadn't seen before. The pain diminished in about two hours. I don't know how but I fell asleep.

Yesterday evening we agreed that we would stick with the Germans. We also discussed the marking of the path up to the saddle at 7845 m (200 meters below the peak) but the Russian were really eager to reach the peak first and decided to go on their own. So we watched them as they competed among themselves for being the first on the Broad Peak. We saw that even wearing the snowshoes it was lot of struggle to bulldoze the way up. The German leader decided to set off at 3 am but as I like to have enough time I replied that I would leave at 2 am already. The rest of the day we spent watching the sky and checking on the weather. In the evening the German leader came to my tent and said that they changed their mind and will leave same as me at 2 am. Thus we could change in bulldozing the way up. The first Russian team came back without reaching the peak. They reached the saddle 200 m below the peak but then had to go down. The other team replaced them (occupied the tent at 7500 m) thus they had to go down to the C2. That team will be ahead of us. But all of us knew that the other day was the only one for reaching the peak as change in the weather would be coming.

A beautiful morning as the sun started to lit the tent about 9 am. I made myself a breakfast and started to pack as I expected the second Russian tem to reach the C3 yet in the morning. I was all right as I looked down from the tent at 10 am and saw the first of them walking up. It took him another 90 min to come to the C3. Well, C3 is at 6900 m and the higher one even at 7000 m. That is where I will build my C3 tent today. When the Russian came a debate covering many topics started. He also thanked me for ploughing the path for him and said it was nice cooperation since his mates were already walking up to build the last C4 altitude camp. Well, I told him that it wasn’t t really like that since we were missing the snowshoes and it was us who will plough the path for the guys wearing shoes with crampons.

In another hour my altitude carrier came and in another 90 min we already cooked in my own set up C3 tent. We rejuvenated for the remaining part of the day and didn’t continue higher. Also the Germans reached C3 and thus all three expeditions were now present in the C3. Russians were eager to be the first on the peak thus they were 500 vertical meters in front of us as the first team built a tent at 7500 m.

In the evening I felt very good and I thought to myself that it would be nonsense to stay in C2. With the German leader we had an agreement that I could use their C3 tent if they were not there and they could use mine in C2. As the Germans were only climbing to C2 I packed my stuff, packed things that the carrier would pick the other day and take them to C3, and left. The first hour of walking was good though I was burying deeper even in the Russians’ footprints.

They were young sturdy guys and formed an ‘assault’ team of the expedition. Very few could match their pace. Besides lot of physical power and persistence they had one more advantage. The expedition leader decided that with all their power they could take and use when suitable snowshoes. It was kind of a pioneer approach that paid off. The Russians went up like machines.

As the Germans were only coming to the C2 I was again alone to bulldoze the way through since I was burying deeper without any snowshoes. Though going in the Russian team’s footprints I was getting buried (through most of the track) between 50 – 70 cm deep while them only some 10-20 cm. Though it was really physically demanding I felt like immune to it. Those 800 vertical meters took me ten hours of walking. When I reached the Russian tents I asked them where would I find Germans’ tents. They told me no tents were there at all. That was a shock for me since it was my carrier who will bring the C3 tent, the next day only. “No problem” the Russians said and let me to sleep in their free tent some 100m lower. The Germans slept there also and the Russians slept in their tents in the C1 until they built their own. Thus I found out about this extraordinary set up of sleeping in others tents between our three cooperating expeditions. So the German leader meant this Russian tent when offering me to sleep in their C3 tent. Hopefully, he was in touch with them and knew that this one was unoccupied. So I cooked me a dinner and lot of tea and went to my sleeping bag at about 9 pm.

Higher and higher

The Russians left already at 6 am for C2 while I waited until 7:30 for my carrier who was coming from the BC. Together we loaded all the necessary equipment we deposited here five days ago on our backs and were off for the C2 as well. Going up was a bit easier for me this time as the Russians were walking the snow in front of us. But this slight advantage was more than offset by the load on our backs since only two of us were carrying equipment for another two altitude camps. We reached C2 at 12 am and built our tent at about 6200 m. Suddenly, my carrier said that he was not going to sleep over here. Thus I sent him down to the BC and while he will take one relax day there I will take mine here. I could clearly see that he wasn’t acclimatized yet and he definitely needed that day in BC. The weather wasn’t much ideal yet thus I thought we shouldn’t miss anything by adding one day of relaxation.

40 cm of fresh snow fell until the morning and any trying for the next altitude camp was quit before it started. I radioed to the BC in order to find out about the actual weather forecast. I was told that few days long nice weather should come very soon thus I decided not to go back but stay. At noon sun started to shine. As I was dazzled by the sightseeing from 5600m my eyes noticed the fixing rope was moving though no wind was blowing. It was obvious that somebody was coming up and that the other day we will go higher. It was the first wave of the Russians. When I asked them why did they stayed in the BC the day before I heard the classical excuses including headaches.. But it didn’t matter at all since they are nice guys and I had plenty time that day to refresh my Russian.

Since it was overcast still in the morning I set off at 10 am. As my altitude carrier said that he would leave the other day and head straight to C2 I left on my own. The Germans stayed in the Base Camp. When I reached the beginning of the ice plateau I found out that the Russians obviously also stayed in the BC. Thus I started to fight with the snow on my own. In the beginning it was quite normal, there was only about 20 cm of fresh snow. But as I was getting higher also the amount of snow was rising. Near the first altitude camp the depth was already some 30 cm. I reached the C1 in 5 hours and I was standing there completely alone.

We agreed with the German leader that I would take the radio out of their tent and call them when at 6 pm what was the situation in C1. Thus I radioed them about the situation and asked them to tell my carrier to stay one more day in the BC. Following my deep footprints a single member of the German expedition reached C1 as well. He was 66 years old and came by the dusk quite exhausted.

As days go by

In relevance with pre-agreed cooperation on K2 me and the German expedition leader visited the Russian camp under the K2. The Russian expedition consists of 16 climbers and same as me or the Germans they used a sherpa on the Broad Peak. We had some fun speaking Russian, agreed the preliminary date of the peak-day and agreed on some other things as well.

