The “King of the Eight-Thousanders”

K2 remains the only eight-thousander still unclimbed in winter. Krzysztof Wielicki declared the Polish winter expedition on the second highest mountain on earth over. “The priority of the expedition is the safety of the participants,” wrote the expedition leader on Facebook. Adam Bielecki and Janusz Golab found during their exploration climb that all ropes up to Camp 1 on the Abruzzi route were blocked. It had to be assumed that the Camps 1, 2 and 3 were destroyed, said Wielicki. In the last week, there had been 80 centimeters of fresh snow. This had increased the avalanche danger, especially in the upper part of the mountain. In addition, only around 11 March a good weather window was expected, but probably it was too short for a summit push, explained Wielicki.

A lot of disquiet

Adam Bielecki after being hit by a stone

The expedition, which brought together the best Polish high altitude climbers, was not running smoothly. First, a part of the team was involved in the rescue operation for Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz on Nanga Parbat. Then, within a few days, two climbers were injured by falling rocks on the Basque route. Bielecki broke his nose but was able to continue the expedition. Rafal Fronia broke his forearm and had to leave early. The team switched to the Abruzzi route. The solo ascent of Denis Urubko, who had not consulted his plan with expedition leader Wielicki, caused further disquiet. The 44-year-old reached an altitude of 7,600 meters, before storm and deep snow stopped him. After returning to the base camp Urubko left the expedition.

Txikon ends his Everest winter expedition

One and a half weeks in Africa including the ascent of the 5895-meter-high Kilimanjaro lie behind me. High time to look at the two winter expeditions on Mount Everest and K2. Because they provided plenty to talk about, especially the expedition on K2. First, however, to the highest of all mountains: As he had already done in 2017, the Spaniard Alex Txikon abandoned his attempt to scale Mount Everest in winter without bottled oxygen. A summit attempt last week ended at 7850 meters, just below the South Col, because the cold was much more severe and the wind significantly stronger than predicted.

No fast weather improvement in sight

Turning back in the Lhotse flank

“The truth is that these are not easy moments, my greatest hope was to go from Camp 4 to the top, but the mountain is the one that decides,” said Alex. “And it was impossible to advance under those conditions. After all, the most important thing for the entire team is to return safely to continue dreaming and enjoying the mountain.” Since the permit for Everest expired at the end of February and there was no weather improvement in sight until mid-March, the expedition team decided to go home.

Urubko turns around at 7600 meters

Denis Urubko on K2

Also for Denis Urubko his winter expedition is over – but for completely different reasons. The native Russian, who has also a Polish passport since 2015, today left in quarrel the Polish expedition on K 2, the second highest mountain in the world. At the end of last week, he set off for a solo summit attempt, without consultation with expedition leader Krzysztof Wielicki. Previously he had tried to convince his powerful team-mate Adam Bielecki to join him. But the Pole, with whom Urubko had rescued the Frenchwoman Elisabeth on Nanga Parbat at the end of January, refused. According to his own words, Denis reached an altitude of about 7,600 meters, just below the so-called “Shoulder”. Due to storm, the 44-year-old finally returned.

Dispute with Wielicki

Urubko (l.) and Wielicki (r.)

Urubko had already stated in an interview with alpinismonline.com before the expedition that a winter expedition was only successful if the summit had been reached before the end of February. Obviously he was dissatisfied with the slow progress of the expedition and tried it on his own. “It was my chance to do something, not just to sit in the base,” said Urubko. “I think I do not need to apologize. The others are not angels, either.” After returning to Base Camp, the team leader announced that Urubko would leave the expedition. “This decision was accepted by the participants of the expedition, who did not see any further possibility of cooperation with Denis after his independent attempt to get the top,” it said. Expedition leader Wielicki even forbade Urubko from using the expedition’s internet connection, “because Denis sent critical information about our expedition and its participants to the media and I did not see a reason for him to continue this.” Previously, Wielicki had considered Urubko’s attempt to be “selfish”: “Denis thinks it’s all about just him, but it’s not. He has put all of us in danger. If something goes wrong, of course we must try to rescue him.”

