Paper K2 Meanwhile the French translation of "NO WAY DOWN " by Graham Bowley and I hope its quick editing, here is a translation of passages concerning by Mine Hugues Dumas (translation says early her).
Page 27
The village was so small that Jahan Shaheen, and other holders of HA, Qudrat Ali and Karim, Meherban had the same great father. Page 48
front Bae and Skog, French haired H A. sat on a ledge of ice with its HAP (high altitude carrier), Pakistan, Karim Meherban. The two men were worried about the fitness of H. of Aubarède, wearing a dark yellow jumpsuit, he was fatigued. This 61 year old male was stubborn, proud and noble, elegant and cultured and had a lot invested in this expedition to reach the K2. He left behind his wife, two daughters and grandchildren in France to achieve his dream Himalayan. It was his third attempt to reach the summit of K2, and he thought it would probably be the last. It was not the oldest to attempt the ascent of K2, but almost - a Spaniard 65 years had reached the summit in 2004.
The ascent from the base camp had been long when the storm had thundered on the night of July 29, some members of the expedition remained in an intermediate camp, forcing him to wait for Aubarède too. He used a lot of energy, food and gas to turn the snow into water. The wind was engulfed in her glasses, the slope was too strong to stop to put his mask. He had to make his way in the snow that happened to him knees digging into a hallway with his hands
Then, finally, to Camp 4, after a long climb along the Cesen he had reached an area on the shoulder in the afternoon of July 31, had mounted his tent and looked
the "gallery" of peaks all around him below. Taking his satellite phone, he sent a message to his family in Lyon, he kept a blog about his adventure in the mountains so that all his friends to follow his ascension.
"I would like you all contemplate this ocean of mountains and glaciers," he wrote, impressed by the beauty of what lay at his feet. "I've drooled but it's too good! Night will be long but beautiful ...................."
During the next 24 hours, however, things went less well. Aubarède of feeling the effects of altitude and heat. He told the climbers that exceeded, Bae example, he thought to descend. "I have more oxygen," he said, shaking his head sadly.
Page 74 - SUMMIT -
Gyalje Sherpa had traveled extensively throughout the world. He came to France, the Netherlands, England. Before leaving base camp for climbing final Gyalje recommended to H A. take four bottles of oxygen. But H A. insisted on telling him that two would suffice. Sherpa did not tell him anything about the oxygen that he saw that the HA reserves were empty.
That's when the French held out her video camera and said: "Would you take me talking to my family? "While
Gyalje the filming, HA took out his satellite phone and called his girlfriend Dumas Mine in Lyon.
H A. had made the mountain relatively late in life. His passion began in 1972 when he caught a glimpse the summit of Kilimanjaro from the cockpit of a plane returning from military service in Madagascar, he never forgot it. Back in Birmingham, he went his way, got married, had two adorable daughters and worked at Audiens Co. Insurance. His wife disapproved of the mountain, he did so only rarely, although the Mont Blanc dessinât ahead. But in 1993, he divorced and a year later, at age 47, he returned with Mine Kilimanjaro.
"The summit is so beautiful!" He said then, shaking his head in front of such beauty. "This panorama. ! I'm so happy "
H A. had discovered his exceptional aptitude for high-altitude climbing. On May 17, 2004, he was the 56th French to successfully climb Mount Everest. But his family does not follow the mountains to the very high peaks in the world, and mine and his daughters when he was languishing in the distance. One day he might not return.
satellite phone glued to his lips, he promised to mine it would be his last climb. "The next time I'll be at the seaside with my family"
He told her he kissed her, but she asked him to spare his breath and quickly return to France. His daughter Constance was to be married September in Chamonix.
"I'll call you when I come down," he said
The sun was setting and the temperature dropped. They talked a few minutes and then H A. called the director of Audiens Patrick Bezier. In previous years, to Hugh the work was incidental compared to the mountain. We talked about his exploits in the "News Letter" of the Company, and his adventures became a topic of conversation with customers. His company gave him the time to leave for his ascents and sponsor him for his expeditions. He got the answering machine: "It Hugues Aubarède, it's -20 degrees, I'm at 8611 meters ... .. I am very cold, I'm very happy! . Thank you! "He said speaking calmly.
When he finished, he offered the phone Gyalje, who was always at his side.
"Have you had your wife for the summit? "Said H A .. "You must call Penmba, please, take my phone."
But the Sherpa was serious and said it was very late. "It is time to descend," he said.
