Trip Reports

Shishapangma - 24 August to 6 October 2002

Written by Leader, December 2002

Despite a great start, a strong team and a great Sherpa team, we didn't get the result we wanted - or indeed expected. While it is disappointing to not reach the summit, I am intensely relieved that we got down safely.

Here's a quick rundown from the last week.

20 September: Steve Bell, Clive Jones, Arie Vreugdenhil, Slawomir Jakobczyk, Francis Lawrence and IGNACIO Ignacio Montiel, Pedro Wenzel, Alejandro Garibay and Rodrigo Ponce moved to Camp 1 (6,440m).

21 September: We moved on up to Camp 2 at 6,9500m

22 - 25 September: The nine of us were storm bound in Camp 2 for 4 nights. The Sherpas were based at Camp 1 and could only get to us on 23 September, when 2 of them brought up more supplies of food and gas. There was no chance of getting to Camp 3 as more than a metre of snow fell during this period. On 25 September, it became clear that we were not going to get a shot at the summit. With dwindling supplies and no let-up in the bad weather, the situation was getting serious, as we needed to get down but there is a very avalanche prone area between Camp 1 and Camp 2. Yesterday we made a dash for it, through thigh deep snow and very poor visibility, working off a compass, GPS, altimetre and memory. We struck Camp 2 and with very heavy loads, left at about 10am in blizzard conditions. 3 Sherpas came some of the way up from Camp 1 to meet us below a section that everyone had to bumslide down one at a time. We continued all the way down to reach Base Camp at 9.30pm last night, totally knackered. So while it was disappointing to not reach the top, I am totally relieved that we managed to extricate ourselves. Luckily we had a strong team. Everyone is now in good spirits and glad to be off the mountain! Clive Jones is suffering from snowblindness, but it's not serious.

We should be back in Kathmandu on 1 or 2 October and will be flying out soon after that.

Steve Bell, Jagged Globe Expedition Leader 2002

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