What I did this summer (Europe & Pakistan)

[Franz Klammer]

What I did this summer
by Franz Klammer, 17th grade

Summer is drawing to a close. Though the sun in Boston is still bringing the thermometer up to summerly heights, the signs that summer is about to end are hard to miss. First copies of skiing magazines, information about the TGR tour dates and a return to the TGR board after 3 months of absence. Not directly ski-related - so flame away.

So, with little more time wasting, here's my summer TR:

First a couple of fun weekends in Grindelwald while working in Zürich:

Eiger North Face:


Jungfrau, Mönch & Eiger:


Wetterhorn:



Then off for 5 weeks to Pakistan to savour the beauty of the Karakorum.


With the jeep through the Shigar Valley:


Paiju Group before dusk:


Trango Towers - the world's highest granite wall:


Gasherbrum Group:


Porter on the Baltoro Glacier:


Mitre Peak:


Broad Peak:


Majestic K2 - unsummited in 2005:




Ibrahim with Chogolisa in the background - somewhere up there is the body of the unforgettable Hermann Buhl:


On top of Gondogoro La. Terrible weather though, it snowed almost 1m that day:


Fredrik Ericsson trapped by the snow at Xhuspang (4800m), he then proceeded to ski down Gasherbrum II (8035m):


Badshahi Mosque:


And at the end, we went parachute jumping with the Austrian Army in Stribro, Czech Republic:

F**king scared inside the plane:


And down we go:


My brother thinks he's Superman:


Line in the sky:



Looking forward to a new ski season.

F

[Karl Stall]

Holy Shit - that's a summer adventure for the ages. Next to skideeppow's 3 heli trips this season, you have sampled copious goods for sure!


Those pics are sick, sicketty, sick...and beautiful.

Thank you for sharing.

[Adolf Allerbush]

Great pics....

How were you received in Pakistan?

[Will]

Fucking awesome!

[Franz Klammer]

Great pics....

How were you received in Pakistan?

Everyone I met was extremely friendly and helpful whether it was up in the Northern Areas (where Himalaya, Karakorum and Hindukush meet) or down south in the cities of Lahore and Islamabad. I would have liked to see Peshawar which is close to the Afghan border, but I didn't have enough time. I can wholeheartedly recommend this beautiful country.

[str8line]

Ja Franz! Das warre richtig!

I like the shot of K2. That mountain is amazing. I can't even contemplate wanting to risk your life to summit that beast.

[Trackhead]

I like the shot of K2. That mountain is amazing. I can't even contemplate wanting to risk your life to summit that beast.

It's the real Everest. No faking it on that one.

[Franz Klammer]

I like the shot of K2. That mountain is amazing.

Yes, I think that's one of the best ones. Mind you it took about 40 mediocre shots of K2 to finally nail this one. I shot it from the Vigne Glacier at about 5100m at 5am.

[comish]

Very cool trip. The Karakoram is definitely one of the most beautiful ranges in the world. Thanks for sharing.

[Meathelmet]

Have to say, superb material there!

Sehr Gut!

Background pics for the rest of the winter.


Btw, Hans.

Did you speak to Ericsson or Aamot? Those animals did a hell of a job in the himalayas this summer..Last autumn Shisha Pangma (8013) now Gashebrum II, Laila Peak and they tried the everest north face (btw, how it go with that?)

Gashebrum



Laila Peak

[Franz Klammer]

Did you speak to Ericsson or Aamot? Those animals did a hell of a job in the himalayas this summer..Last autumn Shisha Pangma (8013) now Gasherbrum II, Laila Peak and they tried the everest north face (btw, how it go with that?)

Yes, I spoke with both Fredrik and Jören when I was in Xhuspang. They had just completed two descents on Laila Peak (though they had to give up twice 100m below the summit) and tried to get over Gondogoro La the day after I arrived. However, it had just snowed too much during the night so that they were stuck for 3 days in Xhuspang.

Picture of my tent in the morning after I had relieved it of some snow during the night. The tent in the background had collapsed during the night because of intense snowfall:


I told them to come to this forum, but I think they were too busy enjoying the Scandinavian summer after their return.

[Godwin-Austin]

Spectacular stuff man. some beautiful pictures.

how do you finance a trip like that? did you spend alot of money?

edit: Hans, also, did you travel w/ your brother? My brother and I are thinking about something like that....how many people did you travel with?

[greg]

Spectacular stuff man. some beautiful pictures.

how do you finance a trip like that? did you spend alot of money?

edit: Hans, also, did you travel w/ your brother? My brother and I are thinking about something like that....how many people did you travel with?

same questions here, plus, how did you organize this whole thing? and how long did your trip last?

I envy you..

[greg]

does somebody actually know, if fredrik and jörgen made it up there with or without oxygen?

[Franz Klammer]

Spectacular stuff man. some beautiful pictures.

how do you finance a trip like that? did you spend alot of money?

edit: Hans, also, did you travel w/ your brother? My brother and I are thinking about something like that....how many people did you travel with?