The other day all expeditions will head for the first altitude camp C1. It’s not possible to build so many tents in the camp hence Russians will split into teams of four. Due to a bad communication between the service organization and the cook I’ve been having problems with the cook who hasn’t been willing to cook for me.

It had been snowing until the early morning but I’m leaving for C1 as was agreed assuming that the Russians are off as well.

C2

A beautiful day. The sun burned. A total calm, not a slightest blow of a wind. Thus we decided to continue to the C2 in lighter wear that was more appropriate for the summiting. I can't help mentioning another beautiful and difficult part on the way up, again made of pure ice. In such weather it becomes a pure adrenaline for a climber. So we had it with Jan. It was snowing again when we were coming to the C2. I recalled Shisha Pangma where the forecast promised nice weather but in the end there was up to 1m of fresh snow. We started to perceive this climb like that. Luckily, there was only 40cm of fresh snow in the end. When we ducked into our sleeping bags a snow storm started to rage around us and it ended only in the midnight. We were at 7100 meters.

It was supposed to be a nice day

The weather forecast was just right. We packed up in the morning and even with the full load on our backs set up a higher tempo. Before that I adjusted my heart belt that was sending the heart rate data to my Suunto watch. The waking was quite alright. Waves of ices stopped in front of a vertical 30m high wall of ice. Though there was a rope left by previous expeditions it wasn't easy at all. Even with the help of the fixing rope the vertical ice and 20 kg on our backs gave some hard time. Jan was lucky since he managed the slow climbing up yet in a good weather. But when I started climbing the wall of beautifully blue ice suddenly a blizzard with strong wind came. With that heavy backpack it was a tough job. The wind kept blowing me down and snow flakes permanently flew in behind my goggles. It was quite difficult but finally we managed. Soon after that the weather forced us to build the tent at 6800m. There were still enough nice days remaining for the summit.

Headache

I had had a terrible headache throughout the whole night. I swallowed 5 painkillers but each time a pill stopped taking effect I woke up because of the pain. I drank a lot but even after cooking and consuming a liter of tea in the morning I didn't stop feeling it inside of my head. The day was beautiful but we couldn't go. I recalled a recent problem with neck spine when during long walks with a heavy backpack my head started to ache. Thus I massaged my neck and the pain diminished in an hour. In the meantime Jan discovered clouds of strange shapes in the sky. It looked like snow was coming. Yet, Jan went out to climb some 300 vertical meters. In the end he was coming back in blizzard and fog. It was no surprise that he got himself lost once since sometimes one couldn't see a foot upfront.

C1

Beautiful weather. We left for the C1 and everything went as it should. In five hours and along the ice towers we reached the altitude of 6400m. We cooked and were looking forward to the other day and trek to C2. In the evening there was a light snow fall but nothing big. Also, we found out to be alone in the altitude camp. Perhaps some people were waiting already in C3 for a better summit day.

Like with a carbon paper

We were supposed to start for the C1 but it was like at Shisha Pangma - a carbon paper copy. When we woke up in the morning there were lots of snow in the ABC and the snow fall continued on. So we postponed the start by one day. Anyway, the weather forecast from the USA clearly said that the best days would be from May 15 through 18. The French stationed a bit above us confirmed it with a forecast from their best meteo station. Well, with a slight difference the best summit days should last until May 19. In that case one day lost shouldn't be a problem.

Cho Oyu ABC

Today we left Tingri and headed for Cho Oyu. Our goal was to reach the so called middle camp between Cho Oyu BC and ABC. We were off at 6:30am of the local Nepal time and already at 8 am our jeep reached the BC at the height of 4700 m. The Liaison Officer demanded to be paid extra USD 50 but the jeep was covered by the service fee we already paid to the agency. After a short hassle he said that it is because the jeep will take us already to the middle camp and not only to the BC. He would also dispatch the yaks very quickly so we would not loose any time. Since we were acclimatized from Cho Oyu he told us to even go right into the ABC today.

Thus I'm already sitting in the ABC under Cho Oyu which we reached only in one day since our depart from Tingri. It's great. The yaks came at 5:30 pm and now we are watching the majestic eight-thousander. The weather seems to be quite good. The cook, who cooked for a month for two Italian mountaineers, was waiting for us here. He told us that during the same time we reached 7800 m on Shisha Pangma they only climbed to the C1 which is at 6400 m and then left for Kathamndu on May 7 without getting any higher then that. The weather here was the kind we fought with on Shisha Pangma.

Tomorrow, May 11, we have a day off or better a day meant for relaxation and rejuvenation. Then we want to reach and build one altitude camp per day. Thus the expected try to summit the mountain is on May 15 when also, according to a forecast, 4 consecutive days of good weather should start. Other expeditions confirmed that forecast as well so we will see. Right now we are in the ABC at 5700 m.

Miro

Summary of the first part of the Project 4-4-8: Shisha Pangma

You can do all possible and even more but still nature decides to have its own way. That is life and that is also the characteristic of Shisha Pangma or better the first part of our expedition.

We had been fighting with unfavorable weather for the whole 42 days. At the beginning the eager and energetic Jiri Jakubec was lot of help and motion setter in our team of three. It was no surprise since he was best acclimatized out of us and he is truly a grinder. Based on my past experience from 2002 (expedition with Milos Palacky) I knew that coming early under the mountain and getting acclimatized well would pay off. Thus we decided to come to Shisha Pangma as early as March 30.

Yet incredible weather changes started right after our arrival to the Advanced Base Camp. The weather changed even few times throughout the day and after two weeks in the ABC I even ceased on 'reading the sky'. Still, I could rely on my Suunto and alarm that would start beeping if a considerable increase or decrease in barometric pressure would have occurred. The Internet gave it straight then - unstable weather. Only after a week we knew there was no sense in waiting for a better weather. Every altitude camp meant an unbelievable struggle or, better, a fight on rounds. Without the help of Sherpas we felt like mountaineering pioneers in the old times. First round was to break through the ice labyrinth which was accomplished by Jiri and Jan. Another round was to reach the C1 during which we fell into hidden cracks for at least five times. Jiri had a dangerous one - he was hanging only by the poles over a deep hollow. But the rounds continued.

