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7/24: C1 -> Just below C2
After spending a night at Camp 1 following our summit of Gasherbrum II, we decided to attempt Gasherbrum I. The icefall between Base Camp and Camp 1 is long and tedious, so with a good weather window ahead, it made sense to continue climbing. Supplies were running low, but Pemba had descended the previous day with another team member and returned with much-needed food and fuel, including delicious yak meat. We took time to relax in the sun and enjoy the yak meat before starting the grueling climb up toward Camp 2.
Pemba, Daddy, Kili, Ang Du all enjoying yak meat.
On the way towards C2 on G1.
We began our ascent to Camp 2 at 10 AM. The sunny weather soon became unbearably hot, even in our thinnest layers. At this elevation, the solar radiation is intense, making skin exposure risky. A team of climbers from the Czech Republic had marked the route toward Camp 2, which greatly aided our navigation. As we approached the icefall, clouds rolled in, bringing cold and wind. Blocked by several crevasses, we put on our down suits. Eventually, it became too cold and windy to proceed, so we camped below Camp 2, hoping for better conditions the next morning.
7/25: Up to Real Camp 2
The next morning, Kili and Pemba set out early to scout the route to the standard Camp 2. Upon their return, we all began moving to the higher camp. The journey was fraught with tricky sections where we had to remove our packs and hand them over crevasses before jumping across while attached to a small section of fixed rope, secured by anchors that didn’t seem entirely reliable. The crux of the climb featured a steep ascent through sugar snow and a bulging traverse, reminiscent of Ama Dablam, which I found manageable.
Reaching Camp 2 was a welcome sight, and the imposing Japanese Couloir ahead looked intense. I recalled that my friend Chris Warner had likened this section on Gasherbrum I to Nanga Parbat, minus the Kinshofer. I tried to take solace in the fact that I had already climbed Nanga Parbat, which reassured me that I had the skills to tackle this next section
Later, Kilu and Daddy fixed ropes about two-thirds of the way up the Japanese Couloir, while Ang Du and Pemba retrieved additional oxygen from Camp 1. I was reminded of how this climb would not be possible without the Sherpas’ expertise and support.
Approaching C2 on G1.
Looking up to G1 summit from C2.
7/26: – Below C2-> toward summit
Our plan was to begin the summit attempt at 6 PM, with Kili and Ang Du starting two hours earlier to finish fixing the route. Pemba and Ang Du returned from C1 around noon, carrying a heavy load of oxygen. The Czech team became excited when they noticed the oxygen bottles were manufactured in the Czech Republic.
I spent the day restlessly trying to sleep, battling negative thoughts. Around 1 PM, the noisy arrival of the Seven Summit team made rest impossible, further contributing to my frustration and signaling potential acclimatization issues.
As we started the climb, everything felt wrong—my oxygen mask felt suffocating, my pack was heavy, and my down suit was hot. Ang Du noticed something was off and suggested I check my oxygen flow, which, unfortunately, was functioning normally. Later, I discovered a crack in my mask, but I was still unsure whether that was impacting the delivery of oxygen.
After an hour in the snow, we reached the Japanese Couloir and began clipping onto the fixed ropes, which eased the strain on my knee. The steep rocky section ahead loomed ominously. Despite my fears that my lightweight crampons might break, I continued without incident. Exhausted, we found a spot to dig into the snow for a break, avoiding a glance at the steep drop below.
As we resumed, we encountered Daddy and Kili fixing ropes, which slowed our progress. After 6.5 hours of steady climbing, we were halted; the Sherpas couldn’t secure the route. After 2.5 hours of waiting, Kili declared it impossible to continue due to the sugar-like snow providing no anchor points. I agreed with the decision to descend and prepared for the intimidating rappels.
The first two rappels were tense as climbers above me dislodged snow and ice, showering me with debris. Surprisingly, the rocky section I had feared proved manageable. When the rope tightened, I successfully navigated the challenge, unclipping without issue.
Though disappointed, I noticed improvement in my climbing skills, recognizing my growth since I had needed more help in previous years. Satisfied, I removed my climbing gear and rested. Sasko later remarked positively on the experience, and I agreed, acknowledging the valuable lessons learned.
7/27: C2-> C1
When I wake up the next morning, the calm of the previous night has been shattered by disagreements among our team about whether we made the right decision to turn back. Members from other teams are eager to learn about the conditions we encountered that forced our retreat. Ultimately, they decide to attempt the summit that night, hoping to fix ropes through the section where we got stuck.
I find myself plagued with uncertainty about whether we should also try for the summit tonight. On one hand, joining the other teams would give us more manpower and help us avoid another attempt later. On the other hand, we are all exhausted, and the Sherpas have already put in a Herculean effort. There’s also uncertainty about whether we will have another favorable weather window.
In the end, we decide it’s wiser to head down to Base Camp. Given the uncertainty of returning, we bring all of our supplies down the mountain with us. Unfortunately, Daddy injures his knee while jumping across a crevasse, burdened by heavy gear.
As we descend toward Base Camp that night, we see headlamp lights from other teams climbing above the spot where we got stuck, inching their way toward the summit. We decide to rest for a few hours at Camp 1 before negotiating the icefall back to Base Camp the following morning.
Looking back towards C2 on G1 the next morning.
Unnamed peak with morning light.
