вФЫЗПЦПЙЖ Ю ъГММПП П мци
Home

K2 west face logoK2 West Face direct

Russian National expedition.

 

 

The project is to climb new route on K2 West Face via the central bastion

Expedition members

Victor Kozlov - the expedition leader

Nickolay Cherny - the coach

Climbers:

Serguey Penzov (Severodvinsk)

Victor Volodin (Moscow)

Valery Shamalo (Saint Petersburg)

Dmitry Komarov (Moscow)

Pavel Shabalin (Kirov)

Iljas Tukhvatullin (Podolsk)

Andrey Mariev (Togliatti)

Vadim Popovitch (Nizhny Tagil)

Gleb Sokolov (Novosibirsk)

Vitaly Ivanov (Novosibirsk)

Vitaly Gorelik (Novosibirsk)

Eugeny Vinogradsky (Yekaterinburg)

Alexey Bolotov (Yekaterinburg)

Nickolay Totmjanin (Saint Petersburg)

Gennady Kirievsky (Magnitogorsk)

Alexander Korobkov (Nizhny Tagil)

Victor Pleskachevsky (Moscow) - the head of organizing commitee of the expedition

Serguey Bychkovsky (Yekaterinburg) - the doctor

Igor Borisenko (Moscow) - video operator

Vladimir Kochurov (Kirov) - video operator

Vladimir Kuptsov (Moscow) - photographer

Oleg Ushakov - NTV correspondent

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 BC

radio 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.
Two summiteers descended to C6.
7 + 2 climbers are now in C6
Shabalin and Tukhvatullin in C7.
The weather became better, K2 has cleared from clouds,
the wind is decreasing. There's blue sky in BC.
We'd like the same weather for tomorrow!
THanks all for the support! Good night without the snow!
Expedition leader Victor Kozlov

radio contact 4-15 p.m.
Mariev and Popovich descended to C7, where Shabalin and Tukhvatullin are. Seven climbers are in C6. Penzov, Shamalo and Cherny are in ABC

1-00 p.m. Pakistani time
Summit!!!

12-50 radio contact with Andrew Mariev and Vadim Popovich -
they're on the top.

Andrew Mariev Vadim Popovich

10-15 radio contact
Shabalin - Tukhvatullin are in the tent in C7. Mariev and Popovich are going up above C7 for the reconnaissance.
Four climbers are still in C6 at 8150 m
K2 top is covered by the cloud yet.
Bolotov's trio called by radio - they're ascending to C6.
Serguey Penzov is descending between C1 and ABC.

8-15 radio contact
Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich are in Camp 7, waiting the weather improving.
Volodin - Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik began the ascent above C6, but forced to return to the tent.They are waiting too.
Today K2 top is covered by the cloud again. The visibility is poor, wind speed is 50 km/h at 8400
Totmjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky didn't call early morning, perhaps they are going up now. One of two their radio set they gave to Penzov yesterday.
Serguey Penzov is descending to ABC, he's between C2 and C1 now.

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.

Victor Volodin, Gleb Sokolov, Eugeny Vinogradsky and Vitaly Gorelik are still ascending to Camp 6.
Serguey Penzov felt bad and decided to turn back, he's descending below Camp 5.

Nick Totmjanin, Alexey Bolotov and Gennady Kirievsky are in Camp 5.

Valery Shamalo is descending close to Camp 1.

2 p.m.

Shabalin - Mariev - Tukhvatullin - Popovich are ascending above Camp 6.
Volodin - Penzov and Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik are ascending to C6
Valery Shamalo is descending, he is below C2 already

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
Shabalin - Tukhvatullin - Mariev Popovich are in C6, waiting weather improving. The mist covers K2 top yet, visibility not more than 50 m, wind impulses are too strong. Volodin - Penzov - Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik are climbing to C6. Totmjanin - Kirievsky - Bolotov are already close to C5. Valery Shamalo sees them, he descends to C4.

К2

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.

К2

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.

