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Russian National expedition.
The project is to climb new route on K2 West Face via the central bastion
Expedition chronicle
August, 22 2007 15-00 Pavel Shabalin and Iljas Tukhvatullin are on the top!!! 12-50 Victor Volodin, Gennady Kirievsky and Vitaly Gorelik are on the top!!! 11-50 Eugeny Vinogradsky is on the top!!! 11-10 Gleb Sokolov is on the top!!! 10-45 Nick Totmjanin and Alexey Bolotov are on the top!!! radio contact 10-15 a.m. The ascent is continuing. Pavel and Iljas start up from C7. Shamalo and Penzov descended to BCradio contact 8-15 a.m. Totmjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky and Volodin - Sokolov -Vinogradsky - Gorelik began to ascend from Camp 6 on 5 a.m. Shabalin and Tukhvatullin are preparing for start in C7. Mariev and Popovich begin the descent. Shamalo and Penzov are descending from ABC to BC. August, 21 2007 radio contact 6-15 p.m. radio contact 4-15 p.m. 1-00 p.m. Pakistani time 12-50 radio contact with Andrew Mariev and Vadim Popovich -
10-15 radio contact 8-15 radio contact August, 20 2007 6 p.m. Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich are in the tent in Camp 7 at 8400 m. Volodin, Sokolov, Vinogradsky and Gorelik are in Camp 6. Totmjanin, Bolotov and Kirievsky are in Camp 5. Valery Shamalo descended to ABC, where he was met by Nickolay Cherny. Serguey Penzov descended to Camp 3 - he has called in 8 p.m. Pakistani time is +1 to Moscow time. We're very thankful to all who believe in our team. Wish us fine weather! Good night, see you tomorrow. Expedition leader Victor Kozlov 4 p.m. The group Pavel Shabalin - Andrew Mariev - Iljas Tukhvatullin - Vadim Popovich reached the altitude about 8400 m. They are preparing the place for the little tent. It'll be Camp 7. 2 p.m. Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich are ascending above Camp 6. 12-00 Victor Kozlov from BC: The visibility became better. Shabalin's group is heading up from C6. Bolotov-Totmjanin-Kirievsky reached C5. Sokolov-Vinogradsky-Gorelik-Penzov-Volodin are climbing to C6. Shamalo is descending. 10-30 a.m. info after 10-15 radio contact
The expedition has reseived the forecast from Hanif (Pakistan Senior meteorologist) that it may continue their work, no storm is expected today and next 3-4 days. 8-30 a.m. info after 8 a.m. radio contact Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich left C6 on 6 a.m., climbed more than a hour, but had to turn back to their tent - there's deep mist, and visibility is only 50 m, and wind impulses are too strong. They're waiting the weather improving in C6.
The duo Penzov - Volodin and trio Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik are leaving C5 for C6. Valery Shamalo begins the descent from C5 according to the recomendation of the doctor Vinogradsky. The trio Totmjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky left C4 for C5. Expedition leader Victor Kozlov August, 19 2007 The weather window has opened, but there are still hard wind impulses above 7000 m. August, 18 2007 The first group reached C5. Summit push is continuing. Aug, 18. August, 17 2007 The summit push is on! all are going up.
August, 14 2007 The strong wind and snow August, 11 2007 Alex Bolotov, Nick Totmjanin and Gennady Kirievsky descended to ABC. Tomorrow they'll return to BC. Gleb, Vitaly and Eugeny ascended to C4. Pavel, Iljas, Andrew and Vadim will star from BC tomorrow. August, 10 2007 18-30 local time: All three climbers are in C6. There'll be dark in 20 minutes. 15-00 local time: Lost too much energy during the four days and four nights waiting the normal weather in C5, three strong climbers - Alexey Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and Nick Totmjanin - began yesterday to ascend toward the summit. They set the little tent - camp 6 - at the altitude more than 8000 m. 13-20 local time: Victor Kozlov just called from BC after the radio contact with the front-line group: "The trio is continuing to climb toward the summit. They are now under the serious rock massiff and tried to find the way to overcome it. Gennady's altimeter shows 8550 m (but the weather's fine, and data can be more than real height about 50 m) 10-40 a.m. local time. Victor Kozlov called from BC: Alex Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and Nick Totmjanin left C6 on 5 a.m. and began to climb toward the summit. August, 9 2007 Iljas Tukhvatullin about mates:
The trio Alexey Bolotov-Gennady Kirievsky -Nickolay Totmjanin is heading to K2 summit. The very important moment has begun today early morning in the expedition. But early morning today they left C5, climbed 12 ropes, which have been fixed earlier, and then (before the noon) began free climb in the summit direction. They have the tiny tent "solo+", gas, stove, 2 caremates, 2 sleepingbags - minimum of the gear, but enough for August, 6 2007 Now three climbers are in C5: Alexey Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and Nickolay Totmjanin. August, 5 2007 Yesterday at 9 a.m. (local time) Alexander Korobkov was airlifted from K2's BC and taken to hospital - he falls seriously sick with altitude-induced thrombosis.