The ice labyrinth: quest to find the best way through

Anytime we reached C1 again it was only to leave another equipment there but the weather never allowed us to move higher to C1. Only upon the fourth time we managed to set C2. By that time we stopped counting falling into the cracks covered with fresh snow. But I will never forget the one time I was with 20 kg backpack hanging on an edge of one of those - half body out, half body in the hollow.

Note the crack in the lower right corner

Nothing really changed after other expeditions also came to the mountain. Most of them just kept waiting for better weather and relaxed. We fought for every vertical meter meanwhile. A team of French mountaineers heightened our spirits with weather forecast that was really accurate: wind that had been whipping us for about four weeks was to end. Though correct about that one, they didn't predict snowfalls bringing 20 to 40 cm of new snow every day. Some of it melted in the warm weather but not all. The remaining volume of snow was the stopping limit for reaching the summit, to climb Shisha Pangma. Our Suunto wristops kept rising by 2 milibars while falling by 5 milibars afterwards.

In the ABC I spoke to Italians whom I met while climbing Cho Oyu in 2002. All of us could agree that Shisha Pangma is from the climbing technique point of view the easiest eight-thousander but only during optimal weather conditions.

The mountain covered in clouds: wind and snow raging up there

I'm glad me and Jan turned back at 7800 m and made it back relatively safe. Back in the ABC we learned about the Slovak expedition that wasn't that lucky. They climbed a different route from another side and the tragedy with one mountaineer dead happened at about the same height where we turned back. They decided to break up, one continued up and the other one was to return. Only one came back.

Consecutive snow storms and strong wind forced us out
of C1, C2 as well as C3 altitude camps for many times.

When we came with the yaks to the Base Camp we learned about another tragedy when a Sherpa and his Korean client fell into a crack and after three days they showed no signs of life. It almost seems that Shisha Pangma decided this year to show everybody that she may be the last eight-thousander on the list but definitely not the least. Simply an uncompromised eight-thousander with all that it means and brings. All I can say now is: Thank you Shisha Pangma for letting us back alive!

Best regards,
Miro

Yaks Are Here

The yaks came already on the 5^th and spent a night in the ABC. In the morning, we had same traditional hassle and argumentation about the maximum weight limit for each yak. But in the end the yaks carried all of our equipment from the ABC at once. At this moment I'm already sitting in the town of Tingri. Few days of necessary relaxation and then Tally Ho! on Cho Oyu. Tomorrow I will try to sum up the Shisha Pangma climb and tell a bit more about what will follow.

Yours Miro

Finally Back at the ABC

The sun woke me up in the morning and shortly after two load carriers came to help us with all that equipment from the three altitude camps we brought down with Jan the previous day. If I try to sum it up, Jan took 20 kgs yesterday by himself from the deposit camp to the ABC. Today, three of us still carried each some 15 kgs. The total sum we carried with Jan the day before from C1, quite a load then. At a normal pace we reached the ABC by the noon. On the way I met another mountaineers and learned that a Slovak climber was missing. 200 vertical meters under the summit he broke from his fellow who continued up and since then he had been missing. I recalled that also us were thinking what to do and if and how to continue some 200 vertical meters from the summit. Other mountaineers in the ABC told us that our decision was right, even to give up more tries and pack up our altitude camps. For the following seven days the weather forecast showed rain over Shisha Pangma. At the end of the day our cook lifted up my spirit with some warm and non-instant chow. The yaks were to come the other day.

More Snow And Less Altitude

Another 40 cm of snow by the morning, but the morning itself was nice and sunny. We said farewell to our French colleagues and set for the climb down planning to make it right to the ABC. On the way from C2 to C1 I think we hadn't experienced less snow than up to our knees. And on our backs each of us carried the full load of equipment from both C3 and C2 which already meant quite some weight, which was to be added to by equipment from C1. After 4 hrs of struggling through, I feel ashamed to keep repeating the same weather conditions on and on, a snow storm we closed onto the C1. After crossing three new crevasses we were packing up our last altitude camp for another hour in a strong wind. With an ironical smile we teased each other: "Show me boy, can you at least pick up your backpack?" Jan managed as the first one. At 5 pm both of us made it through the ice labyrinth and reached the tent in the deposit camp. Jan dropped some weight from his load and continued to the ABC while I stayed overnight.

Bulldozing Down the Mountain

When we woke up in the morning it wasn't even possible to leave the tent. The snow reached up to two thirds of the height of our tent thus after unzipping it we had to dig out. We were still at 7450 m and thus in the night I got the idea to try again and divide the try into two parts with one more sleeping over in between. Well, the morning cured my mind. Ten meters from our tent I ditched in the snow up to my waist and on the way back from C3 over the saddle we waded through 50 cm up to 1 meter of fresh snow. The bulldozing to the relative safety of the C2 altitude camp took us, with 20 kgs on our backs, some 7 hours. In C2 we experienced a terrific welcoming from the French expedition whose members, after seeing the two of us in the respective shape, hosted us for about two hours with tea, soup and some biscuits as the last course.... Truly some excellent people! Upon standing up Jan got a twitch from all that exhaustion so our sitting stretched by some additional 10 minutes. While we were diving into our tent we felt totally exhausted and we were glad that we disapproved a second try for the summit.

Trying For the Summit

It was snowing for the whole night again thus it was impossible to leave very early in the morning. About 4 am the snow started to stop falling and at 4:30 Jan found the sky to be clear. Time to go for the summit. We prepared 2 liters of tea (1 for each of us). But cooking / boiling of water at such height means at least 1,5 hrs of time. More to that it was impossible that two people could get ready in the small tent at the same time. Thus Jan left at 6 and I did at 6:30 am. The weather was beautiful. Jan was ahead by tens of meters but his hunger for the summit was stopped by the first eave that was quite a difficult one (combination of steep angle and lot of fresh snow). I took the lead and laboured among the unstable boulders up towards the summit. After that followed a steep slope with some 40 - 50 cm of snow. My walking pace shortened from 20 to 10 steps, at difficult parts even 5 steps, then breathing out. Climbing started to change into a continuous struggle.