Urubko scaled all 14 eight-thousanders without bottled oxygen. Twice he succeeded first winter ascents of eight-thousander, both by the way in February: In 2009 with the Italian Simone Moro on Makalu in Nepal and in 2014 with Moro and the American Cory Richards on Gasherbrum II in Pakistan. The Polish winter expedition on K2 continues – without Urubko, probably the strongest climber in the team.

Ascent via the Abruzzi route on K 2

“The weather is not the best,” Krzysztof Wielicki, leader of the Polish K2 winter expedition, writes on Facebook. “Full of clouds and wind.” Denis Urubko ascended via the Abruzzi Spur to an altitude of 6,500 meters to check the condition of the route. Some old ropes are to be replaced, says Wielicki. The Polish climbers  had abandoned “for reasons of safety” their original plan to climb the Basque route (also known as the Cesen route). Previously Adam Bielecki and Rafal Fronia had been injured by rockfall. While Bielecki is able to continue, Fronia had to cancel the expedition because of a broken forearm.

Txikon and Co. waiting in EBC

Alex Txikon in the Lhotse flank at the end of January

On Mount Everest, the Spaniard Alex Txikon, the Pakistani Muhammad Ali “Sadpara””and their Sherpa team are waiting for an opportunity for a summit attempt. “it seems that the weather does not work in our favor,” writes Alex. The climbers are well acclimatized. At the end of January, Txikon and Ali had scaled the 7,161-meter-high Pumori. A few days later, Alex and Co. had climbed on Everest up to an altitude of 7,850 meters, then the weather had turned.

First winter ascent of Gora Pobeda reported

Gora Pobeda in eastern Siberia

Meanwhile, Italian Simone Moro and his South Tyrolean team partner Tamara Lunger announced the first winter ascent of the 3,003-meter-high Gora Pobeda (also called Pik Pobeda) in the icy eastern part of Siberia. “”It snowed all day long, but there was good visibility,” the two climbers informed on Facebook.” It was extremely cold! How cold we do not know yet, we’ll check and tell you.” Gora Pobeda is located only about 140 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. Local reindeer herdsmen had accompanied Moro and Lunger from the last inhabited settlement to the base camp.

It worked out well in the end

“Eh, that was close,” Adam Bielecki writes on Facebook from K2 Base Camp. “Several dozens of meters below camp 1 [at 5,800 m]  I was hit by a big stone. The result is a broken nose and six stitches, which were professionally put by Piotr Tomala and Marek Chmielarski directed by phone instructions from Robert Szymczak. In a few days I should be back in a perfect condition.” Previously, Krzysztof Wielicki, the leader of the Polish winter expedition on the second highest mountain on earth, had reported that Bielecki had been injured on the forehead and nose, although he had worn a helmet. Wielecki emphasized that the 34-year-old had not lost consciousness and was still able to descend to the base camp: “We hope that he will soon be back to full strength.”

Urubko up to 6,550 m

The Polish team fights tough for every meter on the Cesen route in adverse conditions. Denis Urubko has climbed up furthest so far. He reached an altitude of about 6,550 meters above Camp 2 a few days ago. K2 is the last remaining of the 14 eight-thousanders that has never been scaled in winter. The Polish “Ice Warriors” want to change that.

Returned from Nanga Parbat rescue

Denis Urubko (l.) with Elisabeth Revol (r.) after the rescue of the Frenchwoman

Urubko and Bielecki returned from their rescue on Nanga Parbat on 2 February. As reported, they had managed to bring Elisabeth Revol safely from the mountain. The Frenchwoman and the Pole Tomek Mackiewicz had fallen into trouble after their summit success. Tomek – suffering from snowblindness and severe high altitude sickness – had stayed behind at 7,200 meters, unable to descend further. The search for him had been stopped because of the bad weather and the minimal chance of finding him alive.

Txikon and Co. are waiting for another chance

Meanwhile, in the base camp at the foot of Mount Everest, the Spaniard Alex Txikon, the Pakistani Muhammad Ali “Sadpara” and their Nepalese team are waiting for their next chance. At the end of January, they had reached an altitude of 7,850 meters before being forced back by a sudden change in the weather. Txikon and Ali want to scale the highest mountain in the world without bottled oxygen this winter.

