The time has come! Light a candle today at 9 PM, burn a red flare on Friday 1PM

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The biggest light protest on Earth.

Aug 07, 2008
“I have a request…if those of you in exile start this movement…we will follow your lead from inside Tibet. We place our hope in you. We will back it up with action and support. Whatever campaign you start over there, inside Tibet, all of us are fully ready and waiting.”

It was Friday, early morning Mountain time, and the summits outside our huge picture windows were slowly tinted pink. Blurry eyed, we followed the K2 expedition websites.

Showcasing the route the climbers were negotiating at that moment and as a tribute to a fallen mate, Hugues and Norit had posted a link to Unterkircher’s amazing K2 video on youtube.

Watching it, our eyes fell on another clip. “Message from Tibet” it said.

The messengers

During WW2, a few incredible concentration camp prisoners were going in and out of Auschwitz and Treblinka as if they had free travel passes. They would escape over the barb wires at night, jump a train to Warsaw, warn the incarnated Jews there, and then let themselves be transported back into the camps again.

The youtube video shows a Tibetan who has escaped Tibet for a pilgrim tour. He left this message on the video clip, and headed back into Tibet again.

still they continue…

In ExWeb’s previous story, “Mammon feeding Lucifer” we described how TimesOnline reported that monks  have vanished mysteriously from Lhasa. “Few monks remain in Lhasa’s three most important monasteries,” said the news source, “Many have disappeared, their whereabouts a mystery.”

Most of the monks in the Drepung, Sera and Ganden monasteries, all young ethnic Tibetans and more than 1,000 in total, have reportedly been transferred to prisons, according to Times.

Others in Tibet are protesting the abuse. “They know that they will be arrested, still they continue to go out and demonstrate,” Tibetan family members told UK Times.

Mountaineers for Tibet

Last November we discussed Rakaposhi with Climber/artist Alberto Peruffo who told ExWeb that he’s eyeing Kanjut Sar next, and perhaps a return to Rakaposhi NW, in a very small team. Come this April, we had other topics on the table.

Before the Olympic torch arrived to mount Tibet’s (not China’s) beloved Everest; the voice of Lhasa sounded off.

Why did we care? Beside the fact that we are humans, among the people killed, imprisoned and violated were our porters and high altitude guides.

Climbers from the Americas, Australia, Europe and Asia were banned from Tibet, and restricted in Nepal - following a “democratic” election there (won by the Maoists - a minority in pre-elections but the only candidate keeping their own, private army).

Everest mountaineers were denied the use of sat phones, cameras and even their safety radios were to be eavesdropped. Sharpshooters were placed in high camps and Chinese plain-clothes police patrolled Base Camp.

Journalists were banned from speaking to mountaineers. A Canadian climber reported, “we shall not mention the words “Tibet” or “Free Tibet” – we can’t speak about the subject, neither can we say anything which could sound offensive towards China.

It gave us a good idea of the Tibetans’ everyday reality.

Climbers without Borders

ExplorersWeb used the ban for increased special reports about human rights abuse in China, such as the organ donor business, the treatment of Tibetan and other minorities, the slave force who built the Olympic village and the nation’s ties to Nepal Maoists.

“They are lying to us,” we wrote and set up the “Climbers Without Borders” hotline, for anonymous reports from Everest BC. Climbers and explorers wishing to stage a protest for Tibet were told to either fly a Tibetan flag or write “Free Tibet” on any feature in their surrounding (such as in the snow, on rocks, in the sand etc) and send the image to us for publishing.

Soon photos arrived. From all over the world, Greenland, North Pole, the Alps and finally - the summit of Mount Everest. In terms of global spread; our “torch route” sure beat the Chinese.

Sad Smoky mountains

Alberto Peruffo and Fattoria Artistica Antersass meanwhile fought their own battle, with the Sad Smoky mountain project. The project grew into a mega event by May 11 - the first ignition phase - with more than 100 summits involved.

Now the time has come for the Final Ignition, set for the official Olympics inauguration day, August 8th, 2008, regardless of weather. At 1 pm European time, synchronized (as far as possible) flares for human rights are to be lit on top of mountains, hills, skyscrapers, and other monuments in Europe, America (North and South) and Asia.

The evening before, on August 7, people around the world are instructed to also light a red candle in solidarity with the people of Tibet.

The initiary

Here goes the flare initiary from Alberto:

PROCEDURES FINAL IGNITION
FRIDAY 8th AUGUST, 13.00 l.t.

Every group will act upon the needs dictated by the local weather conditions and the different objectives, mountains or cities.

Here are the three ignition options:

1. For who will act in optimal conditions and will have good visibility conditions, I invite you to respect with exact accuracy the ignition time at 13.00;

2. For who will not be able to reach the objectives, or will be forced to act in difficult visibility conditions, I invite you to light the smokes just the same, at 13.00 from the point in which you find at that time, and to document everything in the best possible way (also photos and videos made in not-optimal conditions will be useful to document the collective work in the reprocessing that we will do next);

3. last option, for who is busy in objectives with difficult conditions, where the arrival on the top is not so granted for 13.00, the idea is to light the smokes at the moment of the arriving at the summit.

The important thing is to act, to give a signal, a symbolic and concrete signal, to document and then to come back home. In peace and silence.

It’s obligatory to bring back to home all signal smoke envelopes or other residues.

Rescue officials will be officially informed about the action on the dates described below. It’s advisable however to speak to your local police department as well to let them know that your red flare is not a rescue signal.

Prudence and determination.
Happy ignitions to everyone and a sincere hug.

alberto_peruffo
Wednesday 6th August
[leaving to Paris]

ExWeb’s call for flares in New York

Team ExWeb have already done manifestations in Europe and Africa, but due to the current events on K2, the US team has been held up in Colorado.