And in the sky clouds started to cumulate. At one point Jan even exclaimed: "I'm not going any more". But I still felt that it was possible to reach the peak. Jan changed his mind after a while saying: "I'm not going down without you, I will continue". Through the veil of fresh snow we felt under our boots the old frozen snow which wasn't really helping our will to go on. This deep avalanche snow then changed into ice on a small ridge. That was much better and safer in a way. I stopped counting the steps in between the breath outs, I already broke my limits. That was at the height of 7750 m. After few more vertical meters a second veil arose in front of us. Lot of fixing ropes melted into the ice told us that it was the most difficult point on Shisha Pangma. I entered the area cautiously and tried few meters. But immediately it was clear: "With the unstable layer of all that fresh snow it's impossible to pass through here". Anywhere I put my boot clad with crampons the feet started to drift along with the snow under it. The smooth rock was impossible to recognize under the snow. Any major slip could have ended up in falling from the mountain.

I proposed to try to go more to the left and try from another side and I also tried. But when I saw the slope angle with a literally 'ripe' possibility of an avalanche breaking off under some of the bothering steps or moves I recalled what the Australian mountaineer said about lot of snow and high avalanche danger. I sat down exhausted from the climb and from all those tries to bulldoze the way up through. The Jan said: "Hold on, I will take a picture of you". After a while I turned my head and understood: behind me a giant accumulation of 'ripe' clouds was swiftly climbing up from the valley. In only about twenty minutes the snow started to fall again. When we were coming to the C3 tent it was a total snow storm raging around. The height border of 7800 m was unsurpassable on this mountain.

Finallly C3?

In the morning Jan peeped out of the tent and reported an empty sky without a single cloud. Good, we could try for C3. We packed quickly and 'hurried' up towards C3, at certain points we sloshed through knee deep fresh snow. The moderate but long slope took us whole 5 hours to cross. On the way we dismantled and picked up the C3 tent left there the day before during the storm. We reached the saddle and kept wading when some time after the noon the snow storm hit back and took as at 7450 m. After short consultation we decided to keep on.

Six more hours over the saddle full of snow under which the feet can hit anything or nothing at all. Ice once, then loose rocks or the old corn snow covered with the thick layer of new white powder. Simply the best conditions for an avalanche to be started. But we went on very cautiously on the other hand, we had to. Then in the early evening we built our tent at some 7450 m, the C3 finally. In the tent we talked about the weather and it seemed that the snow storm was starting about the noon. Hence we decided to leave for the summit as early in the morning as possible, even at 4 am. That was our agreement before the sleep.

Hurrying Back to C2

It kept snowing for the whole night and in the morning the wind got so strong that we could leave the tent around 10 am only. We left the tent meant for C3 standing where it was and hurried back in the storm down to C2 where we had the better equipped and larger tent for three persons. We spent there the rest of the day. Maybe it was even good since we could relax a bit after the demanding climb through the deep snow not even two days ago.

The Weather Turned Its Back To Mountaineers This Year

We were a bit tired in the morning but very determined to use the favorable weather forecast to our best thus we continued to C3. In the middle of the moderate yet long climb to the saddle we met the Australian climber, his New Zealander colleague and their sherpa. We learned that during the days of our relaxation and getting ready for the summiting they had been waiting for the supposedly good weather days. Today is Sunday when the weather should had been the best of all thus they tried for the summit but couldn't accomplish even with the help of their sherpa. Lot of snow, avalanche danger and very complicated mixed terrain stopped them. By the way the Australian climbed 11 eight-thousanders so far. While we talked a strong snow storm came upon us. Me and Jan even didn't try to continue to C3 and built our tent right after saying goodbye to the other mountaineers. The height was 7040 m.

Off For the C2

It was snowing throughout the whole night. I just couldn't believe that! But the dawn spread out nice so we set C2 as our day's goal. We made i through the ice labyrinth rather fine but right since then a tough workout started while we had to walk in the deep fresh snow. Yet we performed well as we reached C1 in 5 hrs from the start. Our backpacks were loaded with gas bombs, enough food for longer stay at C2 and a big North Face tent for three people. All that for the chance that we would get pinned at the 7000m of the C2 by bad weather. Since we also carried additional stuff like sleeping bags and pads or cameras our load started to seem 'immoral' during the climb from C1 to C2. I think we reached the bottom of our physical capabilities. But we made it. Totally drained out but truly happy we ditched into our sleeping bags about 7 pm. Yet, Jan decided to cook something, I can tell you frankly that he's quite an eater and has the taste in fact anywhere and under any conditions, and got finished about 9 pm. At that time it was about minus 30 degrees Celsius outside.

To Set Off or Not To Set Off?

On Friday 27^th we planned to leave ABC for the deposit camp and then continue straight to C1. The weather forecast promised very good conditions but until the early morning 20 - 30 cm of new snow fell in. How much could it be then up on the mountain? While we were getting up we could see that it was heavily snowing along the whole climb route. Good for Jan, I thought first considering his recent agony. Though he looked quite alright we both were not really sure and thus considered the breakfast as the 'truth teller'. It ended up alright, no more convulsions nor diarrhea, thus after the lunch time we decided to leave yetl today but to sleep over at the deposit camp.

Alien in the Stomach

The Murphy's Law says that something not much positive happens exactly at the most important moment. Just like this was the day originally meant for total relaxation and packing of all the stuff necessary for the summiting. Normally leisure and then focus. But as Jan got up in the morning he exclaimed that he hadn't slept really throughout the night. Intensive convulsions accompanied with diarrhea kept teasing him for the night and he could hardly move in the morning. Immediately, medicaments were applied but only the diarrhea stopped and Jan kept wincing. He was trying to convince me that it would be alright by the next morning but I knew that we would not leave the camp by that time at all. The convulsions were still that strong that Jan was silently groaning yet at 10 pm. At that moment I got the idea to give him our traditional medicament, the charcoal, which finally helped him.