The team's latest report stated Alexander would be taken to a larger hospital in Islamabad and then back to Moscow as soon as possible.
August, 3 2007 So, it'a a time for the finish push. It's the very hard wind at high altitude now, but the duo Alexey Bolotov and Gennady Kirievsky is ascending from C1 and the trio Nickolay Totmjanin - Valery Shamalo - Victor Volodin is ascending from ABC. They hope to reach C5 and then begin their summit bid as soon as the weather improves.
Previous days diary: 31.07.07 The weather has worsened. The hard wind forsed both groups to descend to ABC. Bolotov's group went up from BC to ABC. Detailes will be soon ... July, 30, 2007 The bastion has been climbed, but the West Face is continuing ... July, 25, 2007 Today the support group leave BC. Sokolov's group left BC early morning for ABC. July, 24, 2007 July, 23 the support group (6 persons from Moscow and Saint Petersburg - our sponsors and friends - visit our BC. Vitaly Ivanov in Moscow clinic is July, 22, 2007 Camp 5 has been set, but the bad weather put the breakes on the climb July, 21, 2007 July, 20 Vitaly Ivanov and helping him Vladimir Kochurov arrived to Moscow. Vitaly will get treatment in one of the Moscow clinics. July, 18, 2007 RESCUE. K2 West Face expedition diary July 15 - 18.
16.07.07 In the continuing storm conditions Sokolov's group descended to ABC to the evening. Vitaly's health became worse. The expedition doctor Serguey Bychkovsky and the coach Nickolay Cherny ascended from BC to ABC. The doctor stated the advanced diagnosis
Bolotov's group ascended from C1 to C2. Shabalin, TUkhvatullin and Popovitch ascended from C2 to C4, Mariev from C1 to C3. 18.07.07 The weather's ideal. On 8 a.m. Vitaly and Vladimir Kochurov (the expedition cameraman) were evacuated by chopper to Scardu.
From BC - Victor Kozlov, Nickolay Totmjanin. July, 18, 10 a.m. local time
As Nickolay Totmjanin said by phone, icy-covered rocks on the route above are also the very difficult barrier, and the climbers are under the altitude pressing already. But they can see also as the ridges from the left and right become closer ... I wrote the schematic route line on the Japanese photo - you can see the whole bastion and how long it remaines still to the top - E.L.
July, 15, 2007 Expedition diary July, 8-14
July, 9, 2007 Expedition diary July, 1-8
02.07.07 Shabalin's group brouhgt equipment and set the tiny tent "Solo+" in С4. Mariev and Tukhvatullin spent night there, Shabalin and Popovitch - in C3. Bolotov's group ascended to C2. 03.07.07 In the evening Shabalin's group descended to С1. 04.07.07 Bolotov's group ascended to С4 and set the big tent "Cave 6" for 4 persons. Shabalin's group returned to BC. 05.07.07 Bolotov's group climbed 2 pitches to the left from C4. 06.07.07 The duo Gennady Kirievsky - Alexander Korobkov in the very bad weather conditions 07.07.07 The duo Alexey Bolotov - Alexander Korobkov climbed 3 pitches and then descended to C3. The duo Gennady Kirievsky - Serguey Penzov brought loads to the end of ropes and then descended to ABC. Totmjanin's group ascended to C4. Sokolov's group, and doctor Serguey Bychkovsky and the coach Nickolay Cherny ascended to ABC. 08.07.07 Bolotov's group returned to BC for the rest. From BC Victor Kozlov, Alexey Bolotov and Pavel Shabalin July, 8 on 6 p.m. A lot of pictures you can see at the official expedition's site June, 30, 2007 Expedition diary June, 25 - 30 25.06.07 26.06.07 27.06.07 28.06.07 29.06.07 30.06.07 The weather became better; the snowfall has stopped, there're less clouds. After the first extremely steep rock band on the bastion, which can be compare with vertical rocks on Jannu North Face, nor less complex rocks are on the next, middle part of the bastion, at the altitudes above 7000 m. The climbers need not only the excellent climbing skills, but either to resist the altitude and cold pressing. Hope, the rocks relief and the weather will give us the chance to climb free further. The rock is hard, there're many long vertical cracks and inner corners, covered by ice - the good drytooling poligon. All are brave. Victor Kozlov and Nickolay Totmjanin - from the Base Camp, June, 25, 2007 In the evening BC called again (8 p.m. Moscow time): Alexey Bolotov, Alexander Korobkov and Serguey Penzov descended to BC. Alexey Bolotov: "We worked 6 days. The lower part of the bastion is very steep. We had to climb hang rock 3 meters wide - it's not the cornice but the rock is gradually hanging. Alex Korobkov has climbed it. There're a lot of such hard pitches - extremely difficult wall. The first 5-6 pitches were especially hard...
