DISPATCHES

Keller

Being at 24,750 feet was quite the experience, for sure. Jon Otto, Chris Zimmer-Conrad (Saxonia, Germany), Kryzysztof Berbeka (Krakow, Poland), and myself all made the top and made a ski descent. The ascent from Camp III took five to six hours. We joined an Austrian team breaking trail and making the first ascent of Mustagh Ata this season.

While on the top, I lowered Jon Otto the length of a rope down the East Ridge to examine the new route. Unfortunately, due to the cold, the digital camera did not function. It was really cloudy below and we only briefly got an abbreviated view of the route. At one point, while I was alone on the summit, I got one view which seemed to show the East Ridge route is feasible as long as we can access a steep snow and ice slope/ridge to the summit. On the other hand, the headwall is daunting, in steepness and height, and will be quite challenging if we need to climb it. Jon examined the snow pack near the summit and tried to kick off any avalanches from the snow pack.

Skiing from the summit was a blast. Below Camp III, 22,000 feet, the snow was a beautiful powder consistency that reminded me of many days skiing the Wasatch mountains outside of Salt Lake City. I was alone in great light. The purity of the day and the mountains around me put a huge smile across my face. I actually forgot that I had a heavy pack on my back and mountaineering boots on my feet as the turns came effortlessly with a fresh line in front of me.

The packs grew as we descended, picking up gear at camps on the way down. By the time Jon reached Base Camp, his pack weighed in at 75 pounds. A few face plants in crusted snow above Camp I was enough to remove all arrogance I might have gained on the powdery slopes above.

A few quotes which stick in my mind from the climb follow:

Jon Otto: "Sorry the pace is so slow, since you're acclimatized having spent three days above 6000 meters."

"No the pace is fine," I responded. In my head I was saying, 'We've just covered 1500-vertical feet in two hours, breaking trail at 21,000 feet, and you are apologizing for going too slow? Are you crazy?' Jon is a strong climber!

Dan Mazur, at Camp II, 20,000 feet: "Altitude, I found it 10 years ago. It's like a drug."

Kryzysztof Berbeka: "Go, Go, Go, Up, Up, Up."

Jon Otto, Walter Keller, Ulrich Haushafer (Austrian Team): "My tongue is so sunburned — keep your mouth closed." Good advice for the future.

Now well acclimatized from climbing the standard route, we're organizing to climb the unclimbed east side of the mountain. The stakes are raised over there a little, but the East Ridge is where the real adventure lies on this hill.

All the best thoughts to everyone back at home. Regards, from Mustagh Ata.

— Walter Keller, MountainZone.com Correspondent

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