Diary
19.06.2010 Phonecall from Mike "The YEP's and I have parted company now. After doing the summit 'Pangaea Peak', they joined myself and Köbi to the base camp of Broad Peak where they were able to see the K2 Memorial - a touching memorial for all those alpinists who had lost their lives to the mountain. Our last night together with the Young Explorer's was spent in a large dome tent where we chatted about our adventure and shared our emotions and impressions of the last two weeks we had spent together.
Now it is just myself and Köbi who are left here in the high altitudes of the Himalayas.
I heard just now that the Young Explorers have reached Payu today and are once again back in the heat of the lower altitudes. They managed to have cold showers so I'm sure they must be feeling great. They are on track for Askole and Skardu and running to schedule.
Myself and Köbi have just returned to the base camp of Broad Peak. Köbi and I left at 4 am this morning and ascended 2'000m, up and down again in 9 hours. Köbi is an experienced Himalyan alpinist, having already climbed 5 summits above 8'000 meters.
The climb to 7'000m was difficult because of the quantity of deep snow we encountered but we are well acclimatised and are both in top condition physically.
At 7'000meters we set up camp in preparation for the summit attempt. We took up a tent, sleeping mats, food and cooker.
Now we must rest and wait for the correct weather window before attempting the Broad Peak summit of 8'047m.
I'm excited - You should have seen the view at 7'000m today! It was a beautiful day and the scenery spectacular. I hope we'll be so lucky to have the same weather in the next few days.
22.06.2010 - It's a waiting game for Mike and Köbi as they sit at the base camp of Broad Peak waiting for heavy snow to settle and for the weather to clear completely before attempting the summit. We have reason to believe they will attempt the summit this evening and are waiting for news from our two intrepid alpinists.
27.06.2010 - 14h00 hrs local time. After 10 hours of ascencion, Mike Horn and Kobi Reichen arrive at Broad Peak's 3rd camp situated at 7'000m altitude.
They left base camp (5'000m) at 04h00 local time and progressed in the evening hours before the snow warmed and softened. Now at 7'000m they have set up camp and will rest during the heat of the day. It is predicted that they will set off again at 20h00 and if all going well will get to the summit any time between 01h00 and 03h00 tomorrow morning.
Making the summit is still uncertain due to the fact that there are large quantities of snow this year. They will only be able to assess conditions as they climb.
We are predicting another two teams will also set off to do the summit today as the weather has cleared and looks to be a perfect day. The good weather window will not remain open for too long however as the wind is expected to pick up tomorrow.
We wish them all GOOD LUCK!!!
28.06.2010 - Waist deep snow stops the ascencion of Broad Peak summit for Mike Horn and Kobi Reichen.
They left base camp at 4am local time and ascended to camp three at 7'000 meters of altitude. Here they met up with their previosly cached tent and supplies and were able to rest for a while before attempting the summit at 8'047m of altitude.
200 meters into the final summit ascencion they were wading through waist deep snow. Obviously the summit would not be their's today so they turned around and headed back to base camp. They arrived around 10 am this morning, very happy with their attempt and are looking foward to trying it again when the next weather widow permits.
A Spanish team of seven also tried for the summit yesterday and struck against the same problems. They too have descended again and will be once again playing the waiting game over the next few days.
For now Mike and Kobi, can relax and tuck into a well deserved meal and a good rest!
30.06.2010 - 1st summit attempt - Is the mountain ready or not? We will never know for sure if we stay in base camp, look up at the summit and speculate.
A lot of snow has fallen this 'year and Broad Peak is as white as it can be during winter. Kobi and Myself have been up there above 7000m twice and have opened the trail non-stop to just below camp 3 at 7'300m.
We have encountered old snow with layers of fresh powder snow on top. The old snow has not hardened from camp 1 up to above camp 2 so each step you make you break through the crust and slip down before you can make the next step. Imagine being on an escalator going down and you would like to go up.
On the steeper slopes it is very hard work to make progress, add to that the lack of oxygen, cold and the amount of hours we climb it can become somewhat interesting.
Yesterday we have been above our equipment depot and ran into very hard sheet glacier ice with a 6 cm layer of fresh snow on top of it. It sounds very nice but in fact it is a nightmare as the danger of avalanches increase as the slope becomes steeper. We decided to make a u-turn. Caroline told us there is more snow and stronger winds predicted and if we will be caught up above camp 3 on our way to the summit we might never get down in one piece.