This team will light a flare on a special peak; but if you are in our beloved home base New York City at the time; we would deeply appreciate if you lit a flare there for us.

The flares are easy to find in auto shops or in outdoor stores.

The eight truths

The final ignition happens to take place not only on the Chinese Olympics kick-off, but also on a date that spells out 08/08/08.

Number eight is very important to Buddhists. Right Association; Right Knowledge; Right Effort; Right Mindfulness; Right Speech, Right Behavior, Right Absorption and the Right Livelihood are the 8 truths of the Dharma wheel. Together with the Four Noble Truths it constitutes the gist of Buddhism.

Sadsmokymountains.net and candle4tibet.org have merged to create this “Light Protest” on a world scale. Together we can change the world, as other have done before us. All it takes is a red flare and/or a red candle, a camera and…you!

Sadsmokymountains.net/
candle4tibet.org
Video: “A message from Tibet”

Berlin, Paris, New York, Rome - Italian artist/climber Alberto Peruffo wants red flares lit in all these cities. The simple civil action will result in a monumental work of art and you are invited: lit a red flare on a high terrace or roof of any skyscraper, ancient architectural structure or tall building anywhere in the world. Send the pic to Alberto.

The title of the resulting poster will be “Lit Your Own Flame” and the manifest, along with other art forms planned for the event, will be an alternative to the Chinese Olympic torch, with the red smoke around the world aimed to show global support for human rights and Tibet.

** Read these stories - and more! - at ExplorersWeb.com

Everything is fine, ohhh yahhh

However…
Memory lane:
I still have puzzled looks as to what’s happened in my home country, Denmark - which still doesn’t embrace the public Candle Vigil for a Free Tibet, and which used to light sooo many candles for a Free Tibet and for World Peace…
Memory lane:
I’ll be in the emergency room tonight, at 7PM (local time)…
Memory lane:
You take gentle care of yourselves and of each other, OK.
Memory lane:
Love & Light from Merete

Visit Welcome Team at:

- http://candle4tibet.ning.com/groups/group/show?id=2154241%3AGroup%3A60549

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The biggest light protest on Earth.

One last day of effort

Today I would like every one of us, to dedicate as much time as she or he can, to remind the world that the

BIGGEST LIGHT PROTEST ON EARTH
will take place tomorrow at 9:00 p.m.

Please use every possible means of broadcast
• facebook, MySpace, Xing, Bebo, Orkut and other networks.
• Email all your contacts
• Blog and post
• Talkback where you can

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE THE LINK http://www.candle4tibet.org

Please make it a priority. Please ask them all to remind their friends too.

Love
David

Hello my friends

H.H. the Dalai Lama says, in his letter of support to our campaign that people in the free world take freedom for granted.

This is the essence of our campaign – Making people stop and think about their freedom. We’d like people to think about what it means to them, to imagine how it feels to be deprived of it, and to have a say about it.

I strongly believe that there are many millions out there who would love to join us, had they known about us.

We have 7 days left to let the world know. Let us dedicate ourselves in these days to supporting His Holiness and the people of Tibet.

The mass media is the key. We have to do our best to have our story published.
Here you can find our press releases in many languages. Use them.
http://www.candle4tibet.org/en/media

Please make sure that you have invited every one you can. Please don’t assume, everyone loves freedom, Invite them all.
Invitation text (change language – menu top left)
http://www.candle4tibet.org/en/thankYou

Love and Freedom to all,

David

And yes, send all details about public candle lighting to vigils@candle4tibet.org
We will post them for the benefit of all.

1. Invite every one you know. Don’t assume. Everyone loves freedom.

2. Keep telling the media about:
“The Biggest Single Action in the World” for a FREE TIBET (Yes, that’s us)

3. Write to
all Tibet support groups and ask them for their ACTIVE support (they all support us). meaning? ask them to send their mailing lists invitation to www.candle4tibet.org

4. Blog
about it. Post our banners in your website. Talkback on websites and news portals.

5. Light candles in public.
80% of this network wish to light candles either with friends or in public. Get organized. Let us know about it. vigils@candle4tibet.org

CHANGE YOUR PROFILE PICTURE HERE AND ON ANY NETWORK YOU BELONG TO

Let’s paint the internet ORANGE. You can find the photo HERE

‘Infect’ your friends. Thousands are doing it today in facebook, MySpace, Bebo and Orkut. Ask all you friends to do the same.

There are only 1 Day left

Now is the time for extra effort from everyone.

Please copy the invitation below and send to all your friends.

There are many millions who’d love to join us, had they known!

also in:
English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Hebrew

Hi,

Do you, like me, care about freedom and want to have a say about it?

Please join more than 100,000,000 people in the Biggest Light Protest on Earth for a Free Tibet.

• Light a candle on August 7th at 9:00 p.m. (At your home, or in public)
• Join and enjoy special light actions on the same night.
• Drive with you car’s headlights on during August 8 2008.
• Watch “Sad Smoky Mountains” teams paint the sky with red smoke.
• Watch those attending the opening ceremony in Beijing light candles, flashlights, cell phones and lighters. All for a FREE TIBET.

Please us join ,

Love,

Candle for Tibet
http://www.candle4tibet.org/

The World’s Greatest Light Protest for Tibet grows even greater

All out light for Tibet in the 24 hours preceding the Olympic Games.

Sad Smoky Mountains & Skyscrapers join Candle for Tibet campaign. Will ignite red smoke on hundreds of mountain tops and on several skyscrapers in major cities.

• “Candle for Tibet” asks people to put the candle in their windows, desks, or anywhere else where other people will see it and hopefully do the same. Many will participate in candle vigils throughout the world.

• CFT is calling on All Light artists in the world to create light shows for freedom.