Elisabeth Revol in a French hospital

The ridge is narrow at the highest mountains in the world, between luck and danger, between life and death. On Thursday of last week, Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz reached the 8,125-meter-high summit of Nanga Parbat. Elisabeth was the first woman to succeed a winter ascent of this eight-thousander, Tomek the first Pole to set foot on the highest point of Nanga Parbat in the cold season. In the seventh attempt Mackiewicz had finally fulfilled his big dream. For Revol, it was the third attempt, all together with Tomek. The two climbers did not have time to enjoy the second winter ascent of Nanga Parbat on the summit. They were late, it was already 6 pm local time and dark. That was still the smaller problem. “Tomek told me ‘I can’t see anything any more’,” Elisabeth reports from a French hospital, where her severe frostbite on her hands and feet is being treated. “He hadn’t used a mask because it was a bit hazy during the day and by nightfall he had ophthalmia (an inflammation of the eye). We hardly had a second at the top. We had to rush to get down.”

Tomek’s condition deteriorated rapidly

Nanga Parbat

Revol descended ahead, Mackiewicz followed clinging to her shoulder. Tomek’s condition deteriorated rapidly. The 43-year-old suffered from breathing trouble and frostbite. He was no longer able to reach their last high camp. Therefore, the two climbers ran for shelter in a crevasse at about 7,200 meters. At sunrise, “blood was streaming“ from Tomek’s mouth – a sign of an acute life-threatening high altitude edema. Elisabeth made several emergency calls, and some came through.

“They told me,‘If you go down to 6,000 metres, we can pick you up, and we can get Tomek at 7,200 meter’,” says Revol. “It wasn’t a decision I made, it was imposed on me.” To Mackiewicz, she remembers simply saying: “Listen, the helicopter will arrive late afternoon. I must go down, they’ll come to get you.”

Hallucinations with consequences

Denis Urubko (l.) and Adam Bielecki (r.)

However, bad weather delayed the rescue operation. Elisabeth had to spend also the next night in a crevasse, at 6800 meters. She was so exhausted that she hallucinated: She was convinced someone would bring her hot tea if she gave a shoe in return. For five hours, she spent in her icy refuge without a shoe and suffered heavy frostbite. When Revol heard a helicopter, but found that it could not land because of the strong wind, she decided to continue descending – with wet gloves and frostbite on her feet. She did not know then that Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki were climbing up towards her, reports the 37-year-old. At about 3 am in the morning she reached a camp on the Kinshofer route. “And then I saw two headlamps arriving. So I started to yell. And I said to myself,‘OK it’s going to be ok,“ recalls Elisabeth. “It was incredibly emotional.“

Decision about life and death

Tomek Mackiewicz, R.I.P.

That applied also for the two rescuers. “It was a miracle,“ says Denis Urubko in an interview with desnivel.com. First, they got Revol in a tent and cared for her, then they rested until dawn from their exhausting speed climb. According to Denis, the rescue team was faced with a dilemma: “At that moment, we had to make a decision: either help Elisabeth to survive – or climb on, with very little hope of finding Tomek.“ After they had been informed by Revol about Tomek’s condition, and in addition, even worse weather was expected for the upcoming day, the rescuers decided with heavy heart not to continue the ascent and focus instead on the rescue of the Frenchwoman. They escorted Revol further down. At 4,800 meters, a helicopter landed and finally brought Elisabeth to safety. The search for Tomek was declared over because the rescue team saw no chance to find the 43-year-old Pole alive. She wants to “recover as soon as possible“ and then visit Tomek’s children, says Elisabeth. Mackiewicz leaves behind his wife and three children. For Tomek’s family, a fundraising was launched.

