Expedition Gasherbrum II (8035m) - Final report (Hardwear Sessions)

August 6, 2009
By Patricia Bamert, Office of Ueli Steck

Ueli Steck

Expedition Gasherbrum II | Photo Courtesy of Ueli Steck

A little bit earlier than scheduled my wife and I returned back to Switzerland. So I have enough time to pack the rest for the upcoming Makalu expedition and to get some rest, before I will definitively leave for Nepal on August 20, 2009.

I am very happy about the Gasherbrum expedition. Though Gasherbrum II is a an easy peak to climb and the weather was very unstable, with high winds and a lot of precipitations, I could celebrate my first ascent on a peak over 8000 meters. Celebrate is not really the right word to use: with 5 minutes peak stop and the upcoming descent back to camp 2, my euphoria was quite modest. A lot of snow shaped the season. I left camp 2 at 6500 meters on July 9 towards summit. I struggled through deep snow, which was either knee or hip deep. 12 hours I dug myself through the snow. On the summit pyramid I was about to give up. "What is this all about," I told myself after hours of tracking through the deep snow. I can't be so far anymore to the summit, I thought, and mountaineering is just a matter of will. "Move on," was my device.

Gasherbrum II

Expedition Gasherbrum II |Photo Courtesy of Ueli Steck

When I finally reached the summit the wind was so strong, that I could stand only bent. Afterwards I was happy, that the weather conditions were so bad. With wind speeds of 50 to 60 km/h, approx. minuse 25 degrees celcius and plenty of snow I could test my equipment. And I know now, how fast I can climb in this altitude. The descent back to camp 2 took me only 2 ½ hours.

As usual I recorded everything very carefully. So I was able to complete the missing information I needed.

My motivation is very high. With the route "Golden Gate" at El Capitan in the United States this spring, which I was able to free climb and with my ascent on Gasherbrum II (8035m) in Pakistan I could realise two completely different projects. Expressed very simply: these two projects cannot be more contrary. Personally these are two big achievements for me. The complexity of my work out for the upcoming expedition to Nepal is huge. I think I have done a good job. They give me the necessary confidence and confirmation that my training schedule was not totally wrong.

Unfortunately I could not realise a second summit ascent together with my wife. The weather was too bad and we still wanted to do some climbing in another part of the region.

These were unforgettable weeks in Pakistan. We gained new friends. The Pakistani who accompanied us, our porters who helped us to carry our equipment to BC were wonderful people. The landscape was unique, simply breathtaking.

The Makalu expedition will start shortly and I will inform you about the expedition soon.