Masherbrum 2003

Leta 1960 je prvi vzpon na Masherbrum opravila ameriška odprava. Pod vodstvom Nicka Clincha so vrh dosegli 6. in 8. julija v dveh skupinah poleg vodje še Bell, Unsoled in Pakistanec Akhter. Smer prvopristopnikov poteka po nevarnih pobočjih jugovzhodne stene. Prvo ponovitev smeri so šele avgusta leta 1983 opravili Japonci. Vrh sta dosegla Kakeyasu Minamura in Masuhino Nomura.
Dve leti za tem so na vrhu zopet stali Japonci, tokrat so se povzpeli s severne strani. Veliki odpravi je v četrtem odpravarskem poskusu uspelo preplezati impresivni severni greben in severozahodno steno ter tako opraviti tretji pristop na vrh. Isti dan so s severne strani na vrh splezali tudi trije Avstrijci.
Japonsko odpravo je vodil Shin Kashu, ki je tudi vseskozi plezal kot vodilni plezalec. Vzpon so začeli na Yemanendu ledeniku, in celotno smer (od baze do vrha) s pomočjo velike ekipe, ki je z veliko požrtvovalnostjo delala za vodjo odprave opremili z fiksnimi vrvmi. Vrh so dosegli eno noč pred Avstrijci. Le ti so plezali v isti steni in deloma isti smeri. Avstrijska smer je samostojna do 5400 m. Začeli so z Mandu ledenika. Prvih 1200 m so fiksirali vrvi in nato postavili tri tabore (C1 na 5500m, C2 na 5900 m in C3 na 6300 m). Iz zadnjega tabora so ob japonskih vrveh na vrh splezali v "alpskem stilu". Bivakirali so na 7150m, iz bivaka so se povzpeli na vrh (27.7.1985) in še isti dan sestopili nazaj v bazo. Plezali so Robert Renzler, Andi Orgler in Michael Larcher. V Messnerjevi knjigi "Die Grossten Wande" najdemo o njihovi smeri naslednje podatke: v skali do VI-, v ledu do 85° (eno mesto 90°), težak kombiniran svet, dolg horizontalen greben z opastmi, višina stene pribl. 3400 m.

Na teme te zahtevne gore se je do zdaj povzpelo manj kot dvajset alpinistov, zadnji vzpon na vrh je bil opravljen zdaj že oddaljenega leta 1985. Od takrat se poskusi vzpona na vrh kar vrstijo.

Idejo za odpravo na Masherbrum, atraktiven vrh v osrednjem delu vzhodnega Karakoruma, sem v sebi gojil nekaj let. Z Američanom Stevom House-om sva se po lanski odpravi na Nuptse odločila, da letos poskusiva splezati na Masherbrum s severa. Po zaključeni ideji sta se nama z močno izraženim interesom pridružila še Matic Jošt in Britanec Jules Cartwright. Ekipa štirih motiviranih in izkušenih alpinistov si je obetala prilagodljivost in kar se da preprosto ter ekonomično organizacijo. V začetku marca, ko so bile organizacijske priprave v zaključni fazi, se je Jules odločil, da ne bo šel na odpravo.

Odpravo smo registrirali kot Slovensko. Politična situacija v tem delu sveta ni bila primerna za promocijo sodelovanja Američana na odpravi (Steve govori slovensko). Vsa komunikacija pred odhodom se je vršila prek telefona in elektronske pošte. Opravila pred odpravo smo si razdelili v sorazmernih deležih glede na posameznikove možnosti in sposobnosti. Tudi finančno breme smo nosili v treh enakih deležih. Stevu je uspelo od AAC (American Alpine Club) dobiti gotovinski kredit za primer helikopterskega reševanja v znesku 6000 ameriških dolarjev kar nam je prišlo zelo prav glede na visok gotovinski znesek.

