|
|
Oscar Cadiach: following Mallory's trail
Jul 7, 2004 12: 03 EST
Oscar Cadiach, born in Barcelona in 1952, doesn't look exactly like famed George Leigh Mallory who climbed up Everest to his death - and immortality - back in 1924. Nevertheless, the resemblance seemed enough for a Spanish TV producer, filming a documentary on the historic feat. Taking part in a real expedition to Everest North Side in 2000, Cadiach was dressed up in 1920's climbing clothes and sent up the mountain, along with Alberto Cerain playing the role of Andrew Irvine. Despite the fact that they wore a top-of- the-line insulation layer under their woolen pants and canvas jackets, they both nearly froze to death.
In another coincidence, the tallest mountain on earth has been the center of both Mallory's and Cadiach's lives. Cadiach is considered the best climber in Catalonia (Northeastern Spain), he was the first 'Catalan' to summit Everest and the first Spanish to make it to the summit from both sides. In fact, his was among the first western group -Cadiach, Toni Sors and Carles Vallés in 1985- to reach Everest's Summit from the NNE Ridge, Mallory's route.since Mallory and Irvine's attempt. His daughter was born during his summit.
He's been six times to that mountain. Whatever he did afterwards, he'd be remembered in his land as the Everest climber.
Sea level dreams
Who would have seen that coming from a ship captain's son, who lived since he was seven in Tarragona, by the Mediterranean Sea? If people only knew that, as a boy, he took his bicycle and rode 300km in one day just to get to Montserrat (the 'sacred' mountain range for all Catalans), they wouldn't be so surprised.
His Everest fame, however, does not do Cadiach justice. He has accomplished much more difficult and committed climbs in the Himalayas. and beyond. His first trip to the Himalayas was to attempt the exposed Rakhaposhi, in the Karakorum. His first 8000+ was Nanga Parbat (1984) by the impressive Rupal face, after eight days in alpine style along with Jordi Mariñá.
After a close call in the mythic Eigernordwand (he had to be rescued in the middle of winter), his next success is the solo summit of Broad Peak North (7.650m.). Apparently he liked the mountain, as next year he came back to explore and to climb for fist time a 6200m peak he named Tarraco Kangri. Then 12 months after, returned again and opened Fem Tarragona to Central Broad Peak by its unknown Chinese side, along with two other climbers.
Filming Hillary
In 1993 he works as a high altitude cameraman in Edmund Hillary's ecological expedition to Everest. He did a great job, and took advantage of the circumstances to summit again, without supplementary oxygen, by the South Col route. That fall he climbed Shisha Pangma by the south side along with Manel de la Matta (now climbing along with him on K2) and Chantal Maudit (one of the five women to summit K2).
Next year came another new route on an 8000+ mountain: the amazing 'Free Tibet' on Cho Oyu, climbed along with Austrian, Sebastian Rucksteiner, by the North Ridge. Already working as a mountain guide, he repeated Cho Oyu with a client the next year. He climbed Makalu in alpine style in 1998, GII in 99, Lhotse in 2001. Currently he is attempting K2 for the third time (second try by the Magic Line).
Beware the Big Brother
He is a skilled outdoor cameraman, a prestigious mountain guide, a reference in Spanish climbing. He owns a climbing gear shop in Tarragona where people go searching for climbing shoes or backpacks, but mostly they come searching for his advice and a nice chat. He is a serious man who never has smoked and never drinks coffee. He was doing so well that the climbing community didn't understood why he accepted taking part in a mountain oriented reality show for a Catalonian TV channel, teaching and guiding a bunch of totally inexperienced contestants (three guys and three young 'señoritas', you know the kind) up to Aconcagua.
Well, it was a job as any other, which he accomplished perfectly. Oscar managed to keep a quiet smile during the whole process, attended the daily live updates patiently and reached the goals expected: none of the brats were injured, and even a couple of them made it to the summit, describing the moment as "Ooohhh, sooo exciiiitiing". After finishing the job he went for the Magic Line. Back to the real thing. One year after, here he is again, knowing that his possibilities of reaching the summit are much scarcer than on the Abruzzi route, but performing an amazing climb nevertheless.
The South West Pillar of K2, 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. It was climbed in 1986 by a Polish team, and is still the hallmark of "suicidal" excellence, with exceptionally hard, steep sections of icy rock at very high altitudes.
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 climbed Nanga Parbat, and opened the route 'Free Tibet' on Cho Oyu and a new route on Broad Peak central. He has also climbed Shisha Pagma, Makalu and Lhotse.
Team members also include Manel de la Matta has climbed Cho Oyu and Shisha Pagma. Jordi Tosas descended Cho Oyu on a snowboard. Jordi Corominas has climbed Daulagiri alone. And Valentí Giró.
Images of Oscar on K2 Copyright K2 Magic Line 2004 Expedition; along with Cerain playing the role of Irvine (left) and Mallory, courtesy of TVE; along with 'El Cim' guys, courtesy of TV3 Catalonian TV channel. Image of Manel de la Matta and Oscar Cardiach courtesy of Ian Bergeron.
|
|
Feature Stories |
|
Latest News |
more news |
 |
ExWeb Interview: Damian Benegas - Return to a Dangerous Land
Full Story
|
 |
ExWeb Interview: Manuel Gonzalez - Turning to the Gasherbrums to h
Full Story
|
 |
Menno Boermans: Frozen images from Broad Peak
Full Story
|
 |
K2 2005: Base Camp Clinic!
Full Story
|
 |
K2: Americans for 2005 SSE Ridge Alpine style attempt
Full Story
|
 |
Karakorum climbing permit Sale to continue!
Full Story
|
 |
Silvio Mondinelli/Edurne Pasaban Nanga Parbat 2005
Full Story
|
|
|
| Ireland K2 expedition leaving town Sunday Jun 3, 2005 | | Avalanche alert in Pakistan and media reports of 2005 causalties Jun 2, 2005 | | Vikings for Pakistan sky descents! Jun 1, 2005 | | Russians for K2 West Face first ascent May 31, 2005 | | ExplorersWeb Week in Review May 30, 2005 | | Pakistan's last images of Chinese/Tibet expedition May 28, 2005 | | China/Tibet's great loss - Rena dies, Bianba Zaxi seriously injured May 28, 2005 | | China/Tibet Gasherbrum expedition caught in big avalanche May 28, 2005 | | Simone Moro's Batura II expedition: “Thank God Alpinism is anything but dead,” part 2 final May 26, 2005 | | Simone Moro's Batura II expedition: "Thank God alpinism is anything but dead" part 1 May 25, 2005 |
| | Iridium: "Invalid battery - matches found, 0" May 24, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
2004
BEST of EXPLORERSWEB
|
|
|
|