Pavel Shabalin, Andrew Mariev, Iljas Tukhvatullin and Vadim Popovich ascended to C6, have dug the tent and then have broken the trail above C6 till the horizontal rock band. They'll spent night in C6.

The trio Volodin - Shamalo - Penzov ascended from C4 to C5.

The trio Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik ascended from C3 to C5.

The trio Tomjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky ascended from C2 to C4.

August, 18 2007 The first group reached C5. Summit push is continuing. Aug, 18.
The trio Shabalin - Tukhvatullin - Popovich ascended to C5, where Andrew Mariev has already spent night. (Shabalin led the group)

The trio Volodin - Shamalo - Penzov (Volodin led the group) ascended from C3 to C4.

The trio Sokolov - Vinogradsky - Gorelik ascended from C1 to C3. (Gleb Sokolov led the group)

The trio Totmjanin - Bolotov - Kirievsky ascended from ABC to C2.

The groups will bivuaking this night:
four climbers in C5
three climbers in C4
three climbers in C3
three climbers in C2

August, 17 2007 The summit push is on! all are going up.

Four-persons group Pavel Shabalin - Andrew Mariev - Iljas Tukhvatullin - Vadim Popovich ascended from C3 to C4, then Andrew Mariev ascended to C5.

The trio Victor Volodin - Valery Shamalo - Serguey Penzov ascended from C1 to C3.

The trio Gleb Sokolov - Eugeny Vinogradsky - Vitaly Gorelik ascended from ABC to C1.

The trio Nick Totmjanin - Alexey Bolotov - Gennady Kirievsky ascended from BC to ABC.

All team members are going up with the hope for this weather window.

August, 14 2007 The strong wind and snow
Victor Kozlov just called from BC:
Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik and Eugeny Vinogradsky descended from C5 to ABC.
Pavel Shabalin, Andrew Mariev, Iljas Tukhvatullin and Vadim Popovitch are still in C1.
Victor Volodin, Valery Shamalo and Serguey Penzov ascended to ABC today.
The weather: rain, snow and mist in BC;
strong wind and snow at the altitude.
All hope the weather will be better from Sunday.
The time is melting...

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.

Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik and Eugeny Vinogradsky ascended to C3 tday. They'll go to C4 or C5 tomorrow.

Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik and Eugeny Vinogradsky ascended to C3 tday. They'll go to C4 or C5 tomorrow.

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.
Today from 5 a.m. they has "ploughed" waist-deep or chest-deep snow and reached 8550 m.
But they appeared under the difficult vertical rock, and all attempts to overcome it were not successful
- there're steep precipices to the right and to the left from the rock.
Guys can't to climb it because they haven't special gear with them.
They are tired - it's a result of too long being at the high altitude.
They begin the descent.
It's about 100 m from the bottom of the rock to the summit...

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)
Keep in touch till the next radio contact!

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.
The weather's fine. But the snow's very deep - waist-deep or chest-deep on some sites.
Nickolay Cherny and doc Serguey Bychkovsky ascended to ABC today morning - for radio translations. But now BC has straight relations with Bolotov's group.
Sokolov's group is going up to Camp 2.

August, 9 2007 Iljas Tukhvatullin about mates:

K2 West FaceThe sturm began from the level more lower than usual. The snow after long snowfalls appeared today very deep,
and guys had to work hard. 5 hours they broke the trail from the end of fixed ropes.
Slowly, very slowly (it's a result of 4 nights in C5 on that high altitude) they ascended.
Here, in BC we listened their voices in radio comms and understood how they tired.
They stopped at 5 p.m. and set Camp 6 - the little tent "solo+" where three man can spent night.
Guys said that "all are fine and now are cooking tea and something to eat".
They ascended today close to the right rocks, and stopped 200 m below the horisontal rock band.

Tomorrow guys are going to the summit. Good night and good luck!

