After the huge ice avalanche

This summer a mega ice avalanche has swept down on the Tibetan plateau. In the Aru Range in northwestern Tibet a whole glacier tongue broke off and tumbled down into the valley. Scientists say it was one of the largest ice avalanches ever recorded. According to the Chinese authorities this natural event, which already occurred on 17 July, killed nine Tibetan herders. More than 350 sheep and 110 yaks were buried under the ice and rock masses. The American space agency NASA now published satellite images which show the dimension: The ice covered an area of ten square kilometers, the lake down in the valley was colored white and the debris piled up 30 meters in some places. The cause of the collapse is still unclear. “Climate change is causing more glacial hazards through mechanisms we do not fully understand,” said the Chinese glaciologist Tian Lide. “There is an urgent need for more monitoring and research efforts, especially in populated areas in high mountains.”

I called the Swiss scientist Samuel Nussbaumer. The 35-year-old glaciologist is working for the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) in Zurich, which is observing and analyzing the fluctuation of glaciers worldwide.

Before the collapse

How unusual is this massive ice avalanche in Tibet?

The way I see it, really the complete glacier tongue has broken off, the entire lower part. I don’t know about another event of that extent – but of course we only know about what has been documented. In 2002, there was a case of a similar dimension at the Kolka Glacier in the Russian Caucasus (about 140 people died then). But there had been a rockfall first that carried away the ice. We know pretty well, what happened back then. The exact circumstances in Tibet, however, are not yet known.

Samuel Nussbaumer

Are such massive glacial ice avalanches predictable? Are there alarming hints?

Glaciers are in constant movement. Signs are for example the crevasses which can be observed with cameras or high-resolution satellite images. Doing this, such an event could be foreseen. But of course it is not practical to monitor all glaciers worldwide. In the Alps many glaciers are observed. The dimension, however, is much smaller. There are e.g. steep hanging glaciers, where parts are in danger of breaking off and impacting on villages or cable car stations. These glaciers are monitored by automatic cameras. Such glacial collapses can be predicted – e.g. when the ice is flowing faster or the crevasses are getting larger.

Are huge ice avalanches like in Tibet a result of climate change?

You can’t make a statement about it as long as the cause of the event in Tibet is not yet finally clarified. But melt water plays an important role in the process of a sliding glacier tongue. In 1965 we had such an event on the Allalin glacier in Switzerland (88 people died), where the complete glacier tongue broke away too. In these cases there is often plenty of water in the glacier bed on which the ice can slide, and then suddenly it breaks. It’s a well-known phenomenon in steep glaciers, but of course in a much smaller extent than now in Tibet. If the temperatures are higher, the chance is greater that there is more meltwater and that the water on the surface acts like a lubricant.

Thomas Huber on Choktoi Glacier, behind him the North Face of Latok I (l.) and Ogre (r.)

It was a hot, but from the climbers’ perspective a meager summer in the Karakoram: Most expeditions left Pakistan without summit successes. The German “Huberbuam” Thomas and Alexander, the Swiss Dani Arnold and the Austrian Mario Walder also returned empty-handed, but alive and “in one piece” – which was not a matter of course considering their experiences at the Latok group. Thomas, aged 48, the elder of the Huber brothers, told me the story.

Thomas, this summer you actually wanted to tackle the North Face of the 7,145-meter-high Latok I which has not yet been climbed. This did not happen. Why?

We have seen the North Face only from afar. We realized pretty soon that is was impossible to climb the wall under these conditions. It would have been possible to tackle the North Ridge. But this did not happen too, because another mountain battered us so that we lost our motivation and courage to push ourselves to the absolute limit again.

Latok III (arrow shows the pillar and the huge serac above)

Which mountain did batter you this way?

It started with the fact that there was a lot of snow in the Karakoram. We had about one and a half meters fresh snow in our Base Camp. At the same time it was very, very warm. This led to wet snow avalanches. We tried in vain to climb a 6000-meter-high mountain that we had chosen to acclimatize. We then switched to Latok III to acclimatize for Latok I. Latok III is nearly 7,000 meters high. We wanted to take a safe route via the south pillar. At night in Camp 1 at 5600 meters, we were surprised by an ice avalanche. Although it hit the ground 500 meters from our tents, the blast wave literally blew us in our tents from our campground. We stopped just before the abyss. We all were ashen-faced. Dani Arnold, who has already experienced a lot, said that never before in his life it had been so close. We then digged our tents one meter deep into the snow and fixed them. During the night, three more ice avalanches came down from the serac. In the morning, we saw the huge avalanche cone below our tents and only said: “We descend. Let’s get out of here!” We lost a backpack with crampons and all the other staff. So we were also forced to continue our descent.

Nevertheless you have already experienced many dangerous situations such as this. Why did this impress you so much?

We have already experienced a lot, but we’ve never before been so much in the hands of fate. That was a new experience in our lives as climbers.