The Time Schedule for Summiting

Today is the 25^th. We are looking up towards the summit where the weather must be crazy and terrible (see the picture below). Down here sun is shining but we can hardly see the mountain covered in the clouds.

What next? We have the weather forecast from French mountaineers. It reads that throughout Saturday and Sunday there should be no wind on the mountain. Since we felt fantastic in C2 we will go to C1 on Friday, then to C2 on Saturday, on Sunday to C3 and on Monday at 2 am we will try for the summit. But we will not be alone. At that time about 40 mountaineers should be climbing the mountain altogether with few sherpas. Most probably also the Aussie and the New Zealander will go up as well with their sherpa. But as we experienced we shouldn't be counting on any cooperation. But we found the way onto and crossed the important ice fall, we know where the danger is waiting. The corridor to the saddle is then there (with C3) and then the edge leading up to the summit. If the forecast is right you should be pressing your thumbs for us on Monday April 30 then. We will need it.

Have a nice day,

Miro Caban and Jan Matyasek

Leaving C2 Under the Veil of Bad Weather

The second day the terrible wind was returning. We quickly packed up and ran down back to the safety. But it was too late. After 10 minutes the sky became dark and it started to snow heavily. The wind was growing and then right in the middle of the ice fall a fog came down. The situation became milky serious. We had to stop completely. " We must wait until the fog weakens" I said to Jan. I remembered that perhaps only few meters ahead was a big crack that we had to jump over. After 15 mins the fog weakened for a while and we jumped over the crack successfully. Then we traversed the ice edge, crossed another crack and Jan took over the leadership the rest of the way to C1. In another 6 hours we sat in the ABC and drank Coke. That was on April 24.

The Quest for C2

The weather in the morning was quite good. Thus at about 8 am we started our way to C2 but not that easily as we still hoped for a bit. For about 40 minutes we had been trying to find the start of the route but no signs mentioned by the Aussie were there. Meanwhile Jan sank two times into hidden cracks, the second was quite bad. But we were fixing each other on the rope so it ended up fine. During our search for where to start on the ice slope we noticed steel grey clouds cumulating over the valley. Hence Jan said: "We go back". Well, I was tired of all that going back so I evaluated the contemporary situation in my mind. It seemed that for about 30 mins the clouds were not able to reach from over the valley to us. No alarming decrease of the barometric pressure on my Suunto either. I turned towards the summit and said: "Well, let's go up".

Note the crack in the lower right corner

Slightly to the right next to the biggest disruption on the ice slope, then right onto the disruption and traversing to the left. There was quite a lot of new snow but I knew we were going to make it. I went first because I exactly knew where I wanted to climb through this wild icefall. We were perfectly acclimatized and in 40 mins we were over and on the ice slope edge. Jan was really happy: "Super, great job!" Well, he had no idea yet that I would send him to start from the edge as the first from us. Jan's a grinder as well so I wasn't afraid that he wouldn't make it. Then we see far in the distance a tiny sign from the Aussie pointing the direction of climbing up. I was really happy that I chose the right place to start on the slope. Jan went first and both of us were wading through a deep snow on and on to the saddle. Right before reaching the saddle it was me who sank into a crack. Feet were floating in a free space and upper part of my body was bent over the crack's edge. I shouted towards Jan to fetch me up but he replied that I should crawl more upfront. I felt that my belly and stomach were pressing towards a remnant of an ice bridge that could had collapsed at any time. Then it would be quite serious. Thus Jan really had to fetch me up from that dangerous crack. In another half an hour we were building C2. I believe it's the key point for the success of our summiting. Right there at 7000 m.

Return to C1

Me and Jan relaxed in the ABC for the following two days. On the third day (April 21) we went up to the deposit camp. On the way up we met the two mountaineers and sherpa who managed to make it to the second altitude camp. We asked how it went and how was the way up through the ice fall full of cracks. The Australian guy just said: "All super, everything is easy. The route is marked, no risk from cracks anymore". Hence I thought to myself that we could possibly cooperate while trying for the summit.

When we were closing on C1 the next day it became clear to us. No markings, no sign where to start the way to C2 on the ice wall. "Well .., let's see tomorrow" I said to Jan. Instead of speculating whether we will find some signs we zipped our sleeping backs around us and slept quietly.

Forced Out from the C1 Again

Last time I was sending a message over the phone we were back at the C1 altitude camp. 120 km/h wind had been raging around our tent for a whole day and night. It was terrible. I already experienced something like this on Cho Oyu where a hurricane pinned us in our tent for four days. Here Jan started to speak about claustrophobia already after one day. Well, it's nothing pleasant to be stuck in between narrowing tent walls in that tiny space. In the morning the wind weakened for a while so we quickly left. It was the second time we had to leave C1 without attempting for C2. Only after half an hour the wind was raging at its full power again. The powerful performance continued until the evening and onwards. Back in the ABC I found out that I left keys from the barrels in C1. The phone was of course locked in one of those so I couldn't send a message..

During the descent through the ice labyrinth we met first mountaineers. An Australian and a New Zealander accompanied by their sherpa. The Aussie said it was his fourth time here and he highly regarded our finding a way through the labyrinth and safely up to the C1. To pay back for our info and work he promised to help us to mark the way to C2. Well, if they will have a better luck and the weather will let them up to C2.

Back in ABC we caught yet up with Jiri Jakubec who had been already waiting for a yak. He told us that the Liaison Officer in fact told him that he would send a horse for Jiri's one barrel. Jiri was the third member of our small team and he was to climb with us only the first mountain Shisha Pangma. The fortune and the mountain turned their back to him and he didn’t summit. Same as us but Jiri’s time has come to an end and he’s now returning back to the Czech Republic.

We are sitting tired in the ABC. Jiri's time is slowly running. It becomes more obvious that the mountain most probably will not allow him to its peak. The snow conditions, acclimatization problems, weather, clearness through the icefall and other factors, which a man cannot influence, play a decisive role in the climber's success. But Jing and Jang work as well. So a hairy hope is still there. Nevertheless, Jiri has been the grinder and the engine of our small team at Shisha Pangma.