Iljas.
K2 Base Camp, 7-20 p.m. local time

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.
Three climbers - Alexey Bolotov, Gennady Kirievsky and Nickolay Totmjanin awaited 4 days (from Aug, 5) in Camp 5 without supplementary oxygen with the hope for the short weather "window".
There were regular radio comms between C5 and BC, and guys said they felt fine.
They couldn't left C5 yesterday - too hard storm wind was upper 7800, with periodical snowfalls.

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
one - two nights. The radio comms between the trio and BC are every 2 hours. The last was about a hour ago.
The contact with the group is possible only through Camp 1, where're Gleb Sokolov, Vitaly Gorelik and Eugeny Vinogradsky. Next radio comm will be soon, when the leading trio will complete today work and begin to set the tent.
All are OK, feel good.
Sokolov's group will climb to C3 tomorrow.

Expedition leader Victor Kozlov
Aug, 9, 4-40 p.m. local time

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.

Alexander KorobkovAlexander felt a sudden, acute pain in his leg while in ABC on August 1. He descended that same day and got first aid treatment by the expedition's doctor Serguey Bychkovsky. The Doc diagnosed a possible thrombosis and asked for immediate evacuation. However, Alexander was stuck for three days in BC due to bad weather. It was not until Saturday that a chopper finally picked him up, together with mate Dmitry Komarov, who will escort the injured climber all the way back home.

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.
The expedition is very thankful to OSNOVA insurance company.

Victor Kozlov, the expedition leader.

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.

К2 Западная стена

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.
01.08.07 The duo Bolotov - Kirievsky ascended to C1. Alexander Korobkov felt strong pain in the leg and went down to BC together with Shabalin's and Sokolov's groups.
02.08.07 Totmjanin's group went up from BC to ABC. Bolotov and Kirievsky stayed in C1 waiting the end of the hard snowfall.

Detailes will be soon ...

July, 30, 2007 The bastion has been climbed, but the West Face is continuing ...
Two groups - Sokolov's trio and Shabalin's four climbers work on the route now. Yesterday they reached the end of fixed ropes about 4 p.m. and were in time to climb 1,5 ropes more. Today they climbed 6,5 ropes and finally reached the snow field. The bastion has been climbed! But the West Face is continuing till the top - as snow, ice and rocks. Tomorrow guys will try to climb further and set Camp 6 on the safe place under the rocks.

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
better. His diagnosis is leg's thrombosis. He'll fly to Novosibirsk on Friday.

July, 22, 2007 Camp 5 has been set, but the bad weather put the breakes on the climb
BC, Pavel Shabalin called:
Greetings to all! We're in the BC. The Camp 5 has been set on the route 3 days ago by Bolotov's group at the end of ropes, fixed by Sokolov and Vinogradsky. The altitude app. 7500 (It's the data on Mariev's altimeter. We can't define the real altitude, because all our GPS and altimeters give the different data for the same place, and the difference is too large. In
our last push we brought 9 ropes and climbing gear to C5 place. Then Bolotov's group has set C5 and managed to climb 1,5 ropes - difficult hanging rock again... Yestarday they could do nothing due to very bad weather. Today their group is descending. Totmjanin's group's ascending. If the strong storm will be, they'll wait in C3 - there's very comfortable tent.
Nickolay Cherny ascended to the pass and made pictures of the upper part of the route, which we can't see yet from Camp 5.
We'll reach the snow field soon...

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.

Bolotov's and Totmjanin's groups work on the West Face.

July, 18, 2007 RESCUE.

K2 West Face expedition diary July 15 - 18.

Vitaly Ivanov15.07.07 Bad weather began July, 12 and is continuing today: the heavy snowfall and strong wind are on any altitudes. Alexey Bolotov's group asecended from BC to ABC. Shabalin's group is in C2. Sokolov's group began the descent from C4. In midday Eugeny Vinogradsky radioed that Vitaly Ivanov goes very bad and can't descend without the mate's help.

During the rest of the day until 10 p.m. two groups - Sokolov's and Shabalin's lifted the emergency oxygen from C1 to C3 for the suffered mate and gave him medical treatment in C3 tent.

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
and provided all needed procedures.