On the left, the serac from where the ice avalanches came down

Did all four climbers feel like this?

Yes. We sat in the Base Camp and talked about what had happened. We were glad that we had survived. But then there were also discussions. As the temperatures were not decreasing but the weather was incredible good, I said: “We should dig ice caves for our tents and always climb at night. Then we might have a chance to climb Latok III.” But Alexander, Dani and Mario opposed. It was clear that I had to accept the team’s decision.

Then we tried a second time to climb the mountain that we had chosen for acclimatizing before, but failed again, because it was just too hot. I proposed to bring the material down and move to the North Ridge of Latok I because I thought it was safer. This was rejected again. At the end the weather forecast was so bad that we finished our expedition two weeks earlier than initially scheduled. I climbed alone to Camp 1 on Latok III to recover our material. Alexander, Dani and Mario could warm their climbing hearts with a summit. At the third attempt they were able to scale the 6000-meter-high mountain that was probably still unclimbed. They named it Panmah Kangri.

Latok I

Had you already written off Latok I when you experienced the ice avalanche on Latok III?

We realized at a very early stage early that it was impossible to climb the North Face of Latok I. We also talked to the Slovenians with Luka (Lindic – The Slovenians also quit their project to climb the wall). They called it the “Suicide Line”. It would have been like joining a death squad to climb one the two possible lines through the wall. We are climbers because we love life and not because we want to be dead heroes. In my opinion, the North Ridge would have been feasible because it is later illuminated by the sun. But there was a 3: 1 team decision against me. I was a bit unhappy, but in the end also grateful and happy that we survived. We have returned as friends, and that was okay.

Have you now given up the project Latok I North Face?

In this style, definitely. But you can not forget this wall. If you’ve ever stood below it, you, as a climber, are thinking: How can I make the impossible possible? I have some ideas about it, but I still have to think about it a bit longer. Never say never! Maybe I will go back there again.

Survived!

Alexander has three children, you too. Does that hold you back in extreme situations like now on Latok III?

I’m a family man for already a long time, so I can not say that it has the effect to hold me back generally. I know this situation for 16 years. I don’t think about my family any more when everything is going well on the mountain. But they are in my mind again when the danger lies directly in front of me. I definitely believe that in this case I decide, because of my children, with a more positive approach to life, rather than simply saying: “Go on! It’ll be all right!” I think, I start saying no earlier now. But if something happens like on Latok III, I can assess this very rationally afterwards. Seracs can just collapse. Whenever you go to the mountains or anywhere else, life itself is life-threatening. But I think, if you are really aware of the danger, you can handle even extreme situations in a safe way.

The entire team

Last year, you cancelled your Latok I expedition shortly before departure – due to the uncertain situation in Pakistan. How did you experience the country this time?

I have experienced Pakistan in a very nice way, not to say in a completely unspectacular way. Sure, you have to get used to the armed police. On every street corner, someone is standing with a Kalashnikov. But we were always safe, even driving twice over the Karakorum Highway. Actually, I can only recommend to anyone who has a good travel agency: Go to Pakistan! It’s an incredibly beautiful travel destination, especially in the Karakoram. For me it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Unfortunately, the media often wrongly call Pakistan a terrorist country. In the meantime there is terror all over the world. You have to act correctly, choose the right place and the right route. Then you can travel in Pakistan in very safe way.

Without a queasy feeling?

I hadn’t this feeling this time. And I’m sure that I won’t have it the next time. I think the Pakistani military does a very good job and has the situation more or less under control.

Ralf is coming down

The decision was not taken ​​lightly. “After a careful weighing up of the risks – we had climbed up the glacier in deep snow for two hours again – I have decided to abandon the expedition“, Ralf Dujmovits writes in his final report of his winter expedition to Nanga Parbat. His Polish companion Darek Zaluski is supporting the decision, says Ralf: “I had expected a certain level of risks climbing up the Diamir side in winter, especially on the Messner Route. But not these incalculable risks that I ‘m not willing to take. The serious accident on K 2 in 2008, when a part of the large serac above the bottleneck broke, was one of many examples of accidents by ice avalanches that could have been prevented.” In 2008 eleven climbers had lost their lives on the second highest mountain of the world.

Like a sword of Damocles

Seracs (circles), depot (x), Camp 1 (little circle)

Ralf and Darek are thinking that it is too risky to climb underneath two mighty seracs which are hanging over the lower part of the Messner route like a sword of Damocles. “Both are torn towards the edge of the ice barrier and overhanging”, writes Ralf. “Exploring the route further up and of course also during a summit attempt and the descent it would be necessary to spend a lot of time in the direct line of slope.” Both climbers want to break down their camp at 4900 meters tomorrow and then leave the base camp in a few days. Their cook Essan has invited them to visit his family in Aliabad in the Hunza valley.

