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Karakorum 2005 expeditions list is up!
Mar 14, 2005 13: 18 EST
In May 2005, teams will gather in Pakistan to attempt to climb its sharp spires and mighty 8000ers. Climbing fees are low and the country's political environment seems stable. And climbers, as always, will have a number of amazing mountains to choose from.
A remarkable number of teams will attempt ‘Naked Goddess,’ Nanga Parbat (8125m), in western Pakistan. Some of them will attempt the classic Kinshofer route on the Diamir side. As well, American Steve House and Slovenian Marko Prezelj will attempt a new route on the sheer Rupal face, financed by a recently won Mugs Stump Grant.
Baltoro porters availability
By June, teams will begin their approach to the Baltoro giants: K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum I & II. After the anniversary fever on K2, the number of permits granted this year has decreased. However, new teams should show up in upcoming months.
Time will tell if the lack of available porters will be a problem, as it was last year. In summer 2004, dozens of teams reached Skardu and found out that all the Balti porters had already been hired and were on their way to the Baltoro Glacier. The crowding in K2 Base Camp raised a lot of eyebrows; there were also more than 100 climbers on the Gasherbrums circus.
K2 might be quiet this year, but there will again be many teams, most of them with large groups of climbers, BC staff, and accompanying trekking groups on Gasherbrum I (Hidden Peak) and Gasherbrum II.
The double-header attempts
2004 was the season of the double-headers. Many teams planned to climb two Karakorum 8000ers due to the lowered climbing fees. The most common option was to acquire permits for both Gasherbrums, which share part of the same route. Other teams had the ambition to go for both Broad Peak and K2.
However, not a single climber managed to climb more than one 8000er. The teams ran out of time because of the poor weather conditions. This year, for now, there is only one Norwegian team attempting GI and GII, and an American group led by Chris Warner shooting for K2 and Broad Peak.
‘Vertical trekking’ peaks
Climbers will also head for the Karakorum spires. Those peaks below 6500m are considered ‘trekking peaks’ and have thus waived the climbing fee. Though, there is no way to trek up most of them: The ragged Karakorum Range consists mostly of rock and ice spires with demanding vertical mixed sections, attainable only to very skilled climbers.
Check all the confirmed teams heading for Pakistan in our 2005 Karakorum expeditions list, which will be updated as new teams show up!
Image of climbers on K2 last year, copyright Magic Line 2004 expedition.
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