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 that most people are already missing the bustling congestion of the towns and cities they recently left.

Of course, camping is not the only activity on the moraine; as the summer sun warms the rocks and melts the snow, the air is also filling with the faint waftings familiar to 8000 meter base camps: human waste. Our semi-private base camp now shares extremely close proximity to other parties - close enough that my tent is now within earshot of the next camp's "facilities." Due to this fact, I consider myself now shockingly over-informed as to the current state of each of our neighbors' particular gastro-intestinal affairs - some bordering on critical. My once peaceful morning slumbers are now broken by the world's absolute worst sounding alarm clocks. You try waking up to that and not have a crappy day. And as for the neighbors, I may not know each of them by name yet, but I'm sure I could pick them out in a line-up using other distinctive attributes. (Someone pass the Pepto Bismol)

Speaking of which, I might as well use this opportunity to comment on our own particular facilities, especially since this dispatch has already deteriorated to such a level. Our cooks have done a wonderful job erecting our own drop-spot, and despite the obviously disturbing connection between cooks and building toilet facilities, the boys have shown great creativeness with particular attention to design, local, and prevailing wind. Of course, a quick stretch (or calisthenics) is recommended before using our facilities due to slightly non-anatomical positioning - unless of course you're a yoga guru or double jointed. Otherwise all things on that front are just dandy and require no further commentary...er...for now - unless a bad weather spell comes in and I run out of things to write about. Until then...

As for the climbing, a few days ago Bruce and I ferried loads again up to our 6000 meter camp, but spent our nights at 5500 m for David to acclimatize after his recent illness. Meanwhile, Billy and Guy went up to the icefall between G3 and G4 for 2 days to try their hand finding safe passage through - and turned around after making a stash at 6500 meters. They both arrived back in base camp this morning, greeted by stacks of pancakes and fake maple syrup.

Despite information that previous expeditions have passed through the tangle of ice on the far left, we have decided to tackle the right side, which appears more feasible under the current conditions. As we discovered last summer in Shimshal, years of warm temperatures have taken their toll on the condition of the glaciers in Pakistan, and this once benign slope is now quite a jumbled maze of huge ice towers and crevasses, crowned by a 100 meter vertical ice cliff extending the entire breadth of the glacier at the upper lip of the cwm. I guess here we can pause to thank Al Gore for pointing out climate change (formally global warming) - or was he the guy who invented the internet? I guess either way he should get some credit for this part of this dispatch, since both apply.

Early tomorrow morning Bruce, David and I will depart for the 6000m camp again, leaving David to acclimatize in the camp while Bruce and I carry the torch back into the upper icefall. The weather forecasts seem to indicate a good spell, so we plan to establish a tent in the cwm near 7000 meters - a long way from the congestion and waftings of base camp.

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

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 glacier, where we hope to reach the G3-4 cwm. Unfortunately David's sinus issues have not abated, and he remains in base camp until he feels better. And for those Scrabble enthusiasts out there- yes, "cwm" is a word.

The glacier is blanketed by fresh snows which have accumulated almost daily since we arrived a week ago. The new snow makes travel a little rough, but even more disturbingly hides the crevasses striping the glacier underfoot. Every so often the trail we have made passes a hole in the snow, revealing glimpses of the unseen blackness looming below.

As I pass each hole, I peer down into the abyss, the bottomless view sending shivers up and down my spine. At these moments I try to humor myself  by recalling old Kung-Fu movies, when the grey-bearded master tells the student to "...think like feather, young grasshopper." We negotiate slowly and carefully on rope, tiptoeing  across the minefield, but despite our prudence each one of us eventually punches through. Two days ago it was my turn, when I managed to find a slot despite being second in line, wearing snowshoes, and walking directly in Bruce's tracks. As my flailing legs hung down inside the unseen chasm, I had a flashback to days swimming off the Marin County California coastline, treading water in the dark, cold surf, looking out past the waves at the Farralon Islands - a major breeding ground for great white sharks.

Both then and now I ask the same question: "Why would anyone in their right mind be doing this?" But I suppose the answer lay within that question. This glacier is only the first of many challenges to confront, of puzzles to be solved, of knots to be untied. (The latter somewhat diminished if Bruce coils the rope.

