Expeditions: Broad Peak, K2, Patagonia

Crucial moments for Mondinelli and Filo delo Impossibile attempting Broad Peak, and Denis Urubko, Wielicki and the Winter Polish Expedition attempting the first winter ascent of K2

February 2003

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We can't even begin to imagine how terrible winter must be on the Karakorum 8000m peaks. Silvio Mondinelli and the Spanish mountaineers currently climbing Broad Peak, or Wielicki, Urubko and teammates battling it out on nearby K2 definitely know. The teams are attempting the first winter ascent of the 12th and 2nd highest mountain in world, and for both the moment of truth has arrived.

Things aren't much different for the Ragni di Lecco in Patagonia, where strong winds have had the upperhand, forcing the Ragni to abandon their hopes of climbing the West Face of Cerro Piergiorgio. The expedition is now concentrating its efforts on climbing new routes on minor peaks in the vicinity. News on ragnilecco.com

Bubu Bole, Riccardo Milani e Ulderico Mazzoleni have arrived in Patagonia and hope to climb a new route up the South Face of Cerro Torre. This should not prove easy. So far the team has completed the hard work of transporting all the gear to beneath the face. News on climbubu.com

Broad Peak (8047m). Mondinelli and his Filo delo Impossibile teammates have just a few days left to reach the summit. Conditions have been terrible during their 30 day stay, with just 4 days of good weather and temperatures as cold as -40 Â°C, 99% humidity and constant gale force winds. The team has reached 6400m and established 2 camps. or rather, had established, since these and all the gear (including the fixed ropes) were blown away during a storm. Given the situation, their only chance for a successful summit bid rests in an alpine style ascent. The group now plans to head for the summit in two pushes, and installing a tent used previously at Basecamp. Strength and a great dose of luck will be needed. News on gnaromondinelli.it

K2 (8611m). The latest news (25/02) places Denis Urubko at 7750m, where Camp 4 had previously been established but was blown away by the strong winds (up to 180km/h). Denis set up a small tent and was reached 1.5 hours later by Marcin Kaczkan, exhausted as not properly acclimatised. Both are without medicine, have just one stove and have been forced to sleep on their ropes to isolate themselves from the cold. No one knows how cold it is at Camp 4, but 500m lower down, at Camp 3 where Wielicki spent the night, the thermometer dropped to –36 Â°C at 8.00pm... News on russianclimb.com

The next few hours will be crucial. Let's keep our fingers crossed!