Old photos & Diaries

Shishapangma Expedition 2003
the camps

Eventually we headed to depot camp for a nights acclimatization before C1. Our first acclimatization trip was for 5 nights. Then we waited at ABC for our summit push. The weather looked like it was turning fine so we set off but a few days later at C1 it wasn't good so we headed back to ABC. Although it looked like we had plenty of time it was quickly eaten and we watched teams abandoning their climbs, out of time. We waited eventually heading up with only a couple of spare days. Our plan was C1, C2 then C3 but at C1 the weather still didn't look stable so we used a spare day there. Then things looked good...

Camp 1 is set between crevasses, barely visible here and often invisible.

First we have to get there. We did a day trip up to depot camp then later stayed the night. To this point is just walking so we stored our One Sport boots, crampons and axes here. We camp on rock-covered ice.

From Depot camp flags show a route thru the penitentés.
Our first trip thru took around three and half hours, later moving fast but with a load took around 30 minutes.

Once thru the penitentés the route ascends a flattish glacier that steepens and near Camp 1 is crevassed.

Camp 1 can be extremely windy and several tents were destroyed, but none of ours.

Finally at Camp 2 the mountain looks more doable, except for the altitude. Often teams put Camp 2 much closer to the ridge on the left.
Camp 3 is the flat area on the left ridge.

Leaving Camp 2 for Camp 3.

There was rope fixed for part of the climb to the ridge and we temporarily fixed our own for the higher sections.

We can see a long way from C3. More importantly the weather was looking good for the next day.

One of the Japanese expeditions offered their Camp 3 tent to our crew but
we were in for a surprise when we arrived at C3.
It took three hours to dig it out to a useable point.

jdesign -- all rights reserved -- frozen in time July 2013