• CFT calls the people of the world to take part by lighting candles, flash lights, lighters, car headlights and any other light source.

• CFT calls for all those who plan to attend the opening ceremony in Beijing to light a candle, flash light, a lighter or even a cell phone during the ceremony.

Thank you.

** zapraszam na relacje z  wypraw polskich himalaistów.

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Tragedy on K2, 2008 climbing season - Pakistan wrap-up. More from K2.

Pakistan wrap-up

Aug 04, 2008
(K2Climb.net) To their credit, media reports yesterday quickly changed their statements from “11 confirmed dead” to 11 “feared” dead on K2. The really good news is that 2 reportedly missing Austrians were found in BC. The exact number of fatalities is expected to be confirmed within a few days, after all rescue attempts have been exhausted and a head-count has been performed among the teams.

Askari Aviation reports that Wilco, Cas and Nabeen were urgently evacuated earlier today. Norit reports that Marco is still on his way down.

K2: Wilco and Cas evacuated – Marco not yet in BC

Wilco and Cas reached BC yesterday together with Pemba, assisted by a support group which included their team mates Roeland and Jelle. Extent of the climbers’ frostbites is yet unknown.

At the team’s latest update, Italian Marco Confortola was still being helped down to BC. He climbed down from C4 to C2 yesterday.

A team of climbers (including Dutch team member Roeland) went up from BC to C1 on the Cesen route yesterday, loaded with equipment.

The crew in BC is also arranging a plane to fly by the flanks of K2, hoping to locate more missing climbers on both routes. Some climbers were reportedly still on their way down the Abruzzi Spur yesterday.

The Norit team also reported that sadly, Norwegian Rolf Bae’s death has been been confirmed by wife Cecilie Skog.

full story

K2 : Fredrik Strang’s tale of Pakistani guide’s fatal fall.

Aug 04, 2008
(K2Climb.net) When tragedies occur high up on 8000ers, climbers are forced to try and save their own lives first. The strong at best try and help mates in trouble. Bodies are never lowered in such situations, in order to not put at risk more lives.

In spite of people in need; according to an article in Swedish Aftonbladet this Sunday, a Pakistani expedition guide lost his life following a decision by Swedish Fredrik Strang to try and lower the dead body of Serb climber Dren Mandic from 8000+ meters on K2’s slopes.

According to the article, Fredrik Strang and his team decided to not attempt a summit push due to shifting weather, when word came in their camp at about 8000 meters that a climber had died a few hundred meters up. Parts of the group left for the Bottleneck to help transport down the deceased.

“On arrival, they meet exhausted and hypothermic people,” states the story. “Fredrik takes command and the risky operation of transporting the [dead] friend begins.”

full story

Marco in BC for emergency evacuation, hope for more survivals fading.

Aug 05, 2008
(K2Climb.net) “My brother is in BC, waiting to be airlifted,” Marco Confortola’s brother Luigi told ExWeb from Italy this morning. Meanwhile, Pakistani pilots are in a state of alert in Skardu.

“The weather in Skardu and the Baltoro is inclement,” Lt Col(R)Ilyas Ahmad Mirza, General Manager of Askari Aviation, told ExplorersWeb. “Helicopters are at hi-alert and will move as soon as the weather clears.”

Marco coming down

Pakistans’ “Fab 5″ (or rather “amazing four”) is a nickname international climbers have for a bunch of Askari pilots known for striking high altitude rescues in Karakoram’s thin air. There’s nothing in the world like them; their choppers go higher and closer than anyone in Himalaya, the Andes, Rockies or the Alps.

Yesterday, pilots picked up Confortola’s mate Roberto Manni and took him on a surveillance flight across K2’s slopes to locate Marco, previously spotted between C2 and C1.

Marco managed to reach ABC and then BC at last, helped down from C1 by two Pakistani porters, Mario Panzeri and Eric Meyer. According to his home team, Confortola was barely able to put on his boots. His feet are obviously badly frostbitten and he will be diagnosed and treated in the same Skardu hospital from where Wilco has started to share his tale about the fateful night in and above the Bottleneck.

Initial mix-up in the fixing of ropes on summit push reportedly caused a delay and late arrival to summit for some. Some media headlined Wilco’s brief as stating that lack of preparations had caused the accidents. In light of past accusations the Norit home team asks for interviews to hold until climbers are in better shape to give a clear picture.

At this point, a wrapup of events indicates one climber lost in a climbing fall on ascent, one porter lost in attempts to lower the body, two or three lost in the avalanche on descent and around 6 climbers lost in its aftermath, while trying to find their way through the ice rubble to camp 4.

More from K2.

As the reality of events on K2 from this past weekend begins to descend on the mountaineering community, the fog has begun to lift somewhat, and we’re starting to hear more of the details. This morning, Everest News as posted a list of casualties that they claim has been confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism in Pakistan. You can read that list here. Personally, I’m a bit reluctant to post the names myself, until all is known, but the list does fall into line with the sketchy reports we’ve been hearing.

full story

Latest news :

1.  Helicopters save two Dutch climbers after K2 tragedy - AFP
Monday, August 04, 2008

GILGIT, Pakistan (AFP) — Rescuers airlifted two frostbitten Dutch climbers to safety from K2 on Monday, but were unable to reach an Italian stranded by an ice fall that killed 11 men on the world’s second highest peak.

The Pakistani military mounted a dramatic helicopter operation to save survivors of the deadliest disaster to hit the 8,611-metre (28,251-foot) Himalayan summit, regarded as far more dangerous to scale than Mount Everest.

The Dutch mountaineers were helped down to base camp by team members and Pakistani guides from a position near the summit overnight, army officer Captain Azimullah Beg told AFP from the 5,200-metre camp.