The amount of trash-talking and sarcasm in base camp seems to increase in proportion to our comfort level - which is actually a good thing. We all seem to appreciate being the sole base camp on the moraine right now - although that will change soon with all the commercial G2 expeditions soon to arrive.

Until then we revel alone in the solitude and grandeur of this vast corner the Karakoram. But just know that frequently our minds and hearts drift back across the great expanse, and back home to you......with a little help from satellite

DISPATCH BY DON BOWIE

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 the battered and narrow stretch was still scary enough that we all bailed from the jeeps and ran to the other side - just in case.

Good weather on the trek to base camp permitted us the usual astonishing views of the Trango Towers, Masherbrum, Mustagh Tower, and finally one of our objectives: Gasherbrum IV. Although it was only three months since I was last here, the Baltoro seemed an entirely different place when free from the bitter grip of winter.

 

The sun shone down on us most of the way to Concordia, and the turn towards the Gasherbrums was exciting new terrain for me; I've never traveled south of Concordia before.

We arrived in G2 base camp the morning of June 4th, set up our tents, and by the afternoon began scouting a way from the moraine up the ice fall. The following day Guy, Bruce, and I decided to ignore the new snow and overcast skies and began punching a way up the glacier. After backtracking a few times due to big crevasses, we found a good depot spot under a big serac band, dumped our gear, and returned to camp. The following day Billy, Guy, and Bruce retraced the track up to the high point with some more gear, despite another day of low visibility and at times heavy snow.

I have now been to the Karakoram on three prior expeditions, and in that time I have become aware of the many objective dangers this wild region has to offer - including the seldom experienced frigid winter winds. But as of yesterday, Billy was kind enough to add to this list of dangers by discovering a new element of Karakoram pitfalls: the hidden glacial pool. Negotiating a narrow slot between seracs, Billy suddenly punched through the snow and into a small but deep pool of glacial melt. Before going completely under, he managed to self-extricate (amid certain unmentionable utterings) at the end of the rope anchored by Bruce and Guy. After his unexpected dunk, Billy removed his boots, poured the water out of each, and then saddled-up for the (somewhat squishy) walk down the glacier. (He was soaked to the chest.) By the time the three of them reached base camp, the "Billysicle" was near hypothermic - but after a quick change of clothes, a few cups of tea, and an hour or so tucked deep in his sleeping bag, Billy was his normal self again...er...at least as normal as someone who attempts K2 (twice) after already summiting once...with a gorilla. (Google "K2" and "Murph")

The next few days we expect over a half meter of snow in base camp. At sometime, perhaps between the snow-squalls and fog, we hope to push further up the glacier toward Gasherbrum III. We know it's up there, somewhere.

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 2008.

"The ‘Spirit of Mountaineering' Initiative was announced by British mountaineer Doug Scott at the 150 year anniversary of the Alpine Club at Zermatt in 2007.

The aim of this Initiative is to acknowledge and thank persons who ‘In the true Spirit of Mountaineering have shown unselfish devotion to help a fellow climber endangered in mountains, and in doing this have sacrificed their own objective or put their personal safety at risk'.

Through this Initiative the Alpine Club wish to promote awareness of the importance of good behaviour in mountains as set out in the UIAA Tyrol Declaration."  (Frank Cannings, for The Alpine Club http://www.alpine-club.org.uk/)

Pablo Ochoa de Olza, brother of the climber who perished despite the gallant rescue attempt wrote:

"My family and myself find this a great recognition for them. They are great examples for the rest of us. They had a real hard time, no romanticism in it at all. Bad weather conditions, lots of snow, no food, no proper gear, terrible conditions. Ueli went through hell, Simon backed him up all the way with no reserve and risked his life over and over, Alexey, Horia... (what to say?) Denis and Don running up like if it was Mont Blanc! There is a bunch of great men in this story. We believe we have a big debt with them, a bill we will never be able to pay enough, but one thing we can do: we can tell anyone who would listen who they are, what they did and their amazing acts... That we do. "

For a contemporary report of the incident see The Independent 31/05/08 "Into the Death Zone"