Given their all

For sure, a discussion will start now. Questions will be asked, like these: Should have Elisabeth and Tomek given up the summit and turn back earlier? Could the rescue operation have begun earlier? Would not a chance have existed to rescue Mackiewicz alive? Many who have never been on a high mountain will speak up now and do the moralizer. I think this should be answered: Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz have made their decisions self-responsible and only called for help when it became clear that they could not save themselves by their own efforts. In a short time and very unbureaucratically, a rescue operation was organized. The Pakistani helicopter pilots and the four climbers of the Polish K2 winter expedition, who were flown to the Nanga Parbat, risked a lot and gave their all to save Revol and Mackiewicz. All persons involved in the action are to be given thanks. That in the end only the Frenchwoman survived, but Tomek stayed forever on the mountain of his fulfilled dream is tragic, but was under the circumstances probably impossible to prevent. The ridge is narrow at the highest mountains in the world.

Elisabeth Revol and Tomek Mackiewicz

It’s a race against time. A rescue team of climbers from the Polish K2 winter expedition is trying to rescue the Frenchwoman Elisabeth Revol and the Pole Tomek Mackiewicz, who have fallen into difficulties during their summit bid on Nanga Parbat. According to the information available, the 43-year-old Tomek – suffering from snowblindness and frostbite – is staying in a tent at about 7200 meters. “I keep descending, please helicopter tomorrow,” wrote Elisabeth Revol in a text message from her satellite phone. The 37-year-old is said to be somewhere between 6200 and 6400 meters.

Don’t check Adam’s GPS tracker!

Hats off to Denis Urubko (l.) and Adam Bielecki (r.)

Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki of the Polish K 2 team climbed the Kinshofer route, even in the dark. The two almost “sprinted” almost up the wall. In five and a half hours they overcame 1,000 meters of altitude. At around 18:45 CET they were already at just below 5,900 meters. An amazing performance of the two climbers! It is urged not (!) to check Adam’s GPS tracker. The server was overloaded. The team needs the tracker for the rescue, so stay away!

Fingers crossed!

Further down, Jaroslaw Botor and Piotrek Tomala are following with rescue equipment. The four climbers of the rescue team had been picked up by helicopter from K 2 base camp and flown to Nanga Parbat. The weather conditions on the 8,125- meter high mountain are difficult: the higher, the windier. So fingers crossed or pray or both for Elisabeth, Tomek and the courageous rescue team!

Update, 22.30 CET: Denis Urubko und Adam Bielecki have reached Elisabeth Revol at 6,100 m!  She is to be brought to lower altitudes. Well done, Denis and Adam!

R.I.P.

Update, 28 January: Elisabeth was flown to Islamabad where she was treated in hospital because of frostbite on her fingers and toes. The search for Tomek was called off due to bad weather that made a rescue impossible. It was reported that the 43-year-old was already in agony when Elisabeth left him for descent. Allegedly both had summited before. R.I.P., Tomek.

P.S .: Unfortunately, I will not be able to keep you up to date, because I will be on the road for a week from Sunday. So you need to find out elsewhere.

Tomek Mackiewicz on Nanga Parbat

Ready, go! “We are at 7,300 (meters). Terrible fight,” Tomek Mackiewicz is quoted on his Facebook page in telegram style. “If weather permits, tomorrow summit.” If not now, when?, we could add. On Thursday, by far the lowest wind speeds this week are expected for the 8,125 meter summit of Nanga Parbat: 20 to 25 km/h. In addition a few clouds and temperatures of minus 42 degrees Celsius. Thereafter, the wind is to refresh again and reach storm strength at the weekend.

Keep cool!

The 43-year-old Pole Mackiewicz and his 37-year-old French climbing partner Elisabeth Revol, both en route without bottled oxygen, climbed via the still unfinished Messner route. In winter 2015, the two climbers had reached an altitude of 7,800 meters on Nanga Parbat, but had then been forced back by the cold and windy weather. “When I reached out, I could ‘feel’ the summit with the touch of my finger. It was very close,” Elisabeth later reported. “My heartbeat increased, but we were to remain calm.” She and Tomek should also keep cool in their current attempt.