What next?
It's been a hell up there and the forecast had been correct. Yet, the rough combination of strong wind and some sun might help with unveiling the dangerous cracks in the ice. We know we have to be heading more to the right. Thus we will wait a day or two and will try for C1 again but better after consulting with the sherpas. After all that searching for a route we feel like the first Himalayas pioneers. Pity the icefall hasn't been more homogenous since we would be higher and further with our climb up by now.

Friday 13: Accident on the Way from C1

In the evening the wind got stronger. So right from the early morning I had been watching the ridge but saw no one. At least I was comforting myself that both of them had enough power and made it to the C1 which I couldn't see from here. The agreement between us was clear so I departed for ABC. The forecast for the 14th and 15th of April was announcing a very strong wind which meant to go down from C1. I really hoped that they would follow it. But still at 9 am I could see nobody thus I was getting really worried. I kept stopping now and then on my way down and popped my sights at the ridge.

Back in the ABC I could only speculate and hope since the corridor couldn't be seen from here. Our cook Kipa made a quizzical smile towards me and asked: Coke or beer? He had had me. I had no idea that we had such an offering of drinks with us! Up to then I only knew tea and again tea as the drink of drinks. Well. few days of a tea diet and one starts feeling to have enough of it. Though I'm not a drinker I emptied two cans of beer with a delight.

At about 6 pm, big Hurray!, as my friends are back. But with some bad news though - in the middle of a beautiful corridor Jan sank in.

It was on the way back while pressing another one out of hundreds steps into the veil of white snow. But this time the virgin-like blanket, unscathed of steps or signs of depressions, was spreading over another crack in the ice, in fact over an endless hollow as was discovered later. There was an ice bridge stretching over the big crack which collapsed as Jan crossed over. Since it was on the way down and Jan was almost kind of running the momentum luckily bounced him upfront and out! Thus Jan was saved. Both of them inspected the crack afterwards only to find out that all around the collapsed ice bridge an endless hollow went down, maybe right into the heart of the mountain and into the arms of gods. Better not to think about other possible scenarios.

Luckily, all three of us are here in ABC and we must relax after all that carrying of equipment up there to C1. Also, we must wait for the sun and let it clear away the snow and unveil the cracks. Some experienced sherpas who know the corrugations of this icefall should come today to the camp. Because we were the first to climb here this season and made it up to 6 450 m we definitely have some capital to put into a joint-venture cooperation. 6 450 m? After my departure Jan and Jiri continued for another hour but the progress was slow. The number of hidden cracks was growing literally with every step they made and thus they decided to stop at 6 450 m and to camp there overnight. They began their way down at 10 am the next morning.

Up to C1: Hidden Danger All Around

We departed at 3:30 am. The labyrinth is completely different in the night. Thanks to Jan who is extremely good at orientation and who had been always pointing the path before we snaked through the labyrinth of huge icicles already at 6 am. Finally! And right in front of us a beautifully snow capped ridge leading to the C1 arose.

The labyrinth of ice which we had to snake through in the night (here in the daylight)

The climb up went quite alright. It was a hard work indeed but we also appeased our senses and looked back down to the icicle labyrinth now tapped by the sunlight. The higher we were the less power stayed with us, the number of breathe-ins and -outs between a series of steps was growing as well as was the respiratory rate. We were lined with ice walls on our sides and still a good way up was in front of us. If you check various sources they will tell you that the route up goes through a snow and ice corridor on the right side of the ridge. Well, the reality is somewhat less simple.

Suddenly, Jiri found himself stuck waist high in an ice rift. 20 cm of new snow formed a beautiful virgin-like carpet of white but also hid all indications of cracks! "More to the right" I said in order to highlight the assumed better path. Jiri was so taken by the climb that he hadn't even noticed that me and Jan were not fully catching up with him. It was apparent that Jiri is a grinder. By the noon all three of us were resting at the altitude of 6 400 meters. But clouds started to drift across the sky once again and the freezing wind started to blow. We reconned an icy plate during which Jan twice dipped in cracks up to his knees. Then I tough to myself that our goal was becoming less and less feasible and assessed the situation as quite dangerous. Due to that and my acclimatization status I told the guys that we should perhaps go down to the ABC.

Jiri and Jan hesitated for a long time. The danger coming from hidden cracks was growing and the goal marked as C1 was drifting aloft. The powers were diminishing. In our plans we decided to build the C1 altitude camp at 6 750 meters right above the last vault which would mean another 3 hours of climbing. Summing it up the normal goal was fulfilled since the C1 is normally being built at 6 400 m. Finally, I made a deposit from my stuff at 6 400 m and Jan and Jiri continued up fixing each other on a rope. After two hours I was sitting by a tent in the deposit camp and decided to sleep over there, just in case anything would happen up there and my assistance would be needed.

Shades of Haze

We get up with the sunrise at 6:30 and pack our stuff so we can enter the icy labyrinth at about 9:00 am. To reach the ice slope we have to pass the ice towers which takes about 1 - 1,5 hrs. Both Jan and Jiri already tried the track before but we had to look for a way through here and then anyway again. Suddenly, I looked up at the sky and it started to frown in an awkward way. One quick look on the display of my X6 and at 9:30 we came from the labyrinth back to the deposit camp which as at 5 850 meters. The weather has been giving us a hard time.


Huge piles of ice towering near the ice labyrinth (here during the rare nice weather)

The weather forecast said that it should be getting less and less cloudy but the wind speed should be rising on the other hand up to 50 m/s. The night seems to be with no wind so we agree on a night climbing. Jiri, who became the 'beat drummer' of our small team of three, even proposed to be off already at the midnight. That would mean 5 hours of dark night climbing and in extremely cold temperatures. Hence I suggested to get up at 2 am and be off at 3 am. The icy labyrinth will consume two hours of our time and just before the dawn we will be right under the ridge.