It's not really that expensive (even for a graduate student!) unless you want to attempt the 8000m peaks for which you need a lot of permits. Guides usually cost $20 per day and porters $8-$12 per day. Flights within Pakistan (Islamabad - Gilgit, Islamabad - Skardu) are fairly cheap at around $50-$100. It is easier (and more costly) to organise it through a Pakistani tour operator - this is what we did since we did not have enough time to sort it out in Pakistan. Let me know if you want some recommendations.

I was initially travelling with a friend but unfortunately he got injured on our first day in Skardu and had to fly home. It's perfectly doable on your own, but there is a certain solitude that gets to you after a 10+ days on your own (even though you're with a guide). The whole trip lasted a little over 4 weeks of which I spent almost 4 weeks in the mountains. For the really big peaks you'll have to reserve the whole summer though (or at least 6+ weeks).

[Franz Klammer]

does somebody actually know, if fredrik and jörgen made it up there with or without oxygen?

Don't know for sure, but I don't think they used oxygen.

F

[cj001f]

What was the route you took? Looks like one sweet trip.

[Meathelmet]

does somebody actually know, if fredrik and jörgen made it up there with or without oxygen?

From what i have heard and seen the pictures, all summits they have climbed is have been without ogygen.
If you have skis and all the shit, i guess you would not want to carry the bottles and harness for the oxygen on the top of that.

And, oxygen is sooo passé in climbing.

[greg]

From what i have heard and seen the pictures, all summits they have climbed is have been without ogygen.
If you have skis and all the shit, i guess you would not want to carry the bottles and harness for the oxygen on the top of that.

And, oxygen is sooo passé in climbing.

oh mostly, as far as i know, they don't use oxygen all the time. they just have one or two bottles they pull out for recovery while taking a break..

the question just came up because i still have that picture of fredrik's setup in the back of my mind..

edit: that oxygen mask is so last year - you A-framer..

[Meathelmet]

oh mostly, as far as i know, they don't use oxygen all the time. they just have one or two bottles they pull out for recovery while taking a break..

the question just came up because i still have that picture of fredrik's setup in the back of my mind..

edit: that oxygen mask is so last year - you A-framer..

At least when mr.ericsson skied last year Shisha Pangma he skied it without oxygen, or the help of the porters.
Now on laila and gashebrum,they used porters, havent found any info if they used the supplementary oxygen.

[Franz Klammer]

What was the route you took? Looks like one sweet trip.

Islamabad - Skardu (plane)
Skardu - Askoli (jeep)
Askoli - Baltoro Glacier - Concordia (foot)
Concordia - K2 base camp - Concordia (foot)
Concordia - Gondogoro La - Hushe (foot)
Hushe - Skardu - Karimabad (jeep)
Karimabad - attempt of side peak of Ultar Peak - Karimabad (foot)
Karimabad - Khunjerab Pass - Karimabad (jeep)
Karimabad - Islamabad (bus)
Islamabad - Lahore - Islamabad (luxury bus)

Originally the plan was only to do everything up to Hushe but the weather was good, I was in OK shape and so I had much more time than expected. Side peak of Ultar Peak was worth it even though we weren't successful.

[Franz Klammer]

Whoever wants to see more photos, have a look at

http://www.mit.edu/~ederer/photos/pakistan/

[Tri-Ungulate]

SuperFukkinAwesome Franz. I knew you'd love the place. Nice to see the people are still very cool, after all the changes in the geopolitical scene. I still think of the tribal areas of the NWFP and Northern Provinces as having some of the coolest people I'd ever met.

Nice pic of the fort at Gilgit. That 'Welcome to Pasu' sign is still there, I see - it was made for the Aga Khan's visit almost a quarter century ago.

On the river crossing back to Hushe, were they still using the raft made out of sheep bladders?

Did you ever end up bringing skis, and if you did, did you get to use them?

Thanks for the TR.

[Franz Klammer]

SuperFukkinAwesome Franz. I knew you'd love the place. Nice to see the people are still very cool, after all the changes in the geopolitical scene. I still think of the tribal areas of the NWFP and Northern Provinces as having some of the coolest people I'd ever met.

The people were great, extremely hospitable. The only time people tried to take advantage of my white blonde ass was down south in Lahore.

Nice pic of the fort at Gilgit. That 'Welcome to Pasu' sign is still there, I see - it was made for the Aga Khan's visit almost a quarter century ago.

It takes an expert to notice that!

On the river crossing back to Hushe, were they still using the raft made out of sheep bladders?

No, they've built a bridge, but the street still gets wiped out fairly often.

Did you ever end up bringing skis, and if you did, did you get to use them?

I did bring them as you suggested, but when Roman got injured I decided to ditch them. On the one hand, it was a good idea since I never had enough porters and ended up lugging almost all of my own stuff. On the other hand, there was so much snow and it would have been tremendous fun!

[gincognito]

Missed this the first time around...good stuff.

SaAaH (and so good, I'm going short-form),
d.