Restless night in Camp 2 on K2

Denis Urubko in Camp 2

The Polish team on K2, with an altitude of 8,611 meters the second highest mountain on earth, has pitched up Camp 2 on the Cesen Route. Denis Urubko was the first to reach the ledge at 6,300 meters and spent one night there: “The tent was shaken strongly by the storm, but somehow I managed to sleep enough.” Denis then descended to the base camp. Three more teammates will be spending the night to Thursday in Camp 2 too, to further acclimatize. The team led by the old master Krzysztof Wielicki wants to succeed  the first winter ascent of K2. The mountain is the last remaining eight-thousander that has never been climbed in the cold season.

Tomek Mackiewicz on Nanga Parbat

Do you already have aching muscles from keeping fingers crossed? Your pain could become even stronger. Because the summit bid of the Pole Tomek Mackiewicz and the Frenchwoman Elisabeth Revol that was expected already for Sunday is delayed. “We are in Camp 3, (it’s) windy (with speeds of)  about 100 km/h,” Tomek is quoted today on his Facebook page. “Tomorrow Camp 4, summit push (on) 25 January. Good weather (is expected for) that day.” In fact, the weather forecast for the summit at 8,125 meters predicts for Thursday the lowest wind speeds this week: between 15 and 25 km/h. Assuming this forecast is correct, it will be almost calm, however with minus 42 degrees Celsius quite cold, some clouds are expected. Mackiewicz and Revol climb without bottled oxygen.

Urubko first climber in Camp 2

K2

Meanwhile, the climbers of the Polish winter expedition are making progress on K2. According to the Facebook page “Polski Himalaim Zimowy 2016-2020” (Polish winter climbing in the Himalayas 2016-2020), Denis Urubko has reached Camp 2 on the Cesen route at 6,300 meters and will spend the night there. Artur Malek and Marek Chmielarski are in Camp 1 at 5,900 meters, it says. K2, with 8,611 m the second highest mountain on earth, is the only eight-thousander that has never been scaled in winter so far.

After Pumori now Everest

On Mount Everest the Spaniard Alex Txikon, the Pakistani Muhammad Ali “Sadpara” and the two Nepalese Nuri Sherpa and Temba Bhote returned from their ascent of the 7161-meter-high Pumori – in their backpacks this small, but nice video:

This winter, Txikon and Ali, two of the three first winter ascenders of Nanga Parbat in 2016, want to reach the summit of Everest at 8,850 meters without breathing masks.

Nanga Parbat

Joining forces is a recipe for success – also in mountaineering. You only need to recall the legendary first ascent of the Eiger North Face in 1938, when the Germans Anderl Heckmair and Ludwig Voerg and the Austrians Heinrich Harrer and Fritz Kasparek started their climbs as two teams of two, banded together in the wall and were successful. Also now on Nanga Parbat, two of the five expedition teams on the mountain have joined their forces in order to have better chances for the first winter ascent on the ninth highest mountain on earth. “Plan A – quick alpine style push – failed due to weather. Plan B – regaining acclimatization and climbing “alpine style like” – failed too due to Jacek’s health issue. By the way he is himself again. It’s time for plan C”, the Polish climber Adam Bielecki writes on Facebook.
Bielecki and his compatriot Jacek Czech are now going to cooperate with the Spaniard Alex Txikon, the Italian Daniele Nardi and the Pakistani Ali Sadpara. The international trio had announced to climb via the Kinshofer route, the normal route on the Diamir side of the mountain – in traditional style, means establishing high camps. Within the next three days, they intend to fix ropes up to Camp 3 at 6,700 meters, writes Bielecki.

“Nanga Dreamers” at 6,200 meters

Last week in their home country Poland, Adam and Jacek received an ironic honor for mountaineers, a “bronze egg”. They were “awarded” for calling their winter project “Nanga Revolution” without making clear what they actually mean by this – “a mountaineering revolution or an Islamic”. In contrast, the name of the Polish team on the Rupal side, “Nanga Dream”, appears clear – less, however, the add-on “Justice for all”. The “Nanga Dreamers” have meanwhile reached an altitude of about 6,200 meters on the Schell route.

