Dispatches - June 2009

Spinning in Spindrift

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

On June 23rd, Bruce, David and I left for Camp 1 with supplies for a few days work. Bruce and I hoped to climb into the cwm at 7000m and stash a tent, stove, and other gear. We spent the first night at Camp 1, leaving the next morning for the cash at 6400m on the lower south face of GIII near the bergshrund- the same place Billy and Guy reached a few days earlier. Bruce and I broke a new trail all the way up the glacier to the foot of the GIV-GIII icefall, and then up through dangerous avalan [...]

"Familiar Waftings"

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

The last few days as we rested in base camp we watched long lines of porters filing up the lower moraine, bringing with them loads of gear for the G2 expeditions. There is a rumor about the camp that a total of 13 expeditions will try G2 (and/or GI) this summer, and the base camp spots around us are already dotted with the bright colors of nylon tents. At least 70 people now occupy various spots at base camp - with perhaps 100 more to come, and from the proximity of the tents it would appear [...]

Snowshoeing with sharks!

info@calpinist.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

{rokzoom title=|Bruce wonders where he left his car keys?by Don Bowie|}images/Bruce_keys6-10-09.jpg{/rokzoom}

A few more days of overcast skies and sometimes low visibility have passed, but we've managed

{rokzoom title=|Billy stops to make snowconesby Don Bowie|}images/Billy_cones6-10-09.jpg{/rokzoom}

to move farther up the glacier toward the col between Gasherbrum 3 and 4. By the time this dispatch is posted, Bruce, Guy, Billy and I will have left for a 5 day stint back up the [...]

MUDFLOWS and the BILLYSICLE

info@calpinist.com — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

DISPATCH BY DON BOWIE {rokzoom title=|Camp @ Goro 2 on way to Concordia;by Don Bowie|}images/Camp-Goro-2-09.jpg{/rokzoom}

The trip from Skardu to base camp went relatively smoothly - except for an impassable section of road being pounded by a huge mud flow and hurtling boulders on the jeep ride to Askole. We retreated and spent a night in the village of Apo Ali Gon, waking early the next day to pass through the dangerous section. When we reached the mudflow, we found the road semi-rebuilt, but [...]

"Spirit of Mountaineering" Commendation

info@calpinist.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Don Bowie's Support Team is proud to announce that on April 25, 2009, at the Piolets d'Or ceremony in Chamonix, France, Don Bowie along with Simon Anthamatten (Swiss), Alexey Bolotov (Russian), Horia Colibasanu (Romanian), Ueli Steck (Swiss), and Denis Urubko (Kazakh), were the first climbers to be awarded the "Spirit of Mountaineering" Commendation by The Alpine Club . They received this award for their attempt to rescue Inaki Ochoa de Olza on Annapurna in May 2 [...]