"Yes, I agree, but we reached the summit! "
Gyalge still refused . H A. took his camera and spent a few minutes to take pictures. Page 161
They had those now missing. Van Rooijen, Mc Donnell, Confortola, Jumika Bhote, Hwang, Kim, Park. There remained some uncertainty about HA. His PDT, Karim Meherban had not appeared either
Page 175
Another climber, Nick Rice, the young American who had become very close to H A. arrives at base camp, he woke up Saturday morning, the disaster on K2 is already all over the airwaves. Page 215
Truly, in any case is what I feeling, a very small number of people present understood what had led Mc Donnell on K2. I met with the same burning desire to understand this void in the center of things, when I met the family of Hugh Lyon, France. In the elegant dining room of his friends, I heard the story of his love for the mountains and got to understand this fascinating alter ego that he had carefully built throughout the race to the top. But as much as her love, I felt the anger at his girlfriend, Mine, a wonderfully strong woman who at first refused to talk to me before moving hours to describe myself Hugues; also angry at her daughter's thirty-one years, Julia, who has remained silent, listening carefully to all the questions I asked others about the death of his father a few months earlier. The little son of Hugh was playing on his knees. Page 233
I am indebted to Raphaële Vernay, because I used his blog as a source, Nick Rice, who has spent many days at base camp with Hugh, and Serge Civera who came to visit him at base camp. They gave me glimpses of his character and his mindset as mine Dumas and Qudrat Ali.
Page 54
One day at base camp, Van Rooijen, has played with Hugh, entering the tent of the French asking him to lend his two PAHs in the Dutch team to carry ropes and set up camp 4. "It's nice and we will leave for the summit, said Van Roojen very determined." H A. refused, arguing that its carriers were not accustomed to high altitude and in any case he needed it for himself. Van Roojen found that carriers were not doing their own work, but H A. Van Roojen thought was simply trying to use other carriers. The Dutch had already taxed Hughes and Nick Rice $ 500 each to use the strings that were attached to the Dutch way.
"We will move the ropes when we are ready," said Hughes. "We must preserve their energy for the challenge of the summit"
By following Aubarède Roojen found that Van did not know when they deliberately crossed the road, and he feared he would be angry. Page 111
For a while they all remained in single-leu for the descent from the summit, Case Van Gevels remembers. Then night fell, like a blanket on the snowfields. Each climber was focused on his own breathing, his exhaustion and pain. Then came the painful thoughts of how much remained of miles in the cold. They floated away from each other.
When he reached down in the "Crossing", Case felt relieved when his boots ran into the ledge before the serac. He was surprised to see the glow of a headlamp not far ahead. When he climbed along the ice front, he saw a silhouette in a yellow jumpsuit curved dark, clinging to the rope
"Hugh! "Van de
Gevels wondered how Hughes felt. The old man had worked well from the top. From the way he leaned on the slope and looked tired. It was not with his PAHs, Karim Meherban. The two men approached
their face to speak. H A. spoke first and made a hand motion "Pass the first case," he said.
"Are not you coming? "Said Van de Gevels.
"Yes! if! "Said H A .. "But you are faster than me, I'll follow you. "The rope
stretched along the wall of frozen rock. Van de Gevels thought it was a good idea that there is not too much weight on the rope, there had already been too much of it today.
Below the "Crossing", several hundred yards away, below the Bottleneck on his shoulder, he saw a light from Camp 4.
"We no longer speak" asked Hugh. Van de
Gevels nodded and walked away in the "Crossing", leaving the French. When he reached the point where the cord was damaged, he saw a new length of rope to hang freely on the rock. The Dutch climber did not know what happened to Rolf Bae and Cecilie Skog and Lars Nessa, as well Cheiring Dorje, or anyone's team "Flying Jump." He thought only the other end of the rope hanging from the hook at the end of the "Crossing" and that the rope was simply dropped. And again it was the idea of some climbers take a new road was certainly that.
The prospect of a new road does not bother Van Gevels. He had often climbed into the black in the Alps, although it must be especially vigilant. Sometimes you fall on frayed ropes left by previous expeditions and they never led in a vacuum.
Seeing no alternative, Van G. clung to the rope, jumped over rocks and, leaning back, got an encore. He looked below him as he could afford to turn your head and concentrate on his grip on the rope of his powerful fingers. When he felt a knot and a second length of rope through his gloves, he perceived that she was thinner than normal and white.
was the rope that Gerard Mc Donell had bought Alaska for the Dutch team, the feeling of familiarity comforted him. The Bottleneck
fell somewhere below in the direction of the shoulder. A few meters later he felt that the approaching end of the rope "courage! . He slowed and dropped the rope. It would be for H A. behind him. The French should be behind now.
He was happy to have reached a bottleneck, but felt a deep concern to find themselves without the protection of the fixed ropes. The slope was still very stiff. G. van turned to face the wall of ice. He planted his ice ax and began the steep descent.
few meters right of this narrow pass something caught his eye. When he had reached it discovered the backpack Wilco, that his colleague had left on the way to go in the heat and the crowds in the morning, which now seemed light years away. He had arrived roughly where the U.S. Klinker Chris had turned around. The backpack gave Van G. an indication as to where he was in the Bottleneck. It was also a sign that Van Rooijen was not yet ironed there. If left him for his friend gets on the way home. As he turned toward the lower part of the Bottleneck, Van G. felt tired legs. He said he was not far from Camp 4.
That's when he heard a noise above him in the dark, scraping sound of something slipping at full speed on ice. G. van rose and saw 20 or 30 steps above him, on his left, a body plunging headfirst into the Bottleneck.
