Nicholas Rice: Broad Peak Dispatch

2007 Broad Peak Expedition

Dispatch Twenty-six: July 5th, 2007

Day Twenty-Six: Climb to Camp I

Today, I woke up at 3:30am, packed up my things, had a very brief awkward breakfast supervised by our cook Ali Hassan, and got on my way to Camp I. The route to the base of the fixed lines was better marked and the larger river crossing was aided greatly by a new bamboo bridge that the liaison officers had managed to put together. The climb to Camp 1.5 as it’s called went quite well. I maintained a good pace and got there in a timely manner, aided by the cool early morning hours. Afterwards, on the last 200 meters of the route to camp I, the sun began to shine on me and this was reflected in my new pace. My concentration was not helped by the constant shower of ice and the occasional large rock whizzing by, as I had become quite paranoid after the last time when my shoulder fell victim to one of these high speed falling rocks. I reached Camp I, quite tired, unpacked my things into the tent, made lunch, treated some water, and had a nap. Afterwards, I sorted the things I would need to carry to Camp II the following day, made dinner, made a few quick sat phone calls, and went to bed.