We brought our tent down to just above camp 2 where we could find the first flat spot on the ridge to sleep. You look out of the door of your tent and you have 1'000 meters drop-of in front of your doorstep. This is certainly a “Non sleep-walking zone.” Kobi and myself spent a very, very cold and long night without sleeping bags in the tent. Luckily the temperature went down to only -25 C. Kobi had to massage his feet and toes in the middle of the night as he started losing feeling in them. He put his feet in a spare pair of down gloves rapped his light down jacket around his feet and slowly the blood started flowing to his toes again.
The wind increased during the night and it started snowing heavily. Our plan to do the final summit push was blown away like a snowflake in the wind. We returned to base camp for a short rest and as soon as the weather allows us, we will try again.
Was the mountain ready for us to climb? Did we make the right decision? We would never know! As long as we stay alive we can live the life we love.
Mike.
02.07.2010 - We have had bad weather since our first attempt to reach the summit of Broad Peak. Sitting in the tent waiting for better weather reminds me of fishing, you know what you waiting for but is it ever going to happen?
We are ready to climb, very well acclimatized and all our equipment is in place, ready to go to the summit. Today looks much better and some of the other expeditions has gone up to camp 2 to spend one night up there to acclimatize. Kobi and myself are waiting for a weather window to go up in Alpine style non-stop from base camp to the summit.
The conditions are not too bad up to camp three but we do not know what the snow conditions are going to be like when we do the final push to the summit. Amongst all the teams on Broad Peak, we have been up the highest and have opened the trail twice to above camp 2.
John and Ali our Pakistani Cooks have been looking after us very well and we have been eating like kings. Both Kobi and myself have been putting on weight because all we do while waiting, is eat.
I hope we will get our window to climb very soon so that we can move on to K2 as the days fly by and before we know it, the season will come to an end. The weather in the Baltoro is crazy and very difficult to predict, but all we need is max 2 days of good weather.
Please start doing the good weather dance and do not confuse it with the rain dance as we have had enough snow until now.
Best regards to all
Mike and Kobi
04.07.2010 - Waiting, waiting and waiting....Some people spend their entire life waiting for something that will never come. “I would rather be waiting for good weather than for nothing.” It is a game of patience. Patience is one of my weakest points, so often nature reminds me that I’m not in control but she is. No matter what I do or say, how much you have or not, who you are, how much you stress about it, nature always has the last word. She has this wonderful way of giving us all the same opportunity. The only difference is, what you are going to make out of it.
The weather window will come when the time is due. All you have to do is to be like an athlete in the starting blocks, waiting for the shot to leap ahead, release the energy, see the opportunity, and take the risk that it involves. Some would still be sitting there waiting for the moment that has just gone by.
It might all sound a bit philosophical but I have to often remind myself that if you want to succeed in what you set out to do, it is always up to you and whom you surround yourself with.
The wind is very strong up in altitude and we are looking up at Broad peak with the clouds flying over the summit, and sweeping the snow up into the air. Many would think it is bad weather but the way we should look at it, is that there will be less snow to fight through on the way to the top.
Mike Horn
09.07.2010 - What disappointment for Mike and Kobi when they had to abandon their second attempt to reach the summit of Broad Peak.
"We had to turn back after reaching 7'900m of altitude. Once again the deep snow made it impossible for us to advance. What a struggle it was! We are just two people which makes it very tough. If we were a bigger team we would have more people available to share the hard work of opening the path through the snow.
We are both very disappointment but the mountain just wasn't ready. We certainly don't want to give up yet. We hope the weather will give us another chance and the next time the mountain will be ready for us!! After 32 hours non-stop walking we are ready for a much needed rest. Will send you the photos soon!"
MIke
13.07.2010 - Mike sends news from Broad Peak
We had a very interesting 2nd attempt to the summit of Broad Peak. Although we did not make it all the way up because of very strong winds and a lot of fresh deep snow that tapped our energy, we were happy with our performance on one side but very disappointed on the other.
To turn around 200m from the summit is a very difficult but a very important decision to make. The rubicon or 'point of no return' we all so often reach in our life were from then on you have to live with the consequences of your decision. You grow with experience and knowledge and make the right decision the next time around.