Pavel Shabalin: "Look to the picture with the yellow Japanese line (it's made by Japanese climber from the plane's board, there's a top of Savoya peak on the foreground) you can see that the point which we see on our official photo isn't a top of our bastion, but is a point of the ridge between SW and West Face (red dot). But if we want to climb the West Face direct, we have to climb more left. But it's very difficult to choose the right direction on the wall while climbing, so we need to correct leading climbers following them by binoculars from ABC. We hope to do this".
WELCOME TO WRITE MESSAGE (ON ENGLISH) ON THE TEAM"S FORUM!
BC called in midday: last news from the route. 7000 m 23.06.07 The party Korobkov - Bolotov fixed one rope on the hunging rock. Gennady Kirievsky did the fixed ropes upper C2 more straight. Totmjanin's group and Sergey Penzov bought loads from C1 to C2. Bolotov's group spent night in C2. Totmjanin's group - in C1. 24.06.07 The party Bolotov - Korobkov climbed 1.5 ropes and reached 7000 m (Р4 on the picture), Serguey Penzov brought loads from C2 to end of ropes. All three of them descended to ABC for the rest. Kirievsky and the theam's coach Nickolay Cherny descended from ABC to BC. Totmjanin's group brought loads to C2 and spent night there. Gleb Sokolov's group went up from BC to ABC. June, 23, 2007 BC called (0-20 p.m., Moscow time): Yesterday we had a funny party - congratulated Pavel with his grandson. We wish him a grandauther too! There's too hot in the BC - we can't enter our small tents, only big mess -tents save us due to its good ventilation. All guys who are back from the wall, use banja today and are washing their clothes. Our banja on the river's bank is very comfortable - you can open the tent and jump into the icy river! We'll call with news from the route just after the evening radio contact. The weather's good, guys are working. Bye! June, 22, 2007 Evening: We got the message on 5-30 p.m.: "Pavel Shabalin became a grandfather today: His grandson was 4180 g, 56 sm!!!" Congratulations!!!
And only 5 minutes later the happy grandfather returned to BC. Drinking the first glass for his grandson's health, he has reported: "Our push was partial during the bad weather. June, 19 we carried loads, removed our Camp 1 from 6000 m to 6200 m. June, 20 the weather improved, so Iljas Tukhvatullin and Andrew Mariev fixed next 5 ropes on the route. June, 21 they work together with Bolotov's group and fixed one more rope and found the place for the Camp 2. Then descended to 6200.
Nickolay Totmjanin and Valery Shamalo carry loads for Bolotov's group, who will spent the night in Camp 2 today (4 persons). Tomorrow they will continue their work and then will descend, and Totmjanin's group will replace them on the wall. Gleb Sokolov's group will climb to Camp 1 and begin to help them. Temperatures on the lower part of the wall are really crazy, pending from -13C at night, up to +49C midday at 6200 m! There're extremely hot and very difficult to work. But at 6800 it's better - we can live there, because there's the wind... In ABC it's very hot from midday till 3-30 p.m. We use snowshoes on the glacier.
"Three days we couldn't call by sat phone and had no internet, but now all's OK. The weather improved from June, 20. The resuts (from June, 21 evening radio relations, 6 p.m. local time): Two groups work at the bastion - Pavel Shabalin's and Alexey Bolotov's. Camp 1 has been moved from 6000 to 6200 m. Camp 2 set at 6750 m, ropes fixed till 6830 m. Today morning (June,22) the group led by Nickolay Totmjanin left ABC and is going up to change Shabalin's group on the bastion. New phogallery see on www.k2-8611.ru and here June, 18, 2007 The weather's still bad. But yesterday Shabalin's group left BC for ABC, and Bolotov's group left for ABC today. June, 15, 2007 The weather have worsened - as the forecast predicted. All the team is in BC. You can see the fresh photos (from June, 15) here June, 14, 2007 The team set Camp 1 at 6000 m, overcame berg and began to climb rock on the West Face. 6500 m Nickolay Totmjanin called: "We've just returned to BC. Together with Valery Shamalo we began yesterday to climb from the upper isefall pillow, reached the berg and crossed it, then climbed 6 ropes and have tought the rocks. There was snow-covered ice, and rock bastion begins further.