The Quest for C1 Begins

Endless walking among stones, ice and icy labyrinths is here


We were off for the so called deposit camp or deposit place where some of our equipment had been stored few days ago. It means walking with a heavy backpack endlessly up and down, up and down, here over an icy hilltop and then through a field of stones where an avalanche thundered down the slope. All of that for about 5 - 7 hours. Jan and Jiri went there few days ago but still the way seemed to have no end. Since both of them spent in the area altogether two days, which also helped them to acclimatize, they walked on fine. I was doing alright as well, the only difference being my 20 kg heavy backpack.

First Hints of Bad Weather Coming

On the 9th the weather staggered again and the barometric pressure decreased by another 2 millibars on my Suunto X6. Since the day we first reached ABC the accumulated decrease totaled 7 millibars which is quite bad. I've been using Suunto for weather prediction since Aconcagua and a considerable decrease of pressure can mean that the weather is going to show off its bad face at least in the lower altitude where the ABC was to be found. That would mean we couldn't continue higher. Also the wind has been blowing for the past six days on and on, its intensity slowly growing, and we can only hope it will appease a bit soon.

So our plan for tomorrow the 10th is to reach the deposit place with a full equipment load (that will take us 6-8 hrs) and bivouac there. Next day we will pass along the icicle towers and start climbing the icefall up to 6400 meters and bivouac there. Then the other day we will try to move on and build C1 altitude camp. If we would manage, with the tolerance from the weather, it'd be just great. We could sleep over in C1 and climb down the other day because of the necessary acclimatization. I will write more right after his try of ours.

Feeling Fine Again

When we decided to break our group for more acclimatization that some of us needed we agreed to meet in the BC again on the 7th. Hence, on the April 7 I felt totally rejuvenated and took a jeep back to the BC. From there I left on the 8th at 5:45 am to meet with my mates again in the ABC. All those 20 km up went on really well and I was sure that the decision to go down to a lower altitude and work a little bit on the acclimatization was the right one.

Thus after 7.5 hrs I was sitting in the mess tent and drank tea. On the table I found a message that my friends went up and would try to build the first altitude camp C1. Our cook also needed more acclimatization thus he left the ABC two days after me and returned back right with me. So on April 8 all of us met as Jan and Jiri came back down. They deposited some equipment that we will need later when going up on the edge where one starts to climb up the icefall. They also marked the path from the deposit place to the start of the climb which was about an hour and a half.

Acclimatization as a Birthday Gift

I would like to thank all of you who wished me for my birthday. That very day I was on the 20 km way back to the Base Camp. I didn't feel well and I also felt that the acclimatization didn't work as I hoped. Exactly this was the reason why we left Kathmandu so quickly and went straight here under the mountains. Thus in case of any problems with acclimatization we would still have time to go down and do something about it. Jiri was feeling very good so he stayed in the Advanced Base Camp. Jan went down to the BC and I aimed even lower for Tingri. So I found myself walking down some 20 km and then it was to Tingri another 120 km in a truck. Tingri is a small town lying under Everest and Cho Oyu and the two days spent there brought some stories of their own. But I would like to keep those for myself yet since I would like to write another book about my adventures and I have to save something for it.

Building the Advanced Base Camp

So it’s April Fools’ Day but we are not much into fooling or fun today. Fortunately, all of us are doing fine but the overall tiredness from the accumulated vertical meters and all the climbing is immense. It’s good that we have finished with building up our base. We cleaned up our tents, finished the installations in the mess tent and erected a tent for our barrels. The latter one is also called as the communications tent because we installed the cables coming from our generator inside it and because we can communicate with the rest of the world via emails and a satellite phone from there. The generator is working so recharging of our equipment, including the GPS equipped Suunto X9i should work alright. First I recharged the satellite phone so that I was able to send you these latest news.

What’s coming next? Tomorrow we are going to see the beginning of the icefall in order to search for the best way to pass it through and along on our way to the first altitude camp C1. Since we are the first expedition here and no previous information is available, we have to survey the whole track through the icefall in order to know exactly how much we will be able to carry over to the C1. The total ascent to C1 will be 1000 vertical meters so the track will not be easy. We will see soon...

Greetings to all of you,

Miro Caban

Extra USD 50 Will Do the Job

I felt absolutely fine in the morning. Shortly after waking up I had dismantled and packed up the tent and helped with packing of the other things, which will be soon moved to ABC. Jan was more active in the previous evening than today with unloading and unfortunately his face had gotten swollen in the morning so he had to decide whether he would continue to the ABC or if he would stay at 5200 meters for one more day. But as he kept his appetite and there were no other signs of acclimatization problems, apart from the swelling, he decided to continue with us.

I felt very good and kept such a good pace with the walking that I got afraid of overreaching the speed of vertical climbing. So I decided that I better stop for few times and enjoy of watching the sceneries around me. Based on my experiences I was convinced that the yakmen would try to trick us and unload our stuff much lower than what would be the highest point of the ABC. So I decided to wait for them on the edge, from where the ABC virtually started. When they came closer, they asked right away where they should put our luggage and started to point left and right. Instead I pointed to a small hill in front of us and said: “over there”, which meant walking 45 minutes longer. During a short quarrel I had to remind them what their responsibilities were. Of course, they didn’t speak any English, not that they would in this situation anyway, if they knew some, so I had to show them which way to go since they were afraid of that their yaks might sink in the snow. But that wasn’t enough. The only sufficient motivation was extra USD 50 and after 45 mins we, the yakmen as well as the yaks with our stuff were in the real ABC. Finally! My Suunto X6 was showing altitude of 5400 meters above the sea and we were there, all alone!

Here Come the Local Practices

This very morning started with a polemic on “how many yaks we were really going to need”. Only ten yaks came and since according to the regulation their load limit is 40 KGs per an animal, we knew that some animals would have to walk twice. The peak of the polemic was when we discovered that there was no scales available and thus we end up guessing that we would need about 16 yaks. We paid for 16 yaks in the LO's tent and it ended the polemic. All three of us were off before the yaks and their herdsmen. I didn't again feel good at all; instead I was feeling an overall uneasiness. I had no appetite and I just wanted to lie down somewhere and rest. After eight hours we reached the middle camp, in where my Suunto showed the altitude being 5200 meters above the sea. I was, of course, the last to get there.