We have been waiting in base camp for 4 days since our last attempt and the more we look at the film and photos we took up there, we realise we are happy that we are down at basecamp and that we can attempt a 3rd summit push. We have been the first this year to try for the summit and with the amount of snow on the mountain we have to change our game plan.
Before we climbed from basecamp to camp 2 non-stop at 6300m had something to eat and drink in our tent, and from there tried a return trip to the summit at 8000m and back to base camp. Now we have decided to climb from bace camp to camp 3 non-stop at 7100m, rerst for 4 to 5 hours and leave at 1am to the last summit push and return to base camp.
We will look at the weather today and if all goes well, we'll make the next attempt on the 15th or 16th of July.
Best regards
Mike and Kobi.
16.07.2010 - Mike and Köbi make a third attempt of Broad Peak summit.
The weather has once again cleared and conditions will remain stable for around 30 hrs - the time necessary to summit Broad Peak and descend once again to base camp.
Some other teams are also attempting the summit today so this should be to Mike and Köbi's advantage if they encounter deep snow conditions as they have previously.
It is Mike's birthday today!! Won't it be day to remember if he actually makes the summit!!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE and GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH FOR THE SUMMIT!!!!
17.07.2010 - Pakistan. At 2am local time Pakistan, South African Explorer Mike Horn and Swiss mountain guide/alpinist Köbi Reichen reach the summit of Broad Peak without the use of additional oxygen.
"The climb was a tough one due to the large amount of snow that has fallen this year. For three weeks, Köbi and I have been waiting at base camp, ready and eager to attempt the summit. It was important that we waited for the quantities of snow to come down in recent avalanches and for a 30hr fine weather window. Patience is not one of my greatest strengths", says Mike, "but when in the mountains it is important to stick to the rules otherwise Nature will not reward us with this magnificent victory."
Mike and Köbi left Broad Peak base camp at 5'000m and climbed to the summit quickly in alpine style, stopping at Camp 3 (7'100m) for 6 hours before doing the summit push to 8'047m.
Mike Horn's last steps to the summit were done in the memory of Jean-philippe Chatrier, journalist and ghost writer of Mikes four publications; 'Latitude Zero', 'Conquering the Impossible', 'À l'école du Grand Nord' and 'Objectif: Pôle Nord de Nuit'. "It was extremely sad news to hear about Jean-Philippe's sudden death. I took my last steps to the summit for Jean-Philippe. Over the years we developed a great understanding and friendship. He was much loved by myself and my family. I will miss him dearly when writing my next book."
FACTS
Mike Horn, a relative newcomer to the alpine world, climbed his first 8'000m peaks in 2007, Gasherbrum I (8068m) and Gasherbrum II (8035m) with team members Jean Troillet, Fred Roux and Olivier Roduit. Broad Peak is the third 8'000m summit he has now reached without additional oxygen.
Kobi Reichen, Alpinist and extreme skier from Lauenen in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, has many achievements to his name. The ascent of Broad Peak now brings his 8'000m summit climbs to five; a solo ascent of Cho Oyu 8201m, Shisha Pagma 8046m (South Face- up and down 19 hours), Makalu 8486m, Kangchenzonga 8592m (new route from 7400m) and Mt Everest South Summit at 8'749m. All ascents were made without additional oxygen.
Broad Peak is part of the Gasherbrum massif on the border of Pakistan and China. It is located about 8 kilometers (5 miles) from K2. Broad Peak was originally named K3 right after the naming of K2 but on closer inspection by a later party, it was discovered that the summit was over 1½ kilometers (1 mile) long, thus "Broad Peak".
23.07.2010 - Unfortunately weather was not in Mike and Kobi's favour and they have decided not to make an attempt to summit K2.
Since reaching the summit of Broad Peak the two friends decided to head quickly to the basecamp of K2 and be ready to summit if the weather was obliging. It wasn't and the weather conditions gradually declined with very strong winds and heavy snow falls passing the region over the last few days.
After two months in the Himalayas Mike and Kobi decided that it was time to return back to civilistation, Kobi to Switzerland and Mike to Singapore to join his crew on Pangaea where he can prepare the next steps of the Pangaea Expedition.
Mike ans Kobi are a little disappointed not to make one summit attempt on the mighty K2 but they are happy to have been the first climbers to have summited Broad Peak in 2010.