“They were then picked up by army helicopter from base camp this morning and have now been shifted to hospital for treatment for severe frostbite,” said Beg, identifying the climbers as Wilco Van Rooijen and Cas van de Gevel. 

But the military helicopters were later grounded by a dust storm at their base in the northern city of Skardu and were unable to evacuate Italian climber Marco Confortola, officials said.

Italy’s ANSA news agency, citing members of his climbing team, reported that Confortola had reached an upper camp at 6,100 metres, but was unable to go further.

“His condition is not good. He has some bruises and frostbite and exhaustion,” Brigadier Mohammad Akram, vice president of Adventure Foundation Pakistan, a tour organiser, told AFP.

“If he is unable to get to advanced base camp tomorrow, from where a helicopter can evacuate him, then he might be sling-lifted. But this is a very technical operation and needs a lot of preparation,” he said.

Italian embassy spokesman Oddo Sergio said Confortola “has some problems with his arms and legs due to freezing. An attempt will be made tomorrow to rescue him.”

Agostino Da Polenza, a member of Confortola’s team quoted by ANSA, said after talking to the stranded climber on a rescuer’s telephone that his “voice sounded strong and clear”.

The climbers who died in Friday’s avalanche were three South Koreans, two Nepalis, two Pakistanis, a Serbian, an Irishman, a Norwegian and a Frenchman, officials said.

The disaster happened when a pillar of ice broke away in a steep gully known as the Bottleneck near the summit and swept away fixed lines used by the mountaineers as they made their descent on Friday.

“At least 11 climbers have died. This is one of the worst incidents in the history of K2 climbing,” Pakistani mountain guide Sultan Alam told AFP.

The deadliest year to date on the peak on the Pakistan-China border was in 1986, when 13 climbers died in a series of incidents.

An Austrian climber at K2 base camp said he was aware of 12 deaths resulting from Friday’s avalanche, although the figure was not confirmed by Pakistani officials.

“The mood at the camp is obviously very low,” Christian Stangl was quoted as saying by Austria’s APA news agency. “Every expedition has lost at least one or two people.”

A Swedish climber who survived said there were too many inexperienced climbers on the mountain, widely acknowledged as much harder to climb than Everest despite being a few hundred metres shorter. full story

2. CNN.com has posted : Third climber rescued on K2

An Italian climber who survived the deadly avalanche on K2, the world’s second highest mountain, was plucked from the slopes and flown to safety Tuesday. full story

3. K2 climbers froze to death hanging upside down on ropes - telegraph.co.uk

One of the mountaineers to survive the disastrous K2 expedition has described how he witnessed stranded climbers freezing to death hanging upside down on ropes as his own survival instinct kicked in to take him off the mountain.
Wilco Van Rooijen, a Dutch climber, said fatal errors while preparing for the final ascent contributed to the deaths of 11 climbers after they had spent four nights on the world’s second highest mountain, which is considered a far more daunting challenge than Mount Everest. full story

4. Alaskan Climber Presumed Dead On K2.

Jamey Kirk
Story Created: Aug 4, 2008 at 9:03 PM AKDT ; Story Updated: Aug 4, 2008 at 9:03 PM AKDT

A 37-year-old computer engineer from Anchorage, is presumed dead near the peak of K2. Ger McDonnell was an Irish native who moved to Alaska about 10 years ago.

According to eye witness accounts, McDonnell was swept off the mountain Friday when a giant piece of ice fell from above and sliced through fixed ropes on one of the more dangerous parts of the climb. Nine people were confirmed to have been killed. full story

5. Stranded Italian climber reaches K2 base camp

Aug 5, 2008, 7:31 GMT
Islamabad - An Italian climber who was stranded after an avalanche on K2, the world’s second highest mountain, managed to descend to base camp on Tuesday, officials said. … more

* Previous post : - Tragedy on Karakoram - Several climbers dead or missing on K2.Tragedia na K2: Szef wyprawy ocalał. /Version english and polish/

** Read these stories - and more! - at ExplorersWeb.com

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Tragedy on Karakoram - Several climbers dead or missing on K2.Tragedia na K2: Szef wyprawy ocalał. /Version english and polish/

Wilco and Marco left bivouac, 5 climbers descending, several going up to help.

Aug 01, 2008
(K2Climb.net) At around 11 am local time, Wilco and Marco have reportedly left their bivouac just above the serac at 8300 meters above the Bottleneck. They have been in radio contact with BC, but their location is currently unknown.

Location of Gerard and Hugues is unknown. K2 BC can see 5 people climbing down the Bottleneck and 2 above.

As for rescue efforts, Cas - who descended without fixed ropes with Pemba earlier - is moving up with Mark Sheen and two Americans.

All involved, such as Roeland in BC and the Dutch K2 Norit expedition webmaster Maarten van Eck have been awake for at least 48 hours non-stop by now. Maarten urges people to please not jam satellite phones, emails or other communication with general messages. The ground team works fevereshly to assist the stranded climbers.

The mountaineers began their summit push at around 1 am local time yesterday. They are very seasoned, most are Everest summiteers (Wilco, a skilled polar explorer did Everest without oxygen) and this was their second, even third attempt on the mountaineers’ mountain.

Wrap-up of events

The teams started out well, doing 2 hours ahead of schedule, except when a few hours into the ascent a Serbian accident held the Dutch up somewhat. The Norwegians and French Hugues d’Aubarade reportedly summited before the Dutch and Irish Gerard (it’s unclear yet who used supplementary oxygen) and were coming down at the time of the Dutch summit at around 8 pm. Italian Marco Confortola was reportedly behind Wilco at summit time.

On descent, a big chunk of ice fell from the serac below the summit, taking a large part of the fixed lines with it. About 12 people, including Wilco, Gerard, Marco and Korean climbers got stuck either above the traverse or above the Bottleneck.

