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K2 - A Magic Climb! (Speakers on, guys)
Agu 5, 2004 22: 20 EST
Tougher mountain. Check. Tougher climb. Check. Tougher route. Check. What do we have? K2, on the Magic Line!
Oscar Cadiach, Jordi Corominas, Jordi Tosas, Manel de la Matta and Valen Giró are attempting the first repetition of the Magic Line on K2. Once described as suicidal by Reinhold Messner, the line is considered the most difficult route on K2. They’ve made it as high as C3, at 7500m, and are now back in BC waiting for a weather window to launch their summit push. The Magic team climbs without sherpas and oxygen and will not have fixed ropes above 7500 m on their summit push.
As hundred plus climbers gathered on the Abruzzi Spur, the Catalonians worked hard on their own, solitary line. They also took time to enjoy their climb, and captured some of it on this video (make sure you have those speakers on loud!).
In fact, Oscar Cadiach is one of the most recognized high altitude cameramen in Spain. The images were sent to the Catalonian TV3 network, who kindly allowed ExWeb to edit the clip you’re now watching.
"Suicidal excellence”
The South West Pillar of K2 was dubbed "The Magic Line" in a widely publicized pre-expedition tour. Reinhold Messner took one look at this route in 1979, called it "suicidal", and switched to the normal Abruzzi route. The line was climbed in 1986 by a Polish team, and is still the hallmark of "suicidal excellence.” What else would you call exceptionally hard, steep sections of icy rock at extreme altitude.
Free Tibet
The head of the current "Tarragona Magic Line Expedition 2004" is Oscar Cadiach, who has done 5 expeditions to Everest, 2 of which reached the summit. Cadiach has also climbed Nanga Parbat, Shisha Pagma, Makalu and Lhotse. He opened the route 'Free Tibet' on Cho Oyu and did a new route on Broad Peak central.
Team members include Manel de la Matta who climbed Cho Oyu and Shisha Pagma. Jordi Tosas descended Cho Oyu on a snowboard. Jordi Corominas climbed Daulagiri alone.
Three step strategy, one yet to go
The team set a three step climbing strategy for the 3600m long Magic Line, two of which they already accomplished. It took many days of 24 hour shifts on technical ice, rock and mixed sections:
Part 1: BC – Negrotto Coll. 1300 vertical meters. Snow and ice climbing up a couloir. The climb: Snow conditions demanded strict focus and working night shifts.
Part 2: Negrotto – Pulpit. 1200 vertical meters. Technically demanding rock and mixed climb, following the edge of a buttress.
The climb: Before reaching the top of the outstanding rock bastion known as ‘The Pulpit’, Jordi Tosas described the climb between C2 and C3 as: ”A progression over huge rock overhanging pillars, followed by snow couloirs more than 45 degrees steep, where we struggled in waist-deep snow. We would have progressed much faster in hard snow conditions or on ice.”
The Catalonians set their Camp III at 7500m (above the Pulpit) last week, just before an approaching storm forced them back to BC.
Terra Incognita at 8000+
Next up, Part 3: Pulpit – Summit. 1100 vertical meters. “Terra incognita” - through couloirs and rock outcrops. There are almost no data on this section from the first climbers, and so it is the most intriguing section for the team.
The Magic Line 2004 climbers describe it as, “something like Matterhorn, but at 8000m.” For their summit push strategy, the Catalonian plan is to climb “in alpine style, no fixed rope from camp 3, going as light and fast as possible. We plan to pitch a small tent at 8.100m, were we could bivouac for one or two nights.”
Bonatti is watching
The Magic guys already marked themselves as a “different” bunch in more ways than their line: They were the ones to raise hell about, and go up for the currently missing two climbers on Abruzzi after most other teams went home. For the K2 anniversary this past Saturday, the climbers dispatched a tribute to to a character of the story that, although he played a fundamental role in K2's conquest, is rarely mentioned these days: Walter Bonatti. The climber took revenge in his own way: Solo climbs, first ascents, new technical routes all over the world, elegance in the itineraries and methods, Bonatti proved without a shadow of doubt that he was one of the best climbers of his time, if not in all of climbing history.
”The values that brought us to the Magic Line”
Wrote the Magic Line team in their dispatch: “Bonatti represents the true spirit of Alpinism: Commitment, exposure, tenacity, courage and self discipline. Those are precisely the values that brought us to the Magic Line”.
“Face the void from the mountains to find myself...”; those Bonatti’s words have a special meaning to us now, after living face to face with K2 for two months.”
Oscar Cadiach, Jordi Corominas, Jordi Tosas, Manel de la Matta and Valen Giró are attempting the first repetition of the Magic Line, once described as suicidal by Reinhold Messner, and considered the most difficult route on K2. They’ve made it as high as C3, at 7500m, and now are in BC waiting for a weather window to launch their summit bid.
Video Images courtesy of Catalonian TV3 Network/ Televisió de Catalunya, edited by ExplorersWeb. Pictures of Magic Line team Copyright K2 Magic Line 2004 Expedition. Music "Punk Covers, Total eclipse of the Heart."
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