Mortenson

The following teams have left Broad Peak: Spanish team from Banyoles led by Joaquim Castaner, Swiss expedition led by Kari Kobler, Chilean team led by Claudio Santibanes, Austrian Bergspechte expedition led by Edward(Edi) Koblemuller and others.

"The last 200 meters altitude to Broad Peak's main summit requires tremendous stamina. Broad Peak has three giant summit domes, like a three-humped camel...."

A Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) team led by Michael Marsh left Broad Peak in July after reaching approximately 7,700 meters on Broad Peak's western face. The last 200 meters altitude to Broad Peak's main summit requires tremendous stamina. Broad Peak has three giant summit domes, like a three-humped camel. The standard route passes on the north side of the central dome, then south, in the long and arduous traverse up to the final southern summit. The CMC expedition arrived at Broad Peak Base Camp early in the season and had plow through deep snow to establish their route above camp two. The CMC team members were: Michael Marsh – leader, Omar Dickenson, Thomas Maecykar, Robert Reedy, James Spark, Walter Maees and David Novak – all from Colorado.

Unlike the CMC Broad Peak expedition, few American expeditions in the Karakoram are formed by a climbing club. This is in contrast to Japanese and Korean expeditions that primarily consist of climbers from a University or local climbing club.

"Ziolland informed me that Tommy Heinrich, who is sending dispatches to Mountain Zone, plans to join the Koreans for their last summit assault...."

Currently, only a Catalan, French and Korean expedition are left on Broad Peak. The Koreans, led by Mr. Park, plan to leave Base Camp by August 14th. They are regrouping for one last summit push after one of their partners died on July 31st between Camp I and II. Their previous high point was 7,700 meters 10 days ago. On a clear day, with a telescope, a climber on Broad Peak's summit can be seen from Base Camp. Ziolland informed me that Tommy Heinrich, who is sending dispatches to Mountain Zone, plans to join the Koreans for their last summit assault.

Tons of Waste

The French Broad Peak expedition, lead by David Jonglez, brought an incinerator to Broad Peak. It was assembled at Base Camp and worked superbly to destroy expedition garbage. Although tons of garbage still remain at Karakoram base camps, the debris is much less than when I first came up the Baltoro seven years ago.

Thanks to the efforts of conscious climbers like Brent Bishop, Heinrich, Ziolland, and Jonglez, the Karakoram is gradually returning to its original pristine nature. On the Baltoro, the most disturbing sight of human passage today are hundreds of mounds of pink toilet paper fluttering in the wind.

Perhaps the most significant climb of Broad Peak was the first ascent by Hermann Buhl and his companions, Diemberger, Wintersteller, and Schmuch in 1957. Their climb up the 8,000 meter peak consisted of a small team without oxygen and 'sherpa' help. Unfortunately, Buhl plunged through a cornice to his death near the summit of Chogolisa (7,664 meters) only a few days later.

— Greg Mortenson, MountainZone.com Correspondent