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| Broad Peak 8947-M |
A small Iranian
expedition has climbed new terrain on the southwest side of Broad Peak. While
the line is not independent, the top section appears difficult and committing.
A much larger Iranian
team first tried this line in 2009. It begins well to the right of the Normal
Route, climbing a southwest facing rocky rib to reach the crest of the
south-southwest spur at 6,226m.
This appears to be
the same spur that the Mexican Carlos Carsolio climbed solo, and in alpine
style, in 1994, though Carsolio climbed much of it on the right flank, whereas
the Iranians are likely to have followed the crest more diligently.
Carsolio found
difficulties of UIAA V and 70°. The Iranians overcame a 30m overhanging loose
rock step, and towards the top a section of 75° ice. They fixed 1,600m of
fixed rope.
Above, the crest of
the spur becomes a knife-edge with gendarmes, features that Carsolio mentioned
in his description and which gave him some trouble. Above a snow dome at 6,290m
the spur merges with a large inclined glacial plateau, which rises steadily to
join the Normal Route at 6,800m.
Carsolio reached the
Normal Route but was forced down by inclement weather. He descended the Normal
Route, only to return by this line later and solo a new route to the summit.
The Mexican moved
right from the standard Camp 3, climbing steep mixed terrain and hard rock
directly to the Foresummit. From there he traversed easily to the main top. He
self-belayed the difficulties, and close to 8,000m made multiple attempts on a
strenuous grade V diedre before finally succeeding.
In 2009 two of the
Iranian team, following Carsolio's lower route across the plateau, reached the
standard Camp 3 at around 7,000m but altitude sickness forced them down.
Immediately prior to
this Iranian attempt the rib had climbed in alpine style by French Ludovic
Giambiasi and Elizabeth Revol. They reached the crest of the spur in two days,
but large amounts of early season snow made onward progress too dangerous.
This year there were
only five members in the Iranian team. Following the same route as the 2009
expedition, Aidin Bozorgi, Pouya Keivan and Mojtaba Jarabi reached Camp 3 and
left for the summit on 13 July.
Their plan was to
traverse out right on a lower line than that followed by Carsolio, then slant
across mixed terrain and snow to reach the main summit directly.
It proved difficult.
The three made a bivouac (with tent) at 7,350m, and the following day could
climb no more than 100m to a second bivouac at 7,450m.
From there they made
better progress, bivouacking again at around 8,000, before reaching the summit
on 16 July, with plenty of time left that day to reverse the Normal Route to
Camp 3.
But it was not to be.
Despite communicating that they were in reasonably good shape on the summit,
they made two more bivouacs before reaching the 7,900m col (on the Normal Route
below the Foresummit) on the 18th.
At the time of
writing it appears they are still in the vicinity of the col, but with no food
or water, no shelter as their tent had been blown away, totally exhausted and
with one member in a poor state, they are unable to move any further.
A full scale rescue
has been implemented but the first attempt, by two Pakistan high altitude porters,
trying to reach the climbers directly from Camp 3, failed.
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