원정 개요

BC at between 2 lakes, northeast of Gyazumpa on Schneider map.

Fixed rope: 100m icefall below C2 and 120m just befor C2, 400m between C2 and C3, 730m C3 to C4, 320m between C4 and C5 and 80m above C5. Above C5, stayed on ridge and into gully stayed on border, from west and of gully climbed/traversed on Tibetain side for 200m before rejoining border ridge to summit and gully is 70m deep from eastern lip to bottom - gully was mixed rock and ice and snow (rock not hard, would shatter, but found some points where could fix bolts). This area's N and S faces were rock 3000m from top of ridge down to very steep snow and same snow on top of ridge. Very steep rock faces also in section beyond gully in another step before final climb to summit. On Tibet side of gully is couloir. Far west side of gully was a shelf which used in traverse. This traverse was most difficult part of entire climb and was very difficult - faces 80 degrees perhaps in this area. After C4 established, all down for rest; first to go beyond C4 started this section on 15th Oct to see route and fix ropes. On 18th Oct on attempt made from C4 to top but when reached 7900m (beyond gully) realized now, at 1:00 pm was too late to reach top and return in daylight and to climb after dark "very hard work" so decided to cancel this attempt.

On 19th next summit party take from C4 equipment to make C5 (this removed C4 to make C5) - arrived at C5 site at 3:00 pm and fixed 100m rope before spending night at C5. 20th Oct left C5 at 8:00 am and reached summit around 11:00 am and down 12:50 pm. Besides 5 summiters, doctor also tried for summit and reached 8000m; tired and fingers begining to freeze (he was surgeon) so turned back and he returned to C5 at 1:30 pm with 1st 3 summiters. All slept in C5 that night.

21st C5 tent left there and took sleeping bags to descend to C3 and 5 summiters slept in C3 but doctor hit by falling stone when he had climbed up 15m to get out of gully; he was not wearing helmet and hit on forehead (had not expected to need helmets above C3 and none taken up there) and lived only a minute (had several inches deep wound). Had to leave body in sleeping bag on shelf in gully because impossible to carry it down to C3 (trying to move body, Pershin got frozen fingers and used oxygen that night in C3; finger tips are black now but will heal now).