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ExWeb Interview: Damian Benegas - Return to a Dangerous Land
May 30, 2005 08: 47 EST
Previously published Mar 24, 2005 11: 26 EST
Twin brothers Guillermo (Willie) and Damian Benegas are taking another stab at Latok I (7145 m), in Pakistan’s Karakorum Range. They hope to finish the task they started last year: The world’s first ascent of the North Ridge of Latok I, a.k.a. the Walker Spur of the Karakorum.
The brothers opened the route last year, until bad weather and poor conditions on the wall forced them to retreat. But they vowed to return. “The Twins will be back,” they promised. After all, the formidable wall had danced in their imaginations for years, as Damian himself told ExWeb in a previous interview: “I was impressed from the moment I saw a picture taken by Michael Kennedy in a magazine, years ago,” he sighed. “It is a perfect spur rising from a completely flat glacier. A real beauty.”
Willie is on his way to Everest, where he will be working as a guide for a commercial expedition. Damian was at home, and he chatted with Explorersweb about the team’s climbing plan and the current climbing environment in Pakistan.
ExWeb: What are your plans for Latok, Damian?
Damian: Our plan is to complete the route we started last year on the ridge, but we also want to take a look at the north face, which was our second possible goal on Latok I. First of all, we must get there and check the conditions on the face though.
ExWeb: What conditions are you expecting on the wall?
Damian: Well, we are pretty concerned about that. Our contacts in Pakistan have been reporting heavy snow fall during the entire winter. Apparently, this year’s precipitation has broken all the records in the area. Therefore, we are afraid that the wall could be overloaded with snow, even in summer. It all depends on the weather conditions this spring.
ExWeb: After 2004’s experience, are you keeping the same strategy or have you made any changes?
Damian: The climbing strategy for the route on Latok will be more or less the same, but we have decided to take along more rock climbing gear in order to climb the surrounding granite spires. Last year we spent weeks in BC, when poor weather conditions prevented us from climbing on Latok. However, we could have climbed many surrounding peaks if we had enough equipment. The area has amazing possibilities for new routes on unclimbed rock spires, 5500 to 6200 meters, just a walk away from Base Camp.
ExWeb: Being in the Baltoro glacier area, aren’t you interested in giving one of the surrounding big mountains a try?
Damian: We’ve only got permit for Latok, which is a huge challenge by itself, and climbing lesser rock spires will keep us busy enough during bad weather days. In addition, we don’t have that much time. We will set off for Pakistan on the 13th of June, and we must be back home by August 10th, in order to get ready for the next expedition.
ExWeb: Climbing fees have been reduced 50% in Pakistan since last year. Have you seen an increasing amount of climbers in Pakistan’s mountains?
Damian: Yes…and no. Let me explain: There are more climbers in Pakistan, but they all gather in the same places. Of course the Karakorum 8000ers are much more crowded than on previous years. There are also climbing teams on the better known big walls. However, there are not so many ‘exploratory’ teams, looking for new routes on unclimbed peaks. Less and less teams are willing to exploit the infinite climbing options in the country. Last year, we were on Latok and Steve House’s team was on Charakrusa and K7, but no one else seemed to be interested in unclimbed mountains.
ExWeb: What could be the reason, in your opinion?
Damian: There might be several reasons, but at the top is the fact that Pakistan is not a safe place. The Baltoro area from Skardu is OK, but the rest of the country, specially isolated areas, may be problematic. For instance, I hope I don’t have to drive on the Karakorum Highway again. You can feel it in the environment, even the local drivers are nervous when they drive the KKH. They ask you not to go out alone in places such as Chilas. I’d rather fly from Islamabad to Skardu and avoid trouble.
ExWeb: What about fall season, have you got any climbing plans in the Himalayas?
Damian: Oh, we have indeed! We want to do something new on Cho Oyu. In fact, we are part of a group of skiers and snowboarders which will climb the mountain through the normal route, but we want to move farther up to the north face. We are watching pictures of the face and studying different climbing options there, in order to open a new route. We haven’t yet fixed a goal, but we think there could be a possible new line between the Yugoslavian route and the ‘Free Tibet’ route opened by Spanish climber Oscar Cadiach. Perhaps we will try there. Our goal, anyway, is to open a new route on Cho Oyu.
Damian and Willie (Guillermo) Benegas, born in Argentina and living in the USA, have attracted the attention of the climbing community since they were very young. They began their career by opening routes in their homeland, mostly in Patagonia and Aconcagua. Then they extended their efforts to the rest of the Andes, tried extreme rock-climbing on big walls such as El Capitan (Yosemite), and soon headed for the Himalayas. They own a guiding company.
In 2003 they were the first to climb the North Pillar of Nuptse. The result, after an alpine style non-stop six day climb, was a new route named “Crystal Snake.” Last summer, they attempted their first climb on the North Ridge of Latok I.
Live Image over Contact 3.0 of Damian (or Willie –it’is hard to tell as they are twins) in Camp II on Latok last year, courtesy of Damian Benegas.
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