원정 개요

BC lower than normal route
C2 at North Face
C3 at North Face in tent moved from C2.

Chin to C2 only. Viesturs had told him that because of his altitude sickness near Cho Oyu; he would have to go no higher than C2 and he had agreed. Viesturs had had to sacrifice his own summit bid to escort Chin down when the Chin got sick.

Viesturs and Gustafsson waited in C3 3 days waiting for wind to drop; now had half of a gas cannister left and little food left and afternoon of 11th wind dropped, so on 12th 3:00 am left for top (with 4 Italians, minus Mondinelli, Masao and Damuda). On top 2:00 pm (with 3 Italians, minus Mondinelli). Near top went up a small gully to summit ridge. Ridge has numerous bumps and to be sure got to highest which was farthest west; when reached in and looked back realized it was highest. Slept in C2 at 10:00 pm. Now weather bad in cloud and snow so had trouble finding route down in dark and in snow storm, so waited hours till 9:00 pm. Viestur's feet felt fixed rope (were at about 7000m). "Annapurna didn't let us go, she just held on," says Viesturs. All way to BC next day; during night heavy snowfall in places waist deep snow; whiteout when approached C1 so waited in place one hour till could see way amongst crevassed. Started from C3 at 9:30 am and got to BC 6:00 pm: waiting for them about 4500m were Chin and 2 Italians with juice and beer. Had fixed no ropes but Merelli's team fixed much rope and invited Viesturs and Gustafsson use ropes with them. After each snowfall minor avalanching - "were quiet" not the visual big seracs falling constantly.

When he reached summit, his 14th 8000er, Viesturs felt a dream come true. "I had my doubts that I'd ever get there because of our conservatism and its dangerous avalanching." He's not sure weather he is 14th person to summit all 8000ers but guesses he's probably 7th or 8th without any oxygen. What next? Now that he has the 8000ers out of the way, perhaps Antarctica, perhaps smaller Nepalese mountains, no definite plans.