DISPATCHES

Mazur

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We are camped on a high slope above the Potterfield Glacier, on the edge of the Waugh Basin, which provides a kind of hidden key to gaining this ridge, which is accessed from the opposite side of the Kuksay Glacier by climbing up the Potterfield Glacier. Bye for now, Dan Mazur

Jon Otto
Dear Mountain Zone,
Well, on the 6th it snowed a bunch so we rested. Walter went ahead to out Base Camp. The morning of the 7th, it was gorgeous, so we hiked to Base Camp to meet up with Walter. Dan and I carried huge, 80+ pound packs— good workout.

Walter explored the route up to Camp I on the left side of the ridge. The hike over to Base Camp was a little nostalgic as I thought back to our trek two years before to this area on a reconnaissance trip to check out this East Ridge route. Now we are on it at Camp I, and I feel strong. At this very moment, the evening of the 8th, we are five people huddled into the three-person tent with three stoves going. Bye, Jon Otto.

Walter Keller
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to explore the route up to about 5700 meters. I went as high as I could possibly climb before the route becomes highly technical. At 5700 meters the route becomes very interesting, as we'll have to rappel down into a notch with 1000 or so feet of exposure on either side before ascending through about 1000 feet of technical climbing to a snowy ridge above. The whole thing looks like something from "Alice in Wonderland." I'm just looking forward to good weather so we can get up there and give it a go. The best to everyone at home from our tent at 18,000 feet on the East Ridge of Mustagh Ata— Walter Keller.

Anne Ramzy
Hi, Mountain Zone! Yesterday was by far the funniest day for me. Our team trekked from our "Amphitheater" home to Base Camp. I found myself hiking alone— thus beginning a series of adventures.

First, I found myself in a rock slide, maybe 10 feet. I came out fine, though, and everything was okay. Coming to the top of the next rock ridge, I found a huge glacial river running, with an ice bridge, maybe one foot across. Yup, I started walking across the bridge before my foot slipped.

There I was, sitting there, straddling this ice bridge. I couldn't stand up— I had a 40-50lb pack. So what did I do? I slid my way across, sitting down, across the bridge. I got over the next ridge and decided to sit and have a rest. I found a rock that looked as though it was carved right for my rear end. No sooner had I sat down, than I completely dumped over on my back, sprawled out like a turtle on its shell, arms and legs in odd directions.

At that point, I figured I had two options: laugh or cry. I remembered my childhood nickname "Princess" because I never did anything that required physical exertion, and I remembered all the camping/snowboarding etc. trips with friends: we always came home with me thinking I broke a limb or had some strange illness—which I never did. So, right then and there, I burst out laughing, just hee-hawing myself silly.

I love this place; it works me to my very last laugh. There couldn't have been a more beautiful sight than reaching Camp I today and taking in the view. It was as if Mustagh-Ata, the Father of the Ice Mountains himself, had opened up a secret door for us, to view this wonderful place. Love, Anne D. Ramzy

Yang Li Qun
Hello, Mountain Zone. I'm very glad to climb with Jon, Dan, Anne and Walter. I have climbed the number one glacier of Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Province, but the Kuksay Glacier is very different. I like this glacier. Today, we climbed up to 5300 meters, and I was very glad to see the snow. Although I am a little tired, I am very happy. It is my honor to climb with this team, if I can summit. Yang Li Qun.

— Dan Mazur, Jon Otto, Walter Keller, Anne Ramzy and Yang Li Qun, MountainZone.com Correspondents

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