Karakoram Summer 2009 expeditions wrap-up : Summits on Nanga Parbat and G2.

Great news from the Karakorum today as word on successful summits have begun to trickle in, starting on Gasherbrum II where Ueli Steck has topped out yesterday and returned to BC today according to the Hardwear Sessions blog. Not many details are known yet on the climb, but it is being reported that Ueli was using this as a training climb for Makalu in this fall.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that Joao Garcia has summitted Nanga Parbat, claiming his 13th 8000 meter peak and leaving just Annapurna on his list. Joao’s climbing partner Amin Ulal also topped out as well.

Korean climber Go Mi-Sun also reached the summit of Nanga Parbat earlier today, but had to use supplemental oxygen to do so. Miss Go has generally climbed without the O’s, but perhaps her ambitious climbing schedule is getting the best of her. After resting, she’ll move on to the Gasherbrums to have a go at both G1 and G2 in her bid for a second 8000m Triple Header this year.

The summits aren’t quite done yet on NP however, as Gerfried Göschl’s team is moving up along a new route, and if everything stays on schedule, they should be topping out tomorrow. They’re climbing alpine style and established a fourth camp today where they are waiting for the winds to die down before proceeding up.

Moving over to Broad Peak, the Field Touring Alpine team is now in place and ready to begin their summit bid as well. All of their camps are established, and the climbers are finished with their acclimatization process, and now they are watching for a three day weather window that will give them access to the summit. Reportedly conditions are very good on the mountain, and it is only a matter of time before they move up.

The Gasherbrums are abuzz with activity besides just Ueli’s successful summit. The Jagged Globe Team set off on their summit bid a few days back, while the Altitude Junkies are in BC and keeping an eye on the jet stream, hoping for a window. Don Bowie and his team have their sights set on G3, and their latest update has them all at 7000 meters and waiting for the winds to die down as well.

Jumping over to K2, it seems that weather has cleared up enough for teams to begin establishing the route to C2. Most of the teams have spent a night at C2 at this point, and are anxious to get higher on the mountain, but conditions have been really dicey so far.

Finally, Kazak climbing legends Maxut Zhumayev and Vassiliy Pivtsov have arrived in Pakistan are reportedly in Skardu. They’ll begin the trek to K2 soon and are expected in base camp around the 22nd of the month. I’m not sure what their plans are, but they will no doubt be making some spectacular attempt, alpine style, on the mountain. Stay tuned!

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Gear Box: Adventure Medical Kits.

A first aid kit, much like car insurance, is one of those things that we buy and hope we never have to use. It’s one of those 10 essential items that we should always have in our pack when we head out on the trail, and yet, it’s one of the items that gets the least attention. We stuff a few band aids in a box, maybe some ibuprofen and thats about it. Well, I”m here to tell you that the first aid kit is one item that you shouldn’t scrimp on, but fortunately Adventure Medical Kits is here to make it easy on us all.

As their name implies, Adventure Medical Kits provides top notch, pre-made med kits that are ready to go in our backpacks and stay there until we need them. The kits come in a variety of sizes and specialities, for what ever your outdoor pursuits happen to be. For instance, their Paddler Series comes with everything a kayaker would need out on the water, and it’s all sealed up in a nice drybag, while the Mountain Series is designed for longer alpine expeditions.

My AMK comes from the Ultralight line, which is specifically marketed for multisport athletes such as adventure racers. The kits are perfect for races where a med kit is standard equipment, and any race above a sprint probably does require one, because they are small, compact, and light weight, yet still carry everything you’ll need and more. For instance, I have an Ultralight .9 which comes pre-packed with several varieties of bandages in different shapes and sizes, trauma pads, gloves, moleskin, duct tape, safety pins, splinter packs, antihistamines, ibuprofen, a plethora of wound care items, and a lot more. All of that is packed into a waterproof pack, and it all sits nicely inside a backpack.

In addition to all the great stuff that comes in each of the medical kits, the AMK website has some great supplemental gear that you can add to your kit to enhance its usefulness in the backcountry. For instance, they have a variety of insect repellants, hygiene products, blister protection, and other essentials. There are even repair kits that allow you to fix your broken gear, even while on the go. Put all this stuff together, and you have everything you ever need to cover medical issues no matter where you are.

I have to say that I am throughly impressed with the Ultralight .9 pack that I have. It lives up to its name, barely adding any weight to your pack and despite its size, the kit remains very versatile and useful. While AMK recommends it for adventure racers and other outdoor athletes, I believe that it is equally useful for backpackers, long distance trekkers, and even travelers in general. It really is a nice piece of gear that will fill most people’s needs right out of the box. Add in a few extra items that may be essential to you specifically, and you have the perfect customized med kit that is always ready to go when you are.

All of the kits from Adventure Medical are also very affordable, which means that we don’t have any excuses to not have one with us in the backcountry. Select one of the kits that works best for you, and you won’t want to ever leave it behind either. You might even think that it’s essential.

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