Acclimatizing above 7,000 meters

Elisabeth Revol in icy high camp

The Pole Tomek Mackiewicz and the Frenchwoman Elisabeth Revol have reached the highest altitude of all expeditions so far. The two “rubber ducks” – another strange team’s name – slept in Camp 3 at about 6,700 meters and planned to climb up to 7,200 meters for further acclimatization. Last winter, both had ascended to an altitude of about 7,800 meters on Nanga Parbat, when they were forced back by icy cold and wind. This height range was also reached by Txikon, Nardi and the Pakistani Muhammad Ali in March 2015: They lost their way on the Kinshofer route and had to descend because Muhammad suffered from high altitude sickness.

Winter world champion Poland

Twelve of the 14 eight-thousanders have already been climbed in winter, only K 2 and Nanga Parbat defied all attempts. Without doubt, Poland is the world champion in winter climbing on the highest mountains. Nine first winter ascents of eight thousanders were made by pure Polish expedition teams. In another case, a Polish climber was involved (Piotr Morawski on Shishapangma in 2005).
Denis Urubko has ensured that we now can say with complete justification that Polish climbers took part in all twelve (!) winter first ascents on eight-thousanders. The native Kazakh, then Russian, and recently also owner of a Polish passport belonged to the first winter ascenders of Makalu and Gasherbrum II, which were made by non-Polish teams. In the ironical climber’s awarding in Poland that I mentioned before, Urubko was also “honoured” – with a view to his new citizenship and his passion for winter ascents: He got a “red egg with hammer and sickle”.

Money yes, permit no

Denis Urubko

The native Kazakh Denis Urubko, who is now a Russian citizen, wants to climb the 8611-meter-high K 2, the second highest mountain in the world, for the first time in winter, in Alpine style, on a partially new route from the Chinese north side of the mountain, in a team with the Polish climber Adam Bielecki and the Basque Alex Txikon. Denis’ a month long crowdfunding is completed.  The result: 11,205 US $, three quarters of the target sum of 15,000 dollars. “The biggest value for me is your trust and faith. It is more important than any money”, Urubko said thanking the sponsors. “Faith not only in our team and project, but in people’s ability and desire for new discoveries!”  The financial gap is closed, another has opened, which is likely to be harder to close – five days before the scheduled departure. “Chinese authorities denied us. We have no permit”, Denis wrote on Facebook.

Final sprint before Christmas?

K 2 is one of two eight-thousanders which have so far resisted all attempts of winter ascents. The other is the 8125-meter-high Nanga Parbat in Pakistan. There, the Pole Tomasz Mackiewicz has already completed his acclimatization. Tomek spends the fifth winter in a row on that mountain, this time he wants to climb it solo. He shares the base camp on the Diamir side with the Italian Daniele Nardi who forms a team with the Frenchwoman Elisabeth Revol as he did before on Nanga Parbat in winter 2013.

Daniele’s crowdfunding on the Internet will continue for four more days, so far it has run with moderate success: 1,362 € (until 17 December), not even ten percent of the planned total of 15,000 €. Nardi can only hope for a pre-Christmas final sprint of donations. After all, Daniele does not have to worry about the permit.

Update, 19 December: Meanwhile, the three climbers who want to try K 2 in winter assume that the start of the expedition will be postponed by two or three weeks due to the problems of getting a permit by the Chinese authorities.

Alexei Bolotovi (1963-2013)

What should have been a highlight in the history of climbing on Everest, ended in tragedy. Russian climber Alexei Bolotov fell to death in the Khumbu Icefall. Together with his compatriot Denis Urubko the 50-year-old mountaineer wanted to open a new route via the steep Southwest Face. As Denis said on phone, the rope broke on a sharp edge of rock when Alexei was abseiling. Bolotov fell down about 300 metres and died instantly. He was found at 5600 metres.
Denis and Alexei had announced that they wanted to start for their attempt in the Southwest Face this morning. Within eight days, they planned to climb via a new difficult route to the summit – without high camps, without Sherpa support, without bottled oxygen. „If they are successful in Alpine style, I would be the first to congratulate”, Reinhold Messner had told me in an interview. 

