After a fall of Simone Moro into a crevasse on Gasherbrum I, the Italian and his South Tyrolean climbing partner Tamara Lunger have abandoned their expedition. “The winter expedition of Simone and Tamara to Gasherbrum I and II ends here”, Moro’s manager Marianna Zanatta announced. “We are happy to know that both are safe and sound.”
Full of energy and with great confidence, Moro and Lunger set off from base camp on Saturday. After ten days of hard work they had cleared a path through the icefall at the foot of Gasherbrum I and wanted, if the conditions allowed it, to pass Camp 1 at almost 6,000 meters and climb up directly to Camp 2 at 6,400 meters.
But it came quite differently. After they had left the icefall behind them, the snow suddenly gave way under Simone. The 52-year-old fell into a crevasse that was only about 50 centimeters wide. Tamara, who was securing him, was almost torn from her feet but was able to break the fall with the rope around her hand.
20-meter fall
“My hand got stuck in the rope and I flew half a meter away from the hole,” the 33-year-old reports on Facebook. “I did everything and more, time seemed endless and in the end I could forget the thoughts of death, thank God! We both worked at our best to get Simone out of his 20-meter-flight.” After two hours Moro crawled over the edge of the crevasse. “Shivering and with a thousand bruises I hugged Tamara who was also crying from the pain in her hand,” Simone wrote on Facebook. Lunger had pain in her back too.
At first it seemed as if the two climbers only wanted to interrupt their expedition to have their wounds examined in Skardu. But then came the final cancellation. Originally, the duo had planned a double winter ascent of the eight-thousanders Gasherbrum I and II. “Maybe I need to adjust my goals?,” Tamara asks on Facebook. “I am sad and thoughtful.“
Kobusch climbs towards Everest West Ridge
Meanwhile on Broad Peak, Denis Urubko, Don Bowie and Lotta Hintsa have, according to their own words, pushed their route up to an altitude of 6,700 meters. On Mount Everest, Jost Kobusch once again spent a night on the about 6,000-meter-high Lho La. From his Camp 1 on the pass he continued his ascent today towards the West Ridge. The German mountaineer is climbing solo and without bottled oxygen.