There was no scream or cry. The climber still had his front lit. The body came down so fast that case could not see his face in his own light, but Van G. saw very clearly that the climber was wearing a tan suit. The body disappeared into the night. Page 114
Hugues Aubarède fell short of oxygen before reaching the summit. When Cas Van de G. has exceeded the "Crossing" of Aubarède was not sure how to proceed. He was exhausted and had his head full of questions. Could he come down? Could he stay where he was until daylight?
He remembered how he had almost missed the summit attempt. Bad weather had swept K2 mid July, requiring all shipments to reduce the possible dates for the summit. But the contract with its HA HAP Qudrat Ali, expired at the end of the month. Qudrat had worked with H A. since their ascent of Nanga Parbat in 2005. He had been a guide for French on K2 in 2006 although he did not do together in 2007. Ali was solid and had experience. The second guide, Meyerban Karim, who was 29 years old was the cousin of Qudrat and was a student in the same small town. They were both essential for Hughes.
theft of H A. Islamabad to return to France was booked Aug. 8 and the return trip to the Pakistani capital must take eight days. He eventually concluded that there would be no weather window before then .. He called for advancing the date of flight and ordered five porters Concordia to take his luggage from the base camp.
Gerard Mc Donnell and Wilco Van Rooijen tried to persuade him to stay. They told him that their forecasts weather the storms subsided showed that around 29 July.
H A. Yan Giezendarnner called his friend, who worked for the weather service of the French government in Chamonix and who confirmed the best prospects.
"It's possible for me Qudrat? "He said when he found his PAH. "I would go to the top with Karim"
"You must try," said Ali. The guide knew what mattered to H at this summit of K2. "I hope you will go to the top. . On
Aubarède called Mine in Lyon. "I have good news," he said
"Do what you want," said Mine.
H A. called the airline to postpone the ticket. Qudrat him, could not remain (other guests were waiting for another record) and thus H A. HA hired a new guide to replace Ali, Jahan Baig, that Ali knew Shimshal.
But when H A. thought he could attempt the summit; insidious doubt seized him, he feared the lack of sleep would have come in high altitude, difficulty breathing, cold.
His friend Philippe Vernay, Lyon, had tried to convince Hughes in God: "If the K2 was so beautiful it was thanks to God! " But this was not the reason that drove him to climb furiously. Yes, H A. fully appreciate the wonders of nature, but he did not believe in God: "Sorry Philip!." He believed, however, some absolute and that is probably what he needed.
But this year the rise was more difficult than before, it was hard for a man of 61 years. As he had back pain on the slopes, especially steep slopes below Camp 2! At the end of the day was painful, just look to enter the tent. He found it was increasingly hard to sleep, even to base camp where he had a mattress with a thickness of between 2cm5 his body and the glacier, and even more in the high camps. He swallowed the aspirin to alleviate the headaches caused by the altitude that pounded the temples.
He knew the dangers. He knew everything about death. In July 2005 he had shared his tent with his friend, Bernard Constantin on Nanga Parbatp. Three months later, on the slopes of Kang Guru in Nepal, Constantine had been buried under an avalanche with six other French and five Sherpas. Last year the K2 Zavka his friend Stephano, exhausted and alone, had crossed the cornice along the shoulder, the descent, and they had never seen. This year, when H A. had made his pilgrimage to the memorial Gilkey, he scanned the knockouts names of the dead. He said aloud that he hoped not to be there one day.
He missed his family, he remained in contact with her almost every day. He had a friend in Lyon, Raphael, Philippe Vernay's wife who kept her blog. And it is comforting to read in his sleeping bag all text messages from friends and family, sent on his satellite phone.
In July, his youngest daughter, Constance, had sent him a bottle of Verbena and a message. She told him the details of organizing her wedding: wine and champagne were ordered, the church adopted in Chamonix. She recommended her father not to be late, she said she did not want to go to the altar itself.
Now, in the crossing, when H A. Cas van de G looked away in the distance, he remembered that he had come down from the clouds to share his success with friends and family he was returning to the marriage of Constance
HA released her and tried to call Thuraya his family in France but could not get it. Some Moments later, he stood up again and followed the Dutch on the rope.
Bottlneck In Case of Van G. went down a few meters along the slope in the direction where he saw the body fall, he knew it was Hughes.
He looked before him with his headlamp, but he saw no trace of Aubarède. When he turned two lamps waved among the rocks a few hundred feet above him, he probably thought that they were Koreans who followed him. It took root with his ice ax and put his hands over his mouth.
"Someone has fallen! "Cried you it, hoping they could help. " Hughes has fallen! "Whoever it was
behind him, there was no response. They were too far away to hear it.
He could not lose more time searching. A few minutes later the slope decreased and he could turn around and face the mountain.
Near the bottom of the Bottleneck he saw two headlamps slowly approaching the Narrows. They were two sherpas or PAHs were from Camp 4 and he could not recognize them.
He told them what he saw and pointed the finger at the spot where the body had fallen.
"Look over here and help him," he said.
The two men went in the direction he had shown, but they seemed not to hurry ...!
He thought Hugh. He did not know why Hughes had fallen. Perhaps he was so focused on his descent with the rope he had not realized it was over. Or had he left the rope successfully but had stumbled against a block of ice that dotted the slope.