17.07.07 In the morning the party Nickolay Totmjanin - Valery Shamalo left BC for ABC for help in Vitaly's rescue. They transported him on the sledge via the flat upper part of the glacier and with help, Vitaly could later walk on his own through the crevassed parts. In 2 p.m. they reached BC. Due to Vitaly's bad condition the expedition desided to evacuate him to the hospital.

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.
Shabalin's group work today above C4, Bolotov's group is ascending from C2 to C3.

In spite of 6 bad weather days (July, 12 -17) our team has saved all tents in high-altitude camps from the storm wind and snow blizzard, lifted equipment for the futher climb from low camps to the upper ones, and rescued mate Vitaly Ivanov. The expedition continue K2 West Face climb and is very thankful for all who believe in the team and support guys on the expedition site. All the team's very thankful to OSNOVA insurance company for the help in organizing the evacuation.

From BC - Victor Kozlov, Nickolay Totmjanin. July, 18, 10 a.m. local time

 

K2 West FaceJuly, 16, 2007 Some ropes more - and climbers would see the top of their dream - they can't see it from the bastion yet.

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

K2 West Face08.07.07
Snowfall all night around.
Alexey Bolotov's group descended to BC for the rest.
Gleb Sokolov's group stayed in ABC. Totmjanin's group works above C4, but they could only remove loads to the end of ropes because of durty avalanches.

09.07.07
The weather's fine. Sokolov's group ascended to C2. Totmjanin's group climbed 3 ropes and has prepared the place for the removing C4 tent .

10.07.07
Sokolov's group ascended from C2 to C3. Then Sokolov and Gorelik brought some more equipment from C2 to C3. Totmjanin's group removed C4 on 6 ropes up and climbed 1 rope more. Victor Volodin went down because of health problems.

11.07.07
Shabalin's group went up from BC to ABC. Sokolov's group ascended to C4.
Totmjanin's group climbed 3 ropes more and descended to C2.

12.07.07
Shabalin's group ascended to C1,
Totmjanin's group returned to BC fo the rest.
Sokolov's group climbed 2 ropes more.

13.07.07
The weather have worsened - clouds, snowfall, hard wind.
Sokolov's group stay in C4, periodically cleaning the tent from the fresh snow
- a lot of durty avalnches...
Shabalin's group is ascending from C1 to C2.

14.07.07
The snowfall's continuing... The duo Shabalin - Tukhvatullin stayed in C2, the duo Mariev - Popovitch ascended to C3 with the equipment and digged the tent out of the snow.
Sokolov's group remained in C4.

From the BC Victor Kozlov and Nickolay Totmjanin, July 14

July, 9, 2007 Expedition diary July, 1-8

K2 Wesr Face bastion01.07.07 The duo Andrew Mariev - Iljas Tukhvatullin climbed 3,5 pitches and have found the place for Camp 4 (7200 m).
Party Pavel Shabalin - Vadim Popovitch has brought loads
from С1 to С2. Bolotov's group ascended to C1.

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.
Bolotov's group ascended to С3.

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.
Totmjanin's group ascended to АВС.

05.07.07 Bolotov's group climbed 2 pitches to the left from C4.
Totmjanin's group ascended to C2 from ABC.

06.07.07 The duo Gennady Kirievsky - Alexander Korobkov in the very bad weather conditions
climbed 2 pitches up. Totmjanin's group ascended to C3. Tomjanin and Shamalo
have brought equipment to C4.

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
Totmjanin's group had changed Bolotov's group and continued the climb above C2:
the party Nickolay Totmjanin - Valery Shamalo climbed 3 ropes and reached the snow ledge,
where they managed to set the tiny tent "solo+", while Victor Volodin and Alex Komarov were
hauling up equipment from C2 to C2. The trio spent the night in that tiny tent in C3, and Komarov descended to C2. Sokolov's group hauled up equipment from ABC to C1.