Rescue efforts

Cas and Pemba Sherpa downclimbed to C4 without fixed ropes, where Mark Sheen was holding for a summit bid tonight.

Dutch Norit Base Camp manager Roeland hurried to the Korean expedition tent organizing a joint rescue effort. Early this morning at dawn a group of at least six climbers were supposed to climb towards the Bottleneck with rope. Several international teams of climbers were reported on summit push in high camps lower on the peak, along with a number of HAP’s and Sherpas.

This is a serious situation and all resources available on the mountain are hopefully put towards it. Good news is that previous fatal accidents on K2 were more often results of avalanches, sudden storms or disorientation before actual deterioriation.

Weather at present seems to be holding, although winds tend to pick up briefly early morning on 8000ers. K2 also suffers wind gusts from China on the upper slopes. Free-climbing the steep, icy sections of the Traverse and the Bottleneck is possible but highly risky as the mountaineers now have spent almost 48 hours in the K2 summit push, most without oxygen support.

Dutch K2 Norit expedition webmaster Maarten van Eck has done a monumental job to keep everyone informed. Check in on the Norit website for further updates through the night.

K2 breaking news: Wilco found alive!

Aug 02, 2008
(K2Climb.net) Norit expedition leader Dutch Wilco Van Rooijen has incredibly survived 3 nights exposure on the high slopes of K2. 

He is currently in Camp 3, together with Cas and Pemba Sherpa. Yesterday, Wilco was located between camp 4 and 3 on the Cesen route thanks to GPS coordinates on his Thuraya sat phone, and later people in BC spotted him coming down very slowly under his own power.

The Dutch mountaineer, who already scaled Everest without supplementary oxygen and attempted K2 twice before, also has a number of spectacular polar expeditions to his credit.

Norit was the first expedition on the mountain this year, spending over two months there to fix ropes and set up camps. This has provided Wilco with excellent acclimatization which, along with mountaineering skills and polar endurance, contributed to save his life.

Wilco reportedly suffers frostbite, and is not out of danger yet. Still, this survival is bound to go down as one of the greatest mountaineering tales in K2’s history.

Story updated Aug02, 1:45 am CDT - ExplorersWeb/Europe: As for italian Marco Confortola, he contacted his mate Roberto Manni earlier today, reporting he was about to start descending from C4 by dawn.

There is also confirmed news on Spanish Alberto Zerain. Alberto had joined the summit push, but climbed ahead of the rest from C4. Thus he was unaware of the Serbian climber falling on the way up. Zerain topped out on August 1st, at 3.00 pm, local time, and descended before the serac swept the fixed ropes. He reached back C3 that night, and safely entered BC on the following day. It was only then that he heard of the drama unfolding on K2’s higher slopes. It’s bitter-sweet record for Alberto, who has actually completed the Broad peak-K2 double-header. 

**Go to Norit website for continuous updates.

Marco Confortola’s website.

Zerain’s team blog.

Recap

On August 1 at 1 am local time, Norwegian, Dutch, French, Italian, Serbian, Korean, Pakistan and Nepali climbers started their summit push from camp 4. Going well ahead of schedule, a few hours into the ascent a Serbian accident held the Dutch up somewhat.

The Norwegians and French Hugues d’Aubarade reportedly summited before the Dutch and Irish Gerard (it’s unclear yet who used supplementary oxygen) and were coming down at the time of the Dutch summit at around 8 pm. Around 17 people were reported in the summit party.

On descent, a big piece of ice fell below the summit, taking a large part of the fixed lines with it. About 12 people, including Wilco, Gerard, Marco and Korean climbers got stuck either above the traverse or above the Bottleneck.

Rescue efforts

Cas and Pemba Sherpa downclimbed to C4 without fixed ropes, where Mark Sheen was holding for a summit bid.

K2 BC could see 5 people climbing down the Bottleneck and 2 above. Wilco and Marco were located in a bivouac above the serac at 8300 meters above the Bottleneck, which they left at around 11 am local time. The group of people descending the Bottleneck came to a halt, reportedly due to an injury suffered by one of the climbers.

Two HAP’s were sent up to assist from camp 4. Dutch Norit Base Camp manager Roeland hurried to the Korean expedition tent to organize a joint rescue effort. A group of at least six climbers were supposed to climb from there towards the Bottleneck with rope.

Cas - who descended without fixed ropes with Pemba earlier - intended to move back up from C4 with Mark Sheen and two Americans, but the climbers were forced to descend.

Survivors

On August 2nd, Marco Confortola was located in camp 4.

A satphone call made on August 1st from the peak by Wilco was tracked via a GPS position acquired from Thuraya. The position put Wilco’s call to between camp 4 and camp 3 on the mountain. Later, a climber in an orange suit was also spotted moving slowly between C4 and C3 on the Cesen route.

Early morning Agust 3d (local time), Wilco Van Rooijen was caught up by the descending Cas and Pemba Sherpa and brought to camp 3.

Missing

Unlocated at this point are Irish Gerard, French Hugues, Norwegian Rolf Bae, several un-named Koreans along with a number of high altitude porters and Sherpas. A group of unknown climbers were reported still stuck in the bottleneck as last as yesterday.

The number of currently unaccounted for climbers from the August 1 summit push ranges between 8-10. Surviving climbers seem to be descending at this point, with the bulk of other mountaineers located in BC, where helicopter sweeps and other efforts are being coordinated.

The missing mountaineers are very seasoned, many are Everest summiteers and some were on their second, even third attempt on the mountaineers’ mountain.