But before arriving to the middle camp I ran into the cook's assistant, who had been rammed by a yak. The yak hit the assistant’s arm between the shoulder and elbow and the arm seemed to be broken. The yakmen and the cook arrived shortly after me. All of them wanted to have medicine since they suffered from the headaches. My mates were alright, other than being only little bit tired. But all of us are happy to be at today's destination. I swallowed two painkillers right away and one more just before falling asleep, which would otherwise be a problem. Of course, it ended up so that the ten yaks carried all the baggage and equipment, in spite of the regulation for maximum load. This meant that we overpaid for six yaks. The extra profit will be divided between the LO and the yakmen, and I guess based on my experience the ratio will be 80/20, in favor of the LO.

We Feel Rather Bad

A day of relaxation and resting. Yesterday I felt really miserable, but not today. Instead now my mates were having terrible headaches so there was no other way than to take some medicine and to drink as much as possible. It was in the evening when we heard animals snorting. Our yaks were here, which was the sign that we will be on the way again tomorrow. The yaks will bring our stuff to the ABC (advanced Base Camp) while we will walk on our own, with backpacks, of course. On the way to the ABC we will stay overnight in the middle camp. Every journey here begins with meeting the yaks’ herdsmen (and also this time herdswomen), which are also known as “yakmen”, and they greeted us with big smiles.

THE ROAD TO ABC

Foreword...

I will start with the departure from Czech Republic. Are you asking why should we go few days back in the story? Well because I will touch the important subject of acclimatization in the stories describing the days of our journey to the ABC (advanced Based Camp).

It might be surprising to many of you but the acclimatization process in fact started when my cousin Eric picked us up and drove us to the Vienna airport. Though modern airplanes are, necessarily, equipped with pressurized cabin yet you start to pick up the vertical meters already on board. Just one quick look at your Suunto watch and you can find out that the air pressure around you relates to some 2000 meters above the sea level. Then consider that you stay in such 'height' for about 8 hours and it equals some initial acclimatization process.

The 'feet on the ground' acclimatization started in Kathmandu which is about 2000 meters a.s.l. In two days we climbed up to Nialam which is at 3600 meters and in another two days we reached the Base Camp under Shisha Pangma - 4800 meters. A day off and then a jump to 5200m while the other day's goal is the ABC at 5400m. It means more or less seven continuous days (not much) of altitude increase from 1000m to 5400 meters to which neither us nor you are used to. Quite a shock for a human organism.

Our Road to ABC Starts

That day we took a jeep to the BC. It was a beautiful day which meant even more clear and impressive view of our goal - Shisha Pangma. On the way there we asked our Liaison Officer how many other expeditions would be in the BC and found out that we would definitely be the first. Great, I thought. A good part of the planning this expedition was aimed on having enough time to climb to the mountain, and even better if we were going to be the first expedition because then we should have even more peace. It was only then, when I realized why there were also three wooden beds, quilts, some armchairs, a TV, a VCR, a generator and many other things that didn't belong to us on the hull of the truck going to the BC. Those were the belongings of our Liaison Officer, who would stay in the BC for other upcoming expeditions. A scent of home is a must so on the way we stopped in a movie rental shop and the last step to complete luxury were achieved. Two hours later we reached the BC, where really was nobody.

First Morning in Tibet

I slept for whole twelve hours. That is hard to believe for me as it was perhaps the first time in 25 years..! Simply perfect. Right in the morning I did the saturation test to all of us which shows the ability of organism to accept oxygen - only to learn that mine was the lowest. Jan and Jiri had both around 80 but I showed only the value of 70. So I started to drink even more liquids. After lunch we decided for some acclimatization. Based on my morning test I chose only 200 height meters for myself while the guys made 300, all measured reliably by our Suunto wristops (I’m using X6 HR, Jan X9i & Vector and Jiri also X9i). It's been a beautiful day and all of us feel very well after this rather small track. So until the evening we will be only resting and drinking a lot of tea.

A move over to the BC (Base Camp) by a jeep is awaiting us tomorrow. Over there all of our stuff will be repacked and loaded onto the yaks. The other day we will walk up to the ABC (Advanced Base Camp) which we plan to record in the GPS equipped X9i and show you later on. All of this means that I won't be posting messages for the following few days since it won't be possible.

Have a great day,

Miro Caban

Nialam

So, on the 26th we were bound for China, or in fact Tibet which has belonged to China. The minibus was roof full of our luggage, food, and cooking equipment that will soon be utilized in the Base Camp. We left Kathmandu at 7 am. At all the gas stations we passed there were long queues of cars, vans, and trucks which must have been the consequence of the recent rioting and, most probably, a rationing that had been applied to gasoline supply.

As it goes in the mountains one goes up and down. The first part of our track led us down to 500 meters above the sea level as measured by my Suunto X6 HR. And then we started to climb up the hills towards the small boundary town. The wristop computer can show the height profile graph of the whole track in my notebook which is another bonus feature for me. In the town we had to reload our stuff onto a truck. In one minute our cook had organized an army of helpers to take care of the equipment moving. It was only about 10 minutes of walking with a load but an incredible hustle began in order to grab a thing and earn a little bit of money. There have been insufficient job opportunities up here.

Crossing of the boundary went alright and right after that we got to know our liaison officer. I remembered him from my Cho Oyu & Everest expedition. How couldn't I since he fined us 300 USD. Well, you can imagine that I wasn't jumping up high but at least I already know that he is strict and uncompromising and we will behave accordingly. Of course, he doesn't remember me and has been mostly smiling at us so far.

The journey to Nialam has been adventurous and has gotten our adrenaline going as always. Rather than a road it is more of a cutting or even a corrugation in the steep flank. Throughout the year many avalanches and rock falls thunder through it and leave their imprints. Hence, going this path around the craggy valley has always been adventurous. Nialam is already at 3600 meters and it had just been snowing there when we arrived. The height was quite a shock for the organism, and thus we only drank a lot that evening to allow the organism to cope better with it. And at 7 pm we fell in beds - coincidentally or not - in the same lodge as I slept back in 2002. And memories of Cho Oyu & Everest expedition started to come...