Trip Reports

Gasherbrum II - back in BC

The south west ridge and summit pyramid of Gasherbrum II

Written by Leader Adele Pennington, July 2009

Since the last blog alot has happened on Gasherbrum 2 with the final score being Gasherbrum 2 - 0 Jagged Globe United. Late strikes by substitutes jet stream and snow dump defeated the Sheffield-based united unit in extra time. This was a flattering result, following a hard fought game at Gasherbrum's Baltoro Stadium.

On the 7th July, just after writing the blog, the team got news that the slopes between camp 1 and 2 were still avalanche prone and the fixed ropes were well and truly buried. With this news the team decided to stay at base an exra day, whilst the invisible coin was tossed and Adele set off with the HAPs to be the Jagged Globe eyes at Camp 1. The following morning Alli and Adele ascended the slopes to the start of the fixed ropes.

After twenty minutes of digging the two finally revealed the ropes and tugged out the first 100m. Marking the spot with bamboo wands the duo descended back to Camp 1, leaving the rest of the job to be done by the Altitude Junkies Sherpas and two of our HAPs the following day.

At 6am on 9th July the Sherpas and HAPs set off to open the route to camp 2 and at 7.00am the rest of the Jagged Globe team arrived at Camp 1. After a day's rest the Jagged Globe team started to move to Camp 2. This was intended to be an acclimatisation stage, but after 7 hours of ascending steep slopes with steps made for giraffes, there was a mutiny from the team, who decided they were feeling so good at Camp 2 (6,500m), there was no need to go back to Camp 1.

Adele agreed that if the team were still feeling good in the morning, she would return to Camp 1 to fetch the rest of the team's personal kit. Unfortunately for Adele the team were in good form and so she descended back to camp 1, where a HAP was waiting so they could both bring up the remaining kit. The rest of the team re-pitched tents and took up the waiting position in Camp 2.

The following morning David was out in front with Alli to uncover the ropes to Camp 3 as the Altitude Junkies sherpas came up the rear to position themselves at Camp 3 to fix the next section of the route. The rest of us went for an acclimatisation jug up the fixed ropes towards Camp 3, which proved to be a very enjoyable and entertaining few hours.

On David's return, we tried to make plans, but after hearing from the weather forecasters that the winds were going to reach 80km/h at 8,000m, we turned the ladened HAPs around minutes after they had set off from Camp 2.

With this new forecast, we settled back down into our tents and waited to see what was going to happen. All was calm for the next few hours and then the snow started to fall. As it grew warmer in the tents, we knew that we were getting thoroughly buried. The winds swirled and the snow drifted around us. By 6am the following morning, we had had around 15cm of snow, but the winds had subsided, at least for a time. Decisions, decisions. At 7.00am the Altitude Junkies Sherpas had left Camp 3 to try and fix further up the mountain. The weather then started to deterioate.

Soon there was word that the Sherpas were running away from Camp 3 and descending in now white out blizzard conditions to Camp 2. Discussions between the major teams all came to the same conclusion that it was time to get off the mountain before any more snow fell. We hurriedly packed away the camp, leaving just one tent and started to retreat. The winds howled around and spindrift was thrust into our faces as we m ade our way across the narrow arete and started the descent of a dozen abseils down the ridge. The sound of avalanches echoed around us and as soon as one person left a belay they disappeared into an abyss of white. With all the other teams trying to descend all that could be heard was shouts of various languages coming through the haze of white. The fine snow covered our faces and made all but the easiest tasks difficult and the now soft deep snow made abseiling a difficult task.

After three hours we sat, exhausted but safe, at the bottom of the Banana Ridge, with only another hour or so to take us to the safety of Camp 1. Finally by 3pm we were back at camp, huddling into our big tent as the snow continued to fall. With the excitement of the day over we drank tea and munched on Pringles as each member told their own stories of their descent. Bunter and his Polish lady, Helen and her little panic and Mark who had managed to contain his upset stomach through the descent.

That night more snow fell and at 5.30am David was keen for us to leave and descend to base camp. More support had come up from base camp and the HAPs had left quietly to reascend to Camp 2 to pick up the rest of the kit.

The descent through the icefall was hard work, as we all had very heavy packs and poor old Mark with his bacterial stomach infection had not eaten for the past few days. Eventually we made it back to base to be welcomed by the cook team and the news that David and the HAPs were how on their way down. Chips, corned beef, tomato soup and a shower were all luxuries after our seven days on the mountain (not to mention the swig of Glen Moray before bed).

With another 5cm of snow at base camp overnight we are all pleased to be off the mountain. Furthermore, the forecast only predicts high summit winds for the next week as the jet stream sits over north Pakistan. It's quite strange there is not too much disappointment in camp as we plan our trek out, perhaps this is because we felt as though we had a good fair match.

Adele Pennington, GII BC 15 July 2009« Previous report | Next report »

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