No, climbers are not normal employees – even if a glance at the winter expeditions in the Himalayas and Karakoram might give this impression. The mountaineers returned to their base camps just in time for the weekend, but not just to put their feet up, but for other reasons. On Broad Peak, Denis Urubko and Don Bowie abandoned their summit attempt because the latter is ill. “We are in base camp. Today (the) weather is miracle for (the) summit, but I was not able to leave Don alone,” Denis let us know via Facebook. “He was very bad. Now he needs rest.” Yesterday Urubko had informed that the route is secured with fixed ropes up to an altitude of 7,500 meters: “We have two weeks more. I feel well and will wait (for) the (right) moment.”
Txikon on Everest back from camp 2
At Mount Everest, the Spaniard Alex Txikon and his companions as well as the German solo climber Jost Kobusch have also returned to their tents in the base camp. The reason for this is the currently quite stormy weather at the highest mountain on earth. Alex spent last night in the Western Cwm, in Camp 2 at 6,400 meters. “We set off towards Camp 3 on the morning but the wind was too strong. We left a gear cache at 6,500 meters and turned around,” Alex let us know on Facebook. “We’ll go up again aiming for Camp 4 as soon as we get two days of good weather.” Camp 4 will be pitched up on the South Col at about 8,000 meters.
Kobusch: “Feel better”
Jost Kobusch informed that he once again took a closer look at a rock climbing section on the way up to Lho La, the 6,000-metee-high pass at the foot of the West Ridge. His strained left foot seems to have survived the stress test. “Feeling really better – during the last months I had some stomach problems but they have improved by about 20 percent. So I have 20 percent more energy,”, Jost wrote yesterday on Facebook. „ Many of you keep asking me how I am doing. I am incredibly happy and grateful to be here and to be able to live this adventure! At the same time I am also worried about the physical discomfort and the danger I am in at times.”