Z namenom pridobitve informacij sva z Maticem tri dni pred odhodom v Innsbrucku obiskala Roberta Renzlerja - vodjo uspešne avstrijske odprave. Nekaj koristnih podatkov je posredoval, vendar je bila njegova izkušnja na Masherbrumu okrašena z osemnajstimi leti časovne patine. To dejstvo smo zares razumeli šele, ko smo si po prihodu v bazo ustvarili svoje videnje.
V Ameriki smo kupili vremensko napoved za področje Masherbruma v času bivanja v bazi. Posebej za nas je vsak drugi dan na osnovi satelitskih podatkov in vremenskih modelov vremensko napoved pripravil ameriški meteorolog in nam jo pošiljal v obliki kratkega sporočila na satelitski telefon.

Osemnajstega maja smo v Islamabad, glavno mesto Pakistana, prispeli Američan Steve House ter Slovenca Matic Jošt (Alpinistični odsek Celje) in Marko Prezelj (Alpinistični odsek Kamnik). Želeli smo v alpskem stilu preplezati kombinirano severovzhodno ostenje Masherbruma. Stena je visoka prek 3000 metrov, največje težave pa so v njenem zgornjem delu. Najbolj mikaven je mogočen osrednji steber, ki je tako kot celotna stena, še nepreplezan.

Za pomoč pri izvedbi odprave smo v Pakistanu izbrali agencijo Blue Sky Treks & Tours, ki nam je ves čas nudila odličen servis. Naš kuhar Haji Ghulam Rasool je imel poleg kuharskih spretnosti največ zaslug za to, da smo v bazo in iz nje prišli hitro in brez zapletov. Skrb s katero nam je stregel v bazi je bila pogosto skorajda očetovska. Z zveznim oficirjem nismo imeli večjih težav - ves čas je bil v bazi in se ni vtikal v naše početje nad bazo. Po prihodu v bazo je zaradi višinske bolezni sestopil do Paijuja in se po desetih dneh vrnil.
Bazo smo postavili na ledeniku Mandu približno 4200 metrov visoko od koder smo imeli odličen pogled na goro. Žal se je izkazalo, da je ustreznih aklimatizacijskih možnosti zelo malo. Nad sedem tisoč metrov visoko je segal le Masherbrum. Želeli smo se aklimatizirati po Japonsko-Avstrijski smeri, kjer naj bi sestopili v primeru vzpona na vrh.

Zaradi slabih razmer in nestabilnega vremena je bil čas aklimatizacije razmeroma dolg, poleg tega pa smo zgolj za aklimatizacijo porabili zelo veliko energije. Opravili smo vzpon na koto 5880 in se v štirih dneh vzpeli na vrh Biarchedija (6781 m) kar je bila ravno zadostna aklimatizacija pred želenim Masherbrumom. Na Masherbrumu smo v tveganih razmerah po Japonski smeri dosegli nekoliko manj kot 6000 metrov potem pa ugotovili, da je vzpon v takih razmerah za nas preveč tvegan. Ob dejstvu, da smo neposredno izkusili nekaj kložastih plazov, se je ta ugotovitev ponujala kar sama od sebe. Vremenske razmere tudi kasneje niso ustvarile upanja na skorajšnje izboljšanje.
Vreme in razmere so bile v času odprave dokaj slabe. Na razmeroma položnih sneženih pobočjih smo zaradi velikih količin nepredelanega snega, menjaje se v vodstvu, ves čas varovali.
Večjih problemov z zdravjem nismo imeli.

Na podlagi pridobljenih izkušenj mislimo, da bi bil ob običajnih razmerah nekoliko kasnejši prihod v bazo bolj smiseln. Severna stran gore se dokaj počasi otrese snega kar predstavlja občutno nadlogo pri izbiri smeri vzpona. Dejstvo pa je, da je bilo letos pozimi izredno veliko padavin. Sneg se zato ni predelal do te mere, da bi omogočal varno plezanje. Masherbrum je prvovrsten alpinistični cilj in le še vprašanje časa je kdaj bodo zopet uspešno splezali na vrh.

