K2 Magic Line: Manel will rest in K2 Memorial
Agu 22, 2004 13: 08 EST
Manel de la Matta will stay forever at the foot of K2. The Catalan climber will rest in K2 Base Camp Memorial, following the will of Manel's wife, parents and siblings.
K2 BC Memorial is a place where other K2 climbers have been buried, such as Italian Renatto Casarotto, in whose steps the Catalonian team climbed this season. Renatto died back in 1986 when he too was attempting the Magic Line. He fell into a crevasse on the Phillipo glacier, not far form Base camp, after reaching 8300 meters in a solo climb along the route.
By a twist of fate, Oscar Cadiach, the Catalonian team leader, found remains of the Italian climber some weeks ago. Cadiach informed Casarotto's widow and coordinated the task of moving the remains to their
final burial place in K2 Memorial.
According to an official release, the Catalonian regional government is taking charge of the task to move Manel's body from CI on the Magic Line to the burial site.
Manel de la Matta was born in Madrid in 1963, but lived in Barcelona (Catalonia). He was the first director of the Fedme (Spanish Federation of Climbing and Mountaineering) High Mountain School. An UIAGM Mountain Guide, he was currently the director of the Mountain Sport Techniques School of the Escuela Pia, in Catalonia.
At midnight local time, on August 17th, Jordi Corominas reached the top of K2 through the Magic Line, accomplishing the first repetition after a Polish/Slovak team in 1986.
Oscar Cadiach and Manel de la Matta turned back from their attempt, and climbed down from their camp at 8100 m on the morning of August 16. They spent that night in Camp 3, and the next night in C1, at 6400m, where Manel died of altitude related causes.
The Catalonian K2 Magic Line 2004 expedition members were Oscar Cadiach, Manel de la Matta, Jordi Corominas, Jordi Tosas and Valentí Giró.
Image of Renato Casarotto's burial ground in K2 Base Camp Memorial, Copyright K2 Magic Line 2004 Expedition.
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