 Making way up Kaola Pk. Photo: Roland Magg |
Writes Ulrike Kiefer: I find
it quite difficult to sum up in a few words what has been a multitude
of experiences. This expedition was everything an expedition should
be:
We were visiting areas where hardly anyone else had ever been, even the local Kirghiz didn't know the way. This caused some confusion and delay on the walk to base camp. The camels lost their way on the first day. When we were to move onto the Kuksay glacier and planned to change from camels to donkeys and porters, there were not enough of either and we had to portage part of our equipment, in total 1000kg, ourselves. Base camp was established at 4500m. Whatever we did was a first of some sort. We had to find our own routes through unknown terrain, negotiate the moraines and crevasses of the Kuksay glacier, find access to the peaks and a feasible route up. After only one day at base camp everyone went off to explore and establish subcamps for future ascents. The first to bag a peak were Andrew Kendall, Roland Magg, Jaana Ball, Roy Kendall and Greig Stewart. They had chosen Kala Peak, 5643m, probably unclimbed, but there is some doubt and this has to be confirmed still. Next were Pawel Wuzyk, Martin Bruning and Ian Bailey on Peak 5634 (5634m), a peak never climbed before. A few days before we were due to leave Andrew Kendall and Martin Bruning climbed Peak 5640 (5640m), also a virgin peak. Laubie Laubscher, Marc van Reenen and Ulrike Kiefer tried for many days to gain access to Peak 6355, a beautiful pyramid dominating that part of the valley. In the process they climbed various ice routes up the south side of the valley hoping to discover a possible route across to 6355, but in the end they had to accept defeat. Ulrike then joined up with Roland Magg with the other unclimbed 6000m peak as their objective. They attempted a direct line up the 800m east face of Peak 6088. After a long day of non-stop climbing they were lucky to find the first possible bivvy place at about 5800m at 11h at night! On the 2nd day of their epic, within 200m of the summit, they found the conditions of the summit ridge too dangerous for further progress and they were able to down climb safely to their high altitude camp. A second ascent of Tuyuk, 6161m, was done by Pawel Wuzyk, Roy Kendall, Ian Bailey and Jaana Ball with our agent Andrey Ershov. |
We were working together as a team whenever necessary, yet everyone was free to choose his own mountain and route and pursue his ambitions. Despite various problems during the walk in and a critical shortage of food at base camp, spirits were high all the time. I am proud to say that we came back even better friends than we were before.
I believe we all learned something. For some it might have been technical skills in ice climbing, for others experiencing the dynamics of an expedition team. Most of the team members were actively involved with the planning and preparations for one or another portfolio, such as equipment, food, first aid, sponsorship or logistics, and gained valuable knowledge.
This expedition was sponsored by the MCSA with a hyperbaric pressure bag, various ropes and some cash, by Quyn with a satellite phone permit, by PVM Products with energy bars, by Techniblock with medical supplies and sunblock, by Duracell with batteries, by Bromor Foods with Game and by Inow with a Web Site. Thanks to all of them! (All major expenses were paid for by the team members).
Muztagh-Ata from the Eastern shores of Lake Karakul. Photo: Jenny Paterson
Trekking group leader