Links to K2 teams in Pakistan:

Wilco van Rooijen’s Norit K2 expedition
Serbian Vojvodinean expedition
Gerard McDonnell’s dispatches
Marco Confortola’s updates
Singapore expedition
Cecilie Skog’s updates
Nick Rice’s dispatches
Mike Farris expedition’s website
Hugues d’Aubarede

Latest news :

CNN.com has posted an update from K2 with more news on the events that have gone down over the weekend, and they confirm the reports of 11 dead on the mountain.

According to the story, 17 climbers went up K2 on Friday, with a number of them reaching the summit. While climbing the mountain, a large serac broke off and tumbled down the face, taking the fixed lines with it. When climbers returned to the Bottleneck, they found that they were down cut off. A number of them set up camp in the area, and later an avalanche struck the camp, taking seven climbers down the mountain. Three other climbers perished before the avalanche incident as well.

If there is any good news out of all of this, it’s that CNN is now saying that all climbers on K2 are accounted for. There are no longer any missing climbers, and while not all the details have been released on those that have died, we do know that they were Dutch, Irish, Italian, French, Norwegian, Korean, and Nepalese citizens.

I”m sure we’re going to continue to hear a lot about this over the next few days, and the details will finally begin to come out. Keep the family and friends of all the climbers in your thoughts.

* Source: - http://theadventureblog.blogspot.com/

14 wspinaczy zaginęło na K2, dziewięciu prawdopodobnie nie żyje.

1. 2008-08-02 /Za gazata.pl/
14 himalaistów różnej narodowości zaginęło na zboczu K2, czterech na pewno nie żyje - takie informacje przekazali włoskiej agencji Ansa dwaj włoscy wspinacze, przebywający w bazie w Pakistanie i obserwujący stamtąd akcję ratunkową.
Według wiadomości, nadesłanych przez Roberto Manniego i Mario Panzeriego sytuacja jest bardzo trudna. Przyczyny wypadku międzynarodowej ekspedycji nie są jeszcze znane.

W piątek rano miejscowego czasu Manni wyruszył z bazy pod szczytem, ale z powodu złego samopoczucia zawrócił z drogi. Z jego relacji wynika, że wśród zaginionych są Koreańczycy, szef ekspedycji Holender Wilco van Rooijan, Irlandczyk Gerard McDonnell i Francuz Hugues d’Aubarade.

2008-08-03 /Za gazata.pl/
Na K2 zginęło dziewięć osób - potwierdzają przedstawiciele organizatorów wyprawy. Nadal jednak są rozbieżności co do narodowości wszystkich ofiar z kilku ekspedycji.

Doniesienia o ofiarach

Według jednego z organizatorów ekspedycji, Nazira Sabira, zginęło trzech Południowych Koreańczyków, dwóch Nepalczyków, Holender, Serb, Norweg i Pakistańczyk. Według innych źródeł oprócz Koreańczyków, Nepalczyków, Serba, Holendra i Norwega, zginął Francuz.

Do tragedii doszło w piątek, kiedy kawał lodu oderwał się od lodowca i zerwał liny umocowane na niebezpiecznym stromym zboczu. Na K2 było w tym czasie kilka ekspedycji.

Ekspedycja z Korei, która schodziła w dół po zdobyciu szczytu, straciła pięciu uczestników, w tym dwóch Nepalczyków. Z kolei wiceszef pakistańskiej firmy Adventure Foundation, Mohammad Akram, podał, że potwierdzono śmierć Holendra, Norwega i Francuza.

Kilkunastu wspinaczy w “strefie śmierci”

Strony internetowe poświęcone wspinaczkom podaję, że serbski wspinacz to Dren Mandić spadł w piątek podczas podejścia. Razem z nim miał zginąć pakistański Szerpa.

W rejonie nazywanym Bottleneck, na wysokości określanej jako “strefa śmierci”, na której brakuje tlenu, utknęło kilkunastu wspinaczy - piszą agencje.

Kilku widziano w drodze w dół do obozów, kilku nadal jeszcze przebywa na górze.

Holenderska ekspedycja podała na swojej stronie internetowej www.noritk2.nl, że trzech członków zespołu schodzi z obozu III na wysokości 7350 m.

W rejon tragedii wysłano helikopter

W rejon tragedii wysłano śmigłowce, by zlokalizować zaginionych - powiedział AFP wiceszef Adventure Foundation. Według szwedzkiego alpinisty Fredrika Straenga, który uczestniczy w operacji ratunkowej, tragedii można było uniknąć. - Góry te przyciągają ludzi bardzo niedoświadczonych i naiwnych - powiedział szwedzkiej agencji TT. Jego zdaniem ofiar jest 11.

K2 to drugi najwyższy szczyt na świecie (8611 m n.p.m.), leżący na granicy Pakistanu i Chin. Uchodzi za jeden z najtrudniejszych do zdobycia ośmiotysięczników.

Statystyki dotyczące K2, nazywanej “górą nad górami” przez słynnego wspinacza Reinholda Messnera, mówią, że do tragedii najczęściej dochodzi tam podczas schodzenia z wierzchołka. Na K2 zginęło ponad 70 osób, z czego bardzo wielu właśnie w rejonie Bottleneck.

2. aktualizacja 03-08-2008 17:45 /za Rzeczpospolitą/
Dziewięciu zabitych, czterech zaginionych - taki bilans wypadku na K2 w Himalajach podał włoski himalaista Roberto Manni. Znaleziono natomiast ocalałego z wypadku szefa wyprawy.

Manni obserwuje w bazie w Pakistanie akcję ratunkową.

Są rozbieżności co do narodowości ofiar wypadku podczas wejścia na K2. Według jednego z organizatorów ekspedycji, Nazira Sabira, zginęło trzech Południowokoreańczyków, dwóch Nepalczyków, Holender, Serb, Norweg i Pakistańczyk. Według innych źródeł oprócz Koreańczyków, Nepalczyków, Serba, Holendra i Norwega, zginął Francuz.