Člani odprave:

Matic Jošt (foto)
Kronologija

Opravljeni vzponi

1. Nova smer na koto 5880 m na Biarchedi Peak (6781 m). Smer je visoka približno 1000 m. Gre za ledno smer, ki je težja v zgornjem delu, najtežji pa je prehod na vršni greben. Ocenili bi jo lahko z alpsko oceno D+/TD- (naklonina od 40° do 70°), ali po sodobnejši lestvici za ocenjevanje lednih smeri IV/3. Vzpon je bil opravljen v alpskem stilu.
2. Vzpon na Biarchedi Peak (6781 m). Najverjetneje smo opravili drugi pristop na ta vrh. Po do sedaj izbranih podatkih sta prvi pristop opravila 1984 Španca J. Antonio Martínez Novas in Joaquín Carril. Naša smer je visoka 2200 m, gre za plezanje v snegu in ledu z naklonino do 70°. Prisodili bi ji lahko alpsko oceno D, po sodobnejši lestvici pa V/od 2 do 3. Za vrh nismo plačali takse.

Viri:

echidna.rutgers.edu/expeditions/Default.htm - Lev Lofe expeditions
www.hunzaguidespakistan.com/masherbrum.htm
www.travel.web.pk/destinations/mountain_peaks/masherbrum.asp

Španci leta 1984 opravijo "piratski" vzpon (brez plačila takse za vrh tako kot mi) na Biarchedi. Podatki o njihovem vzponu so na spletnem naslovu:
www.desafio8000.com/html/es/d8000/p65.html

Steve House (foto)
2003 Masherbrum Expedition

The expedition went very well considering the conditions and the risk level we were dealing with. We had a very dangerous snowpack throughout the expedition and had a number of dangerous moments. The weather through the summer also was not helpful. We had consistently poor weather, with the longest spell of high pressure lasting just 50 hours. We barely scratched the surface of our intended route on Masherbrum, never getting past 5,900 meters on the snowy ridge which accessed the base of the pillar. We did climb an unclimbed peak near basecamp named Biarchedi, which was 6,781 meters. However, we did not possess a permit for that peak and so we won't report the ascent directly. That ascent did provide what I think we all three agreed was the best day of the expedition. We spent 4 hours on Birachedi's summit on a perfectly clear and windless morning. The skyline was: (excluding minor summits) Masherbrum, K6(unclimbed), K7, Chogolisa, Rimo peaks (in India), Saltoro Kangri, Gasherbrum 1,2,3,4,5,6,& 7, Broad Peak, K2, Mustag Tower, Cathedral, Ogre, Latok group, Trango/Nameless Group, Paiyu Peak, and Nanga Parbat floating on the horizon. Four hours certainly wasn't enough to take it all in.

We arrived in basecamp on May 31st with some difficulty due to winter snow on the glacier which the porters did not like to walk in. Indeed it was nasty walking, a breakable crust over nearly-knee-deep slush. We elected to put our basecamp on the Mandu Glacier at approximately 4,200 meters. There were two options for basecamp, this location, and the next glacier north, the Yermanendu Glacier. This would prove to be an important decision since we eventually learned that to access Masherbrum we had to get to the Yermanendu Glacier first. Though our decision to basecamp on the Mandu was well-researched through discussions with the leader of previous expedition to Masherbrum. (R.Ranzler, Austrain Expedition 1985). Due to different glacier conditions and an abundance of winter snow we were to cross a small pass above basecamp many times to get to and from the Yermanendu Glacier.

Marko and I climbed a small 5,000 meter peak near basecamp after a few days of rest. Here we triggered our first slide. A 12-18" slab that ran down a steep couloir for 2,000 feet wiping our our boot track on the way. We were surprised since in our minds we were expecting to find a summer snow pack, but this was the first clue that we were dealing with something different.

