Dispatch Twenty-six: September 19th, 2009 |
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2009 Shishapangma Expedition |
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Day Twenty-six: Carry from Camp I to Camp II; Retreat to Advanced BC Today, after a horrible night’s sleep in Camp I, thanks to a bumpy platform and a crammed tent, I ventured out into the subzero temperatures of early morning to check conditions. Winds were calm, and it looked hopeful for the climb to Camp II. Mario started making water, and we had a few biscuits and packed up. We headed up, again the first group to make the way to Camp II. A few hours later, a few other climbers headed up in our tracks. We reached Camp II four hours after leaving Camp I, and Mario and I set up the tent, deposited the Camp III tent and high altitude equipment, and prepared to head down. Juanito, despite being quite adamant the night before about heading down to Advanced Base Camp after setting up camp, decided upon arriving to Camp II that he would stay the night (the camp was completely setup thanks to his Sherpas so he was able to quickly take refuge in the tent upon arrival and get comfortable, whereas Mario and I were out in the cold setting up the tent and securing the anchor points in increasing winds). Mario and I stuck with the original plan, and headed down directly to Advanced Base Camp, where we would be better able to recover and get a good night’s sleep (something we hadn’t been able to get in Camp I crammed three in a tent). We arrived around 5:00pm, making very good time from the deposit to Advanced Base Camp despite being quite exhausted from the heavy packs we had hauled up to Camp II. We arrived, and enjoyed Gopal’s fine cooking, visited with the Romanians (one of whom I knew from 2008 in Pakistan; he had been trekking with our group from Askole to Concordia, where our group headed to K2, and his group headed to Gasherbrum I and II), then went to bed. Photos: Left: Juanito Orizaba and Mario Panzeri climbing toward Camp II ; Right: Camp II and the summit pyramid; Camp III is on the left ridgeline |
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