Włoskie media poinformowały, powołując się na obserwatorów akcji ratunkowej, że znaleziono ocalałego z wypadku szefa ekspedycji Holendra Wilco van Rooijana. Jest on w dobrym stanie.

Tymczasem według cytowanego przez hiszpańskie media blogu związanego z wyprawą (http://broadpeak08.blogspot.com/), na K2 zginęło 11 osób.

Przyczyną tragedii było oderwanie się bloku lodowego w przełęczy zwanej “Bottleneck”. Alpiniści byli wówczas w drodze ze szczytu.

Ekspedycja koreańska działała na klasycznej drodze wejściowej na K2, znanej jako żebro Abruzzi. To właśnie w tym rejonie zeszła potężna lawina lodowa, która zniszczyła liny poręczowe ułatwiające wspinaczkę.

Według oficera łącznikowego wyprawy koreańskiej trzech Koreańczyków i dwóch Nepalczyków uczestniczących w wyprawie zostało porwanych przez lawinę. Lawina odcięła ponadto kilkunastu himalaistów, uczestników innych wypraw wspinających się granią południowo-wschodnią.

Z informacji z obozu bazowego znajdującego się pod K2 wynika, że odnaleziono dziewięciu uczestników tych wypraw i schodzą oni powoli w kierunku bazy. Ciągle nie ma kontaktu z czterema wspinaczami. Istnieje duże prawdopodobieństwo, że oni także zostali porwani przez lawinę.

Do nieszczęścia doszło 1 sierpnia, kiedy potężne bloki lodowe zerwały liny poręczowe umieszczone w górnych częściach drogi południowo-wschodnią granią utrudniając drogę powrotną kilkunastu himalaistom z rejonu wierzchołka K2. Według informacji części uczestników lawina mogła porwać czterech wspinaczy. Pogoda w rejonie K2 nieco się poprawiła, a wiatr określany jest jako umiarkowany.

K2 to drugi najwyższy szczyt na świecie (8611 m n.p.m.), leżący na granicy Pakistanu i Chin. Uchodzi za jeden z najtrudniejszych do zdobycia ośmiotysięczników.

* źródło - http://www.rp.pl/

3. Nd, 2008-08-03 /za rmf.fm/
Nawet 11 himalaistów mogło zginąć na K2.
Nawet jedenastu himalaistów mogło zginąć na K2. Takie informacje podają hiszpańskie media, powołując się na blog osoby związanej z wyprawy. Wcześniej podawano liczbę dziewięciu ofiar. Co najmniej trzy osoby uważa się za zaginione.

Międzynarodowa ekspedycja, która wyruszyła na drugi najwyższy szczyt Ziemi liczyła kilkanaście osób. Cały czas trwa ustalanie ich narodowości oraz dokładnej liczby wspinających się.

Zdobywania szczytów w tak licznych grupach nie pochwala Krzysztof Wielicki. Jest coś takiego w ostatnich latach, że zespoły się łączą. To nie jest dobre. Uważam to za błąd - stwierdził w rozmowie z reporterem RMF FM polski himalaista.

Wielicki jest również zdobywcą tego K2. Kilka razy próbował też zdobyć ten szczyt zimą, ale na razie bezskutecznie. Polski himalaista doskonale zna trasę wspinaczkową, na której doszło do ostatniej tragedii.

Przyczyną tragedii było prawdopodobnie oderwanie się bloku lodowego w drodze powrotnej ze szczytu. Niewykluczone, że lawina zaskoczyła także inne grupy himalaistów.
/copyright 2008 by RMF FM sp. z o. o./

* źródła : - http://www.rmf.fm/ - http://www.rp.pl/ - http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/

** Read these stories - and more! - at ExplorersWeb.com

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Everest 2008 - z projektu 7summits.pl : Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys czwarta Polka na szczycie Świata cz.2.

23 maja o 5:30 Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys stanęła, jako czwarta Polka, na szczycie Świata zdobywając Everest.

Relacja - Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys.

* W górę w przerzedzonym składzie

Wreszcie 10 maja Chińczycy znieśli zakaz poruszania się powyżej dwójki i w górę ruszyli ci wspinacze, którzy dotrwali do tego momentu. Część osób w międzyczasie uległa zniechęceniu, ponieważ całe to oczekiwanie, atmosfera niepewności i czasami nawet grozy (wojskowe helikoptery latające nad głową, karabiny broniące Ściany Lhotse) były jednak wykańczające. Przez kilka tygodni dochodziły do nas sprzeczne informacje, codziennie praktycznie dowiadywaliśmy się czegoś nowego - a to, że będzie można atakować wcześniej, a to, że dopiero po 10 maja, a to, że jeśli Chińczykom nie uda się do tej pory wnieść znicza na szczyt, to zostają dłużej, a pozostali wspinacze w ogóle nie będą mogli zdobywać Everestu - była to prawdziwa wojna nerwów bez żadnej gwarancji, że w końcu zakończy się sukcesem. Nic dziwnego, że część wspinaczy zrezygnowała ze zdobywania Everestu i Lhotse i rozjechała się do domów. W tym sezonie górę atakowało więc około 250 osób, co nie jest aż tak zastraszającą liczbą, jak na Everest.  Oczywiście dla tych, którzy dotrwali do końca, była to sprzyjająca okoliczność – nie było raczej kolejek w dniu ataku szczytowego, tłumów na szczycie…

Czy Chińczycy wnieśli w tym roku znicz olimpijski na szczyt Everestu, czy nie – nikt tego nie wie, bo nie było świadków. Dość, że w końcu ustąpili miejsca innym wspinaczom i ewakuowali się.  Strona północna nadal jest zamknięta i nie wiadomo, czy zostanie otwarta w tym roku i czy w ogóle. Dzięki temu, że zostało stosunkowo niewielu wspinaczy i że przez tydzień co najmniej utrzymywała się dobra stabilna pogoda, na Evereście w tym roku nie było wielu wypadków. A czy w przyszłym sezonie wspinacze będą mogli jechać na Cho Oyu, Shisha Pangmę, czy Everest od strony północnej – na dzień dzisiejszy nie wiadomo.