Our next foray was up the southern flank of Birachedi which we climbed to about 5,880 meters and slept for two nights. Marko and Matic made an effort to climb higher. Matic and I didn't feel too well, but Marko turned back at 6,000 meters due to poor conditions. We descended to basecamp in a blustery storm.

A few days later, on our first foray up the snowy ridge to access the north buttress I was breaking trail through soft snow and triggered another slide. This one was smaller, 30 feet across and 8 inches deep, but it funneled right onto Marko who was climbing on 50 degree ice at the time. Marko was swept off his stance and tumbled about 250 vertical feet back down the slope we had just ascended. Luckily he ended up on top and the runout was safely into a small saddle. Marko was totally unhurt and climbed back to us. For the rest of the trip we belayed all snow climbing.

This did wake us up, and we realized that the first slide wasn't just a fluke and we weren't dealing with stable summer snow. We were much more careful from here on out. Belaying snow climbing, digging pits to learn what to look for, and generally being more conservative. Then, later the same day Marko triggered a 12" wind-slab and he seemed to run on top of it while it broke into pieces and launched itself over a serac barrier. His running saved him from the fall but left us all feeling much less bold. The next day we came to a slope we were unwilling to cross. It was several hundred feet across, 40 degrees, and ended in a very large serac band. There was no exposed ice (stable seracs) to make anchors from and the only anchor-option was digging holes in the snow for belay seats. It was clear that if the slope ripped you were going over the seracs to your death(s). In getting to that point I had been in the lead and had triggered 3 more slides already that morning. After I failed attempt to climb the ridge crest Alaskan-style, we made the decision to abandon Masherbrum until conditions improved.

At that time we still weren't adequately acclimitized. We had wanted to climb to 7,000 meters before launching out on our alpine-style attempt of Masherbrum, which is 7,855 meters high. There weren't any nearby peaks besides Masherbrum that were so high. Biarchedi was the closest (6,781m) but we didn't have a permit for that. We returned to basecamp feeling downtrodden and casting about for safe options. It seemed that the trip could be truly over, but all of us had been on enough expeditions to know that things in the mountains can change.

Nothing changed in those last 3 weeks, but we did decide to climb Biarchedi without a permit. Our Liason Officer, Major Mazhar, was easily convinced that we were climbing somewhere on Masherbrum. We disappeared over the col to the Yermanendu Glacier and spent 4 days (1 storm day) climbing Birachedi and one day descending.

After Birachedi we had some good weather and thought that we might have a chance at Masherbrum, though we were still not as acclimated as we wanted to be. We had some hope that recent sun had stabilized the dangerous slopes. We packed for the climb and before we even got to sleep that night it started to rain very hard. It rained for several days and we sent for the porters.

We left basecamp three days earlier than planned. We had spent a total of 7 weeks there. While we had a difficult time, we considered ourselves to be successful. We approached the mountain on our terms, in good style, accepted the risks, and mitigated them well enough that we will all climb again. We all agreed that this was the most dangerous expedition any of us had been on. Largely due to our erroneous assumptions about the snow conditions in the early stages of the expedition. We were exposed to much more risk than we realized at first.

The trek out proved to be mostly pleasant as we took three extra days and explored the Charakusa and the Nangma Valleys which yielded fantastic climbing venues for future trips. The Charakusa inspired me to return for a brief solo expedition.

Though we didn't get far on this attempt, the line is so beautiful and so compelling that we will be sure to go back at some point. Personally I think it is the most amazing line on a big mountain that I have ever seen. The north buttress of Masherbrum will someday be climbed (in alpine style) and when that happens it will be one of the great ascents of its age. We sincerely hope that for the sake of this incredible peak that future suitors continue to respect the mountain enough to attempt it in good style. Masherbrum is certainly a diamond among gems in the Karakorum.

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