Karakorum 2009: Teams Go For Nanga Parbat Summit!

While the weather remains iffy throughout the Karakorum, ExWeb is reporting that teams have begun their summit push on Nanga Parbat, with the plan of reaching the top on Friday, July 10th, provided everything remains on schedule. Both Gerfried Göschl and the Korean team that includes Go Mi-Sun have set off for Camp 1 today. Another team, led by Giuseppe Pompili, is setting off in their wake with the intention of going to C3 to acclimatize. From there, they'll return to BC, rest up, and push for the summit around the 15th of the month.

According to the Field Touring Alpine site, their teams on both K2 and Broad Peak are back to work today following a break in the bad weather. Both teams are working the route and planning to climb high to acclimatize. On K2, the plan is to move up to C2 and spend the night their before going back to BC, but on BP it is being reported that there is more snow on the slopes, creating more of an avalanche threat. The FTA BP team will be more cautious in their approach of course.

The Altitude Junkies are on the Gasherbrums, and are eying both G1 and G2. Their latest update indicates good weather may be on the horizon, at least for the next few days. Snow is predicted to return at the end of the week however, so the team is sitting tight in BC for now, and letting the snow settle. They say that the route from C2 to C3 is quite dangerous at the moment, and the idea of more snow coming by Friday does not sit well. There has been so much snowfall on the mountain that all the ropes from C1 to C3 are buried, and if they can not be retrieved, they'll have to be refixed.

Both the Jagged Globe team and Don Bowie haven't posted an update in the last day or two, but they are also aiming at various Gasherbrum summits. Presumably they are waiting for the snow to settle on the higher portion of the mountain as well, but with more snow in the forecast, it doesn't seem like things are going to get better soon.

At least we have some movement on one off the big peaks. Hopefully we'll hear word on successful summits on Nanga Parbat later by the weekend. If the Koreans, and more specifically Go Mi-Sun, top out, they'll move turn their eyes on G1 and G2, making their bid for the Karakorum Hat Trick. If they pull them all over, Miss Go will have bagged six 8000m peaks in a matter of a few months. Should be fun to watch.