Our group consisted of four persons - Valery and me fixed ropes and Victor Volodin and Serguey Penzov brought the ropes to us. We started from ABC (5600 m) yesterday, worked one day, spent the night in Camp 1, and now have returned to the base. Berg is huge, but we have found the serak overhanging the berg, so crossed it without problems. The wall is very steep - I had to lift up my head to look at it. And it's obviously that it's the same futher. But the bastion is not dangerous - there're no falling stones, neither stones treks - absolutely clear wall, only snow streams are falling down.
Camp 1, 6000 m The wall's exposition provides the sun diring the whole day on the whole wall, from the bottom till the top, from 8-9 a.m. Extremely hot! We worked in the base layer only. But it's too difficult to choose the clothes wright - if you are in the shadow - it's very cold. We're experimentating with our equipment yet. All are healthy, but we are coughing, of cause - the air is too dry on the altitude. Doc treats us in the BC. We don't work on the route on our power limit yet because our acclimatization is not completed. And carriyng heavy loads is very hard on the altitude, and it's too hot... I think we'll do faster soon, after our acclimatization will be completed.
before the K2 West Face bastion The weather's fine. But the snowfall began here, in BC. It was better on the wall - no snow. Today Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik, Eugeny Vinogradsky and Vitaly Ivanov carried loads to the end of our ropes and have fixed 2 ropes more. Camp 1 is on 6000 m, but we have to remove it to the more covenient place. June,11, 2007 June, 10 the group - Pavel Shabalin, IljasTukhvatullin, Andrew Mariev, Gennady Kirievsky, Alex Korobkov and Vadim Popovich set ABC camp (two tents) on 5-30 p.m. June, 7, 2007 The team have reached BC yesterday - the first expedition's stage is over succesfully 1 day earlier than planned. Six climbers have already gone to recoinnaissance Savoya glacier - they've marked the way to Japanese camp and are going back. Victor Kozlov's call from K2 BC (4-50 p.m. Moscow time): In the morning 6 climbers have already gone to recoinnaissance Savoya glacier - We set the huge antenna and have now BGAN terminal connection. Than we lifted Russian flag, and Pakistan flag too - for our LO pleasure. The "official opening" of the BC will be tomorrow - we'll stay under the flag and sing the song "Varjag" (the famous Russian ship - ed. note) - it's our tradition. Exept six climbers who work on the glacier, others work in BC. All's OK, we are 1 day faster than is in our timetable because we thought that had to spent one more day in Askole. The loads which had been stayed there will be in BC soon. We have not yet cooked the salt cucumbers, tomatoes and cabbage but will do it as soon as possible (we've cooked only one barrel in Askole)" Nickolay Totmjanin: We have built the sauna (russian banja) on the bank of the stream, with kerosin stove - The Mount is in perfect conditions, as on classic photo. Now it's covered by the snow - Greeting to all". June, 4, 2007 "The team has reached Goro II camp," reported expedition leader Victor Kozlov, currently approaching K2's west face. "It is still winter on the Baltoro Glacier. All expedition members are wearing the warmest clothes they have available. It's a shocking change, since barely two days ago they were trekking in shorts and t-shirts. "Tough as it is for our climbers, the main concern right now is for the porters, in order to reach BC," added Nickolay Totmjanin. "They are having trouble with continuously walking everyday - we need to check the weight of the loads again." June, 2, 2007 The way to the base camp. Victor Kozlov's call from Paju: "We went from Skardu to Askole May, 30. Next morning we began our trekking to the base camp. June, 1 we spent night in Joly, today we reached Paju. Tomorrow will go to Urdukas. We have found 360 porters in Askole, but need 170 more, so Nickolay Cherny stayed in Askole to solve this problem. Thanks for your support on the expedition forum - we'll answer to all just after reaching BC. The weather's unstable - sunny days changed by rainy ones". The relation by sat phone was very unstable, so Victor couldn't say any more. May, 23, 2007 Victor Kozlov called from Islamabad, 3-40 p.m. Moscow time: the expedition cargo, which we sent May, 17, has already arrived to Pakistan, and today we managed to get it on the custom, and it'll be delivered to ATP to the evening. Tomorrow we'll have brifing in the Ministry of Tourism where we'll get our permit to K2. Yesterday we have a very nice and warm party in Russian Embassy with Ambassador Serguey Peskov. There's only 35C - it's not too hot for the local climate. Hope to start for the mountains May, 28 on 5 a.m., or May, 27. May, 20, 2007 The departure to Pakistan. Shremetyevo International airport (more pictures at the expedition site)
May, 19, 2007 Thanksgiving service before leaving Moscow.
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K2 West Face direct