26.06.07
Duo Victor Volodin - Valery Shamalo climbed 3 more ropes above С3. Totmjanin - Komarov have brought loads from C2 to C3. Three climbers spent the night in C3. Gleb Sokolov and Vitaly Gorelik reached C2.

27.06.07
Tomjanin's group climbed 1 more rope, hauled equipment to the end of the fixed ropes, and descended to ABC. Sokolov - Gorelik spent night in C3. Vinogradsky - Ivanov hauled loads from C1 to C2.

28.06.07
Sokolov - Gorelik climbed 1 more rope and descended to C2, Vinogradsky - Ivanov spent night in C3. Tomjanin's group returned to BC, Shabalin's group ascended from BC to C1 in spite of worsening weather. It was rain in BC in the evening, and the snowfall in ABC and above it, with the strong wind.

29.06.07
Sokolov's group returned to ABC, Shabalin's group ascended to C2 during the bad weather.

30.06.07 The weather became better; the snowfall has stopped, there're less clouds.
Shabalin's group ascended to C3, did the ledge under the ten more comfortable and set large tent there - now 6 persons can rest there. The duo Sokolov - Gorelik stayed in ABC for a while for the safety of the leading party. Tomorrow Shabalin's group will continue to climb the route, if the weather will stay the same, and Alexey Bolotov's group will leave BC for ABC.

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, 30, 5 p.m.

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...

K2 West FaceYesterday one of our frend has broken - so I fell on 4 meters. But all's OK, no injures.
Today Nickolay Totmjanin climbed 2,5 pitches and set a tiny tent at 7150 m - this is the place for the night for his group (it's already too long to descend to Camp 2 and to ascent again in the morning). They'll continue their work tomorrow.

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".

Gleb SokolovAnd 5 minutes after this call we receive the new message: Gleb Sokolov became a grandfather too!!! Double-grandfather! His granddauther was born today! (Gleb has already the grandson) Wow! It's the Super Grandfathers K2 Expedition!

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!!!

Дедушка Паша

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.
Alexey Bolotov and Gennady Kirievsky spent the night in Camp 2 (6750). Today they have fixed next 2 ropes. "Wow! It looks like Jannu!", - said Gennady climbing one of the cornices. The team believes the lower part of the bastion could be the most difficult part of the route. "The wall looks like a composition of Everest North Face with Jannu North Face - so steep rock wall on the high altitude" - said team members.

К2 Западная стена
К2 Западная стена
К2 Западная стена
К2 Западная стена

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.


Victor Kozlov called from BC early morning today:

"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.

K2 West Face

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.

K2 West Face, Camp 1

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.

K2 West Face

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):
"Yesterday we arrived to K2 BC. We are respectively luck with the weather - today it's better,
as the forecast predicted. We got up early morning, on 5 a.m., and after tea began to go to BC. Reaching the place, we gave bonus to our sirdar and porters - they were satisfied.
Yesterday evening and today we do our camp comfortable.

In the morning 6 climbers have already gone to recoinnaissance Savoya glacier -
they've marked the way to Japanese camp and are going back.

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:
"It'a a lot to do now for our camp become comfortable. But the weather's ideal, and our souls need already to work at the route... Yesterday we have set living tents, today - the technics tent, smoothed out 0,5 ga of the terrain. Our technics works already, and we hope it'll be work on 100 percents tomorrow - so, don't worry.

We have built the sauna (russian banja) on the bank of the stream, with kerosin stove -
all's according to our plan.

The Mount is in perfect conditions, as on classic photo. Now it's covered by the snow -
after last days snowfalls, but there's no a lot of snow in the region.
We see American-Czeh camp not far from our's, but have not met yet.
We saw two rescue choppers yesterday - they picked up one man to the board.

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."

"The weather's very bad," Nickolay said, "poor visibility, clouds, mist:but today the clouds parted and some of us could see Masherbrum."

The team is also particularly happy with their Liaison Officer. "He's bringing a lot of books to BC. We have hired a yak and he's coming all the way to BC with us. Iljas Tukhvatullin is taking care of him."

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.