11 maja wyszliśmy znów do dwójki, a 14 na wysokość około 7300 m. w celu zdobycia aklimatyzacji. W międzyczasie oboje przeżyliśmy chwile zwątpienia, walcząc z zapaleniem nerwu w zębie, powracającymi jak bumerang napadami kaszlu Khumbu oraz zatruciem pokarmowym. Ledwo jedną przypadłość zdążyło się wyleczyć, to już przyplątało się coś innego.

Właściwe wyjście w górę przed atakiem szczytowym rozpoczęliśmy 19 maja. Do dwójki szło się znakomicie - byliśmy w bardzo dobrej formie, również dzięki temu, że dzień wcześniej wzmocniliśmy siły szynką w puszce przywiezioną z Polski - po tygodniach jedzenia obozowego był to dla nas ogromny rarytas

21 maja ruszyliśmy w stronę trójki. Na wysokości około 7000 m. Maciek bardzo źle się poczuł z powodu nagłego skoku ciśnienia i częściowej utraty widzenia w jednym oku. W związku z utrzymywaniem się tego stanu przez dłuższy czas, podjął decyzję o powrocie do obozu drugiego, gdzie zamierzał poczekać na ustąpienie tych niepokojących objawów. Podjęliśmy decyzję, że ja kontynuuję marsz do trójki, a potem zobaczymy, jak sytuacja się rozwinie.

Widok z trójki (fot. arch. Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys)

Niestety u Maćka nie nastąpiła szybka poprawa wzroku, więc 22 maja sama poszłam na Przełęcz Południową, skąd wieczorem o 20.15 wyruszyłam na atak szczytowy. Był to zdecydowanie mój najlepszy dzień podczas całej wyprawy - szło mi się doskonale, nie czułam zimna, ani zmęczenia.

Grań szczytowa (fot. arch. Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys)

Na szczyt dotarłam o 5.30 /23 maja 2008/, niedługo po wschodzie słońca. Była piękna, prawie bezchmurna pogoda, wiał nieznaczny wiatr, do tego na wszystkie strony roztaczały się wspaniałe widoki; widać było inne ośmiotysięczniki znajdujące się teraz poniżej: Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Makalu. Przez kilka minut nie docierała do mnie świadomość, że to już, że stoję właśnie na szczycie Matki Gór i że zakończył się jakiś etap w moim życiu obejmujący kilka lat przygotowań, starań, gromadzenia funduszy. Była to, więc ogromna radość z odrobiną smutku, że to, do czego dążyłam przez tak długi czas już nie będzie moim celem. A potem spojrzałam w stronę Tybetu, na Klasztor Rongbuk i Płaskowyż Tybetański i pomyślałam sobie, że właściwie to tamta strona była moim marzeniem, może by tak jeszcze kiedyś spróbować.

Agnieszka na szczycie (fot. arch. Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys)

Na szczycie spędziłam około 45 minut - mam stamtąd sporo zdjęć, film, kamienie ze strony tybetańskiej (zebrane kilkanaście metrów pod szczytem). Prawdziwym wyzwaniem było zejście na dół - opadły ze mnie emocje i adrenalina. Byłam już naprawdę zmęczona. Schodziłam uważnie, żeby nie poślizgnąć się na ruchomych skałkach i płytkach, które w tym roku przykrywało wyjątkowo mało śniegu. W końcu około 11.00 dotarłam na Przełęcz. Wyszło ze mnie całe zmęczenie i niewyspanie. Zdecydowałam się spędzić tam jeszcze jedną noc.

Widok ze szczytu (fot. arch. Agnieszka Kiela-Pałys)

* Co dalej

Dalej było już tylko zejście do bazy, potem do Lukli i przelot do Kathmandu. Po dwóch miesiącach nastąpił powrót do cywilizacji. Rozmowy toczone w bazie tuż przed zejściem niżej dotyczyły oczywiście gór. Chciałabym pojechać kiedyś do Tybetu - czy na Everest, czy na inną górę, ale także żeby zobaczyć Rongbuk, Lhasę i inne ciekawe miejsca. Na razie nadal nie jest to możliwe, ponieważ Chińczycy nie znieśli zakazu odwiedzania Tybetu przez wspinaczy i turystów. Mówi się, że będzie on obowiązywał przynajmniej do końca olimpiady, ale nie mówi się, co potem - czy znowu będzie można wspinać się na Cho Oyu i Shishę Pangmę? Czy droga północna na Everest zostanie otwarta? Nikt na razie nie wie, czy Chińczycy zamiotą problem tybetański pod dywan i będą się go po prostu starali ukryć przed światem, czy raczej postarają się go rozwiązać i pozwolą obcokrajowcom odwiedzać Tybet w międzyczasie. Karabiny i wojsko nie są z pewnością rozwiązaniem na dłuższą metę, szczególnie nie ma dla nich miejsca w bazie ekspedycyjnej, więc miejmy nadzieję, że Tybet nie jest jeszcze stracony i że nie będzie poddawany polityce izolacji przez kolejne sezony. Chętnie byśmy się tam jeszcze wybrali.

* Zobacz też: 7summits.pl - Everest 2008

** Źródła:   - http://www.wspinanie.pl/ - http://www.7summits.pl/

*** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.

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