“Hard, wild and beautiful adventure”

All’s well that ends well – Darek is happy

Even if he could not realize his dream of climbing Nanga Parbat in winter, Ralf gives a positive review of the expedition: “We had a good, very cold and adventurous time here on Nanga Parbat in northern Pakistan”, writes Ralf. He and Darek “got on very well, in a really friendly atmosphere” with Essan, kitchen helper Karim and the three police officers at basecamp. The policemen were detailed to protect the expedition after terrorists had shot eleven climbers at Diamir basecamp last summer. With his expedition Ralf had also wanted to send the message not to turn our backs to the region after the terrible murder attack. “I’m leaving with nostalgia. It was a hard but also wild and beautiful adventure. My best wishes for 2014, the most important is health and to have people who love you. Hush raho! (In Urdu: Be happy!)“

Good luck and success!

When I talk to Ralf via satellite phone he adds that he is still convinced that his idea of a very fast winter expedition on the Diamir side with prior acclimatization on another high mountain could work. “But you need a lot of luck, and the conditions on the mountain have to fit,” says Ralf. “The idea is feasible, but I have to reflect in peace whether really I shall be the one to do it someday.” Ralf wishes the two winter expeditions on the Rupal side of Nanga Parbat “good luck and success”.

Diamir face, Messner route on the right side

The cloud cover has broken on Nanga Parbat. Snowfall had stopped overnight as predicted by Austrain meteoroligist Charly Gabl, writes Ralf Dujmovits in an email from basecamp. 40 centimeters of fresh snow have fallen. The climbers had two hours of sunshine. For the first time in days Darek Zaluski and Ralf could see the whole Diamir-Face: “Observing it our fear of being in quite a high risk when climbing up the Messner-Route was very obvious. On the huge serac-barrier are two big ice towers which are isolated from the rest. And they don’t look very stable.”

In the line of slope

The two ice towers (ovals) and the depot (x)

The depot, which Ralf and Darek have made at about 5500 meters and which they thought could be a possible camp site, is in the line of slope of a potential ice avalanche which would result in case that one of the two ice towers collapses. “From my planning I knew that for the Messner-Route I shall have to climb underneath this ice-barrier. But I didn’t expect to have to search for the route in such difficult ice and glacial conditions and to spend much more time underneath this barrier.” After the heavy snowfall of the last 36 hours the lower part of the Messner-Route looked much more closed as it was actually.

One and a half days full risk

Ralf studying the route

Weatherman Charly Gabl is expecting quite low wind conditions on 8th and 9th January. That sounds like a good opportunity for a summit attempt. But first, Ralf has to overcome the tricky passage at the bottom. “Now I’m heavily thinking of what to do?”, writes Ralf. “My two nights for acclimatizing on the summit of Aconcagua were on 12th and 13th December. I feel strong but I’m not as quick as I should be under these conditions.” Ralf expects that he will need one and a half days for climbing from the camp at 4900 meters to above the ice barrier. “It’s a big risk to spend so much time underneath these two unstable ice-towers. I shall have to find out my decision within the next 24 hours.”

Ralf trail-breaking up to Camp 1

Trail-breaking for nothing. “It has been snowing all day”, says Ralf Dujmovits in the basecamp on the Diamir side of Nanga Parbat. “We certainly have between 35 and 40 centimeter of fresh snow.” On his way to the toilet tent he slipped into a snowdrift and had trouble to get out of it. Ralf and his Polish companion Darek Zaluski know that they will have to break trail again when they climb up to the depot at 5500 meters which they had made yesterday. The fresh snow is also increasing the risk of avalanches. “If the wind doesn’t blow the snow out of the slopes, it will be impossible.”

More complicated than expected

Darek at 5400 meters

“I ‘m still reasonably confident,” says Ralf. “Darek not quite like that.” A large ice avalanche which had gone down during their night in the tent at 4900 meters had shown them drastically the continuing danger. “It made us understand that even in winter with steady temperatures of below minus 20 degrees Celsius we are not sure of ice avalanches – which gives us a lot of thinking.” After all, there is no way of avoiding the icefall with a huge ice barrier hanging about it. “I was hoping to be able to climb this 1000-meter-high section in only one push. But it became so complicated that finding the way through the crevasses and seracs really became a time consuming and scary task.”

Change tactics

Cooking in the wind

Maybe Ralf has to change his originally planned tactics: to climb up solo and extremely fast above 5000 meters. “ I’m losing my acclimatization. Maybe I have to work my way up camp by camp”, says the 52-year-old thoughtfully. “That was not really my plan.” Ralf, Darek, cook Essan, kitchen helper Karim and the three policemen at basecamp finish the year 2013 with a good dinner. “More than a New Year’s Eve menu is not possible in the cold we have here.” Should the snowfall  – as predicted – stop on New Year’s day, Ralf and Darek can possibly break up again on Thursday.