7/28: BC -> C2
I woke up at 4:45 AM and we were on the move by 6. I felt sleepy and reluctant to get up. The initial climb to the icefall passed quickly, taking less than two hours. It felt like an eternity, but we made good progress, surrounded by the beautiful light illuminating the peaks.
Once we reached the icefall, we could see that conditions had deteriorated due to the warm weather. Several snow bridges had collapsed, forcing us to find new paths around the crevasses. The rest of the descent became extremely tedious as we navigated a more circuitous route that seemed to stretch on forever. However, we passed stunning rivers and moulins, creating an otherworldly experience. I kept reminding myself how fortunate I was to be in such a special place, and although it felt like suffering at the moment, I knew I would look back fondly on this memory in a year.
The icefall is melting fast.
Daddy and Tracee at Crampon Point.
Eventually, as we neared the end, our cook’s helper appeared with Coca-Cola oddly stored in a Sprite bottle. It was such a relief to see him, and I savored some biscuits and sugar water during our much-needed break. He also brought malas made of flowers for us to drape around our necks to celebrate the summit of Gasherbrum II just a few days earlier.
7/29 -7/30: Rest days at base camp
Highlights included doing laundry, organizing gear, gluing my boot back together, and repairing my Therm-a-Rest. At this point, we were still undecided about whether we would attempt Gasherbrum I again.
My tent is now lonely.
I shared my brightly colored zinc sunscreens with the Sherpas. Pemba applied the pink zinc and, forgetting it was on, walked over to another Daddy, who immediately started laughing and teasing him, saying he looked like a “monkey butt”. This gave all of us a much needed laugh.
We spent the next two days sorting gear and debating whether to make another attempt on Gasherbrum I. We were almost out of food but thankfully the Czech team shared their leftover mountain food with us. Daddy’s knee was swollen and felt unstable from the fall a few days prior, so he decided it was not safe to continue climbing
7/31: BC -> C2
Ang Du, Pemba, Kilu, and I set out just after midnight in a light drizzle. The three of them were determined to continue climbing, but as we entered the icefall, the impact of the warm weather and rain became clear. The glacier had melted considerably, forcing us to spend hours searching for a new route.
The “leap of faith” part of the icefall.
My spirits dropped to a new low as I questioned whether pushing for the summit was worth the potential risk to our team. After much effort, we finally found a way through the icefall, which required downclimbing into several crevasses. As we reached the top, the sun rose, only to reveal the next section was hazardous due to wet, rotten snow. We spread out and moved cautiously roped together, our fatigue mounting. As we approached Camp 1, we encountered a team of climbers who had summited Gasherbrum II the day before. They warned us of a newly opened giant crevasse between us and Camp 1, forcing a tedious detour to retrieve our cached gear. Thankfully, the rain ceased, and the sun emerged, bringing a sweltering heat that left us exhausted at this high elevation.
After nearly 19 hours of climbing, we finally arrived at Camp 2.
8/1: C2->Summit->C2
The four of us set off around 2 PM, and I immediately began using supplemental oxygen, still drained from yesterday’s grueling 19-hour push. The Japanese Couloir proved just as physically demanding as I remembered. When we reached the point where we had turned back before, we found some new rope to help us traverse to better snow—our last fixed rope for the climb.
Approaching the Japanese Couloir.
By the time we arrived at Camp 3, the sun had set, and we crawled into an abandoned tent. The Sherpas melted snow, allowing us to refill our water bottles and savor some ramen. After a short nap, we woke to heavy snowfall, which obscured our path. Concerned we might be off course since none of us had summited this mountain before, we used my InReach to transmit our location to Mingma G at K2 basecamp. Though the communication was slow and cumbersome, it ultimately guided us back on track. As the snow finally eased and the sun began to rise, navigation became clearer.
The climb was steep and unyielding, but by 12 PM, we reached the summit ridge, only to see the true summit another 60 feet up. Fatigue washed over me, and I briefly questioned the need to continue, but the Sherpas’ encouragement reignited my determination. Together, we stood atop the true summit, a moment where I deeply appreciated their unwavering support and strength.
Kili and Tracee on the summit G1.
Roped together, we began the slow descent as fatigue, dehydration, prolonged time in the death zone, and hunger set in. My mind started to unravel, leading to vivid hallucinations where I imagined I was climbing Mount Rainier with friends. My perception of danger faded, and the line between reality and illusion blurred. When I began incoherently speaking nonsense, Kili shot me a concerned look and firmly brought me back to reality. We decided to stop at the makeshift Camp 3 to melt snow and share our remaining Snickers bar. That brief rest revived me, and we continued down to Camp 2, arriving long after sunset. We collapsed into our tents, utterly spent. I was humbled by the physical demands of this 30-hour summit attempt and acutely aware that I wouldn’t have stood a chance at the summit without the support of Ang Du, Kili, and Pemba.
8/3: C2->Basecamp
We began our descent to Base Camp a little after 8 AM, buoyed by the recent achievement of standing on the summit of Gasherbrum I. However, the journey was slow and exhausting. The Sherpas, carrying large loads, worked hard to transport all our gear down, as we had no plans to return. The heavily crevassed and dangerous terrain demanded our full attention, and the fatigue from the previous days weighed heavily on us. As darkness fell, we finally arrived back at Base Camp, only to find the dining tent had been taken down in preparation for our trek out. Despite the challenges of the day, the memories of our summit success invigorated us, reminding us of the extraordinary journey we had just completed.
Kili, Pemba, Ang Du, Tracee and Crampon Point after G1 summit.