Twice Piolet d’Or

Alexei Bolotov was one of the best mountaineers of Russia who had a lot of experience on 8000ers. In 2001 he made the first ascent of 8410-metre-high Lhotse West. A year later, he stood on the summit of Mount Everest, without supplementary oxygen. Alexei was awarded the Piolet d’Or, the climber’s Oscar, twice: as a member of the Russian expedition that firstly climbed the West Face of the 8000er Makalu in 1997, and for the first ascent of the North face of  7710-metre-high Jannu in Nepal. A great climber has died. R.I.P.

Denis Urubko

Not only formerly French actor Gerard Depardieu has become a Russian, but also Denis Urubko. The 39 years old climber wrote me that he had left Kazakhstan and had now a passport of Russia. This spring Denis – together with his new countryman Alexei Bolotov – wants to climb Mount Everest on a new route (look here) via the southwest face. Urubko has already climbed all fourteen 8000ers without supplementary oxygen. Together with his friend Simone Moro from Italy Denis succeeded the first winter ascents of Makalu(2009) and Gasherbrum II (2011). In 2010 Denis and Kazakh Boris Dedeshko were awarded with the Piolet d’Or, the ‘Oscar’ of mountaineering, for their new route via the south face of Cho Oyu. I asked Urubko about his new plan on Everest. 

Denis, you will return to Everest, although you have already climbed it without oxygen in 2000. What has motivated you to do it again? 

For many reasons mountains have to been climbed twice. The first ascents normally happened by the easiest way, as you can see in history of exploration of 8000 meter peaks. On Everest it happened in 1953, on K 2 in 1954… in usual Himalayan style, with porters etc. But civilization gives us other possibilities in development. Equipment becomes lighter and stronger. Food and stoves let us survive better. Next climbers were able to do something stronger: new routes, speed ascents, other projects. Step by step. The psychological barriers were crushed. Two examples for this are the ascents of Messner and Habeler on Hidden Peak in alpine style and on Everest without oxygen.

I see it from a sportive point of view: delivering results that are better compared with other people. It’s a strong exploration of self power, of mentality of course to open a new page in the book of mountain world, with the possibility to do something new. 

You want to climb Everest with the Russian Alexei Bolotov on a new route. How many details can you reveal about style and route? 

Yes we’ll try to act together. Alexei was very glad about this project and the idea to attempt a new route on one of the most difficult faces in the world. We plan to climb a route in the centre of the southwest face and will try to do it in alpine style, but much depends on weather and luck. 

Have you already climbed with Alexei?

We met first in 1995, when he was in the rescue team after my accident in central Tian Shan. He brought me down from 6000 meters. In 2000 we participated in a speed-ascent competition on Khan Tengri and in 2008 in the unfortunately unsuccessful attempt to rescue Spanish climber Iñaki Ochoa on Annapurna. We both joined a Lhotse expedition in 2001. We had some good experience together. Last month Alexei and I climbed some short routes in Tian Shan for training. These were nice days, and we hope to be ready for the Himalayas at the end of March.

Your friend Simone Moro will also try to reach the summit of Mount Everest this spring, on a new route together with Swiss climber Ueli Steck. Is it an option to join together both teams? 

We still have no plan to do so. But life always brings a lot of surprises. For me just one month ago it was a great news that Ueli and Simone plan to climb Everest together. We’ll see what happens in future. 

Next May the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest will be celebrated. What kind of mountain is Everest for you, how do you think about it right now? 

For me Everest is simply the highest mountain of the world. All other things depend on the personal view: Beautiful, difficult, magic mountain – this applies to many mountains. But the highest, this is only Everest.  

What do you wish Mount Everest for the future?

I dream to see Everest from the bottom through a glass of wine. For me it makes no sense to wish for less people on the slopes of Everest – as nobody can wish for less people on Eiffel tower. But of course I hope for less corpses on the slopes.  

In July you will celebrate your 40th birthday. A day like any other or do you feel it could be a break? 

The date means nothing. Just my experience that fortune has given to me during many pleasant and difficult years is important for me. I had exploring, sportive, art actions… and I hope to do the same on the next interesting pages: To be happy in mountains, music, trainings, family, articles, other activities – just this only.