Hidden Peak - Log 970627

Log-book - Friday June 27

Stefan Blomberg (expedition doctor) reports over a very bad telephoneline.

Place: Gasherbrum basecamp

"Higher Camp C1 is now completely finished and all material for C2 and C3 has been carried to C1. Johan and Magnus are in C1, they are tired but well and they will stay there until tomorrow (Saturday) so that they can prepare C2 and C3.

We have chosen another route in order to reach C1. - The planned route from basecamp to C1 (on the right hand side of the glacier) has been found too difficult to climb. Avalons, snowcracks and snowslips have forced us to choose another route to C1. For instance, an american from another expedition has sliped into a crack, and he made it, after having climbed up himself using rope and icehatchet.The rope that he was attached to saved him from falling all the way down into the crack.

Map - Route to the summit

If we were to reach C1 from basecamp on the previously planned route, we would have to build several bridges, which in turn would increase the risk and time needed to climb to C1. If anyone should become ill or get injured - in need of immediate medical care or assistance from basecamp - such a route could turn out to be devastating. Therefore, we have been trying to find anohter route to C1, togethter with other expeditions (The American, the Corean, the Japanese and the English). It has taken some time but we have succeded. The new route is on the left hand side of the glacier and it is somewhat longer, but considerably closer than the right hand side one.

Highercamp C1 is shared by the expeditions that are going up Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak) and by the expeditions that are going up Gasherbrum II, and all of them have chosen the new route.

The climb up to C1 has been much more tough than we expected. But we have a premonition that the climbs we have a head of us, before we reach the camps, will not be as rough. Both C1 and C2 are quite close to C1.

Florin has a problem with highaltitude sickness. When he climbs over 6000 meter he gets ill, below 5000 meters he feels alright. Florin will rest today and tomorrow. After that he will climb upwards together with an american from the English expedition. Florin will join in with the completion of C2 and C3. For the moment both I and Florin are well.

The worldfamous climber Messner, the only person having climbed all fourteen summits above 8000 meters, who was the first to climb Mount Everest alone, both with and without oxygen, has been in the basecamp the last two days. He is here for a memorial of the legendary soloclimber Herman Dohl ("Wolfie"), who died here, in the Gasherbrum area, 40 years ago, this day."

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