No summit

Conditions are just not right for a summit of Gasherbrum II, nor a safe Gasherbrum I summit

24 July - up to C1

Originally we had debated heading up in the early morning - we didn't as the coming window seemed more definite for later. However suddenly the weather looked better, a possible window on the 28th-29th, so we planned to leave for C1 after dinner. A good plan, except that a liaison officer visited and after an hour and a half of explaining, we left much later than planned. My Gasherbrum I permit was refused, although some team members were given one, a strange situation. So I have asked again for a permit. In the end we arrived on the 25th at 3am, and so this ruined our plan of C2 on the 25th.

25 July - C1

Because we arrived so late, we didn't go up to C2 today. Instead we enjoyed yet another night at C1, David's 9th night there!

Gasherbrum II is still looking dangerous with snow loaded on prime avalanche slopes above Camp 2; in fact up until this point nobody had even made it up to Camp 2. The sherpas working for the small Japanese team try today but turn back.

26 July - Gasherbrum I Camp 2, 6400m

We headed up to Camp 2, an easy climb that doesn't require a rope, although there are a couple of sections of fixed rope to get over seracs. First, it is some altitude, and second, I really want to make a trip up to the true top of the Col to get a good view into China.

27 July - GI C2 6400m

A rest day to acclimatize here, and the weather was rough, enough cloud and snow that we didn't try going to the Col. Mehrban and Jahan Beg climbed up to Camp 2 on GII and cleared our gear from there, on the way down setting off a small avalanche. The scar was visible from GI.

28 July - GI C3 7000m

The forecast had changed a little, with the 29th and 30th looking better, even if not particularly good.

Camp 2 morning frost and cloud - Jamie

We headed up to Camp 3 up the Japanese Couloir route, which is rather steep (very real 60 degrees in parts). The first section of the rock route was covered some snow making extremely difficult climbing conditions. I doubt any of us could have lead this, at least in these conditions; luckily there were fixed ropes all the way up. The snow sections of the couloir were also very steep, and the , and stayed at Camp 2.

The beginning of the couloir, only 40 degrees, the lowest angle;
I put my camera away after this as it got real steep - Jamie

29 July - Camp 3

We rested here, planning perhaps to climb tomorrow. Late morning, we climbed up over the first ridge as a test and realized (at least I realized) that the team were not fast enough to summit. There also appeared to be significant avalanche danger, perhaps not in the morning, but when returning late in the day.

Søren appeared in the afternoon, feeling good but coughing a bit.

Still though, should we plan a summit push from here? First, it is 1000m (measured vertically) climbing and that is far more than the normal 500m-700m on Cho Oyu or Shishapangma, admittedly straightforward peaks, but still meaning a long summit day. You can count on a maximum of 100m an hour, and if the terrain is difficult then this would be even less, so perhaps a 12-16 hour push to the summit, not counting getting down. There were two more turning points, Mick Parker's assessment of "hideously dangerous", he reckoned. And Mick doesn't exaggerate. And one very skilled climber had fallen and died on the way up to the summit. That was the third death in front of our team this season.

Often on our expeditions I have initially had a hard time deciding about a summit bid, but usually things become clear and we a good window opens up for us. This time I had never really seen a proper window that looked safe. I never had a good feeling. That is the way it was for this season. To me it was clear that we shouldn't be higher up there.