The N.Z. Karakoram: A Journey to Pakistan 1987

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I To Pakistan 1987 Expedition A Journey "The cabin crew will now demonstrate the safety procedures in case of an emergency." With those comforting words Dale, Hugh and I flew out of Wellington airport bound for Sydney, where we would meet other members of the New Zealand Karakoram Expedition. Dale and I were the two WT&MC Expedition members. The objective of the Expedition was to climb two peaks in the northern territory of Pakistan. Gasherbrum I, 8068m (Hidden Peak), and Baltoro Kangri, 7312m (Golden Throne) were the targets, located in the Karakoram Range, home of K2 and the largest concentration of peaks over 8000m in the world. Other objectives were to be the first New Zealand expedition to climb an Local shepherds Rex Benbrook 8000m peak, and to have the first New Zealand woman climb an 8000m peak. in Barry Crump's words, 'bloody hard men'. Eventually we got to Islamabad, and our They slept out in the open, or under plastic flying was now over; date 6 June, time sheets if camped in the snow. 8pm, temperature 39°C. Most of us hadn't been in heat like this before, and found As we walked up the valley towards the it hard to handle. I thought my blood was Baltoro Glacier we passed a lot of small going to boil the toenails off in my climbing villages. The villagers have a very simple boots. way of life, yet they don't bat an eyelid as the latest Puma helicopter flies past Four Expedition members from New Zealand en route to an army base further up the had arrived a week earlier to arrange food, valley! transport and other details. Craig (expedition leader) met us at the airport to show us Our base camp was set up at the junction the way to the hotel. He was laughing at of the South Gasherbrum and Abruzzi Glaciers some of the looks on our faces as we hopped at 5400m. Dale, Angela and I had originally into two taxis that looked as if they'd been planned to climb Baltoro Kangri via Conway in an explosion. Still, if the mechanics are Saddle, but were stopped by the army on reliable, who's worried about where the our first gear carry. They said Conway upholstery should be? Saddle was being shelled by the Indians, SO we would have to climb using another After three days of packing food boxes and route. We decided to abandon our plans equipment, we were off to Skardu, a drive for Baltoro Kangri when the army suggested of 32 hours. We travelled along a road called we should climb Gasherbrum II (8057m). the Karakoram Highway, once an old silk For this we had to gain permission from route. The road in parts has horrendous the Pakistan Tourism Department. Their drops off one side into the Indus river, and answer was that as we had a permit to climb is known for the big slips that take days Gasherbrum I (GI), no other 8000 peaks could to clear. Everything had been going So well be climbed. So now we would join the others until we were stopped by one of these. It on Gasherbrum I. The route they were took three days to clear! attempting was called the Japanese Couloir route. They had already reached 6500m, While waiting, we stayed in a village called which is below the couloir (steep snow gully). Pattan. The locals challenged us to a game of cricket, so we did battle and soon realised By this stage Dale and I had acclimatised that cricket was not our forte. It was very on the Gasherbrum I route. Acclimatising embarrassing! is conditioning your body to the lack of oxygen in the blood, due to the lower Eventually we arrived in Skardu, then had atmospheric pressure at high altitude. Or, a day's jeep drive to Dassu where we hired in laymen's terms: "My feet 'urt, my 'ead 193 porters. The porters were the most 'urts, my 'ole body 'urts - but still I go memorable part of the trip as they were, on!"

I have never been so tired in all my life! meals we were sure he was the God of As we went from base camp up through Diarrhoea! the South Gasherbrum icefall the first few times, we realised the dangers of climbing Hugh and Steven had ascended the Couloir, the big peaks. Owing to the lack of oxygen along with four Pakistan Army Expedition you get tired very quickly, and only recover members on the 24th, and Camp III was from any sickness by descending as soon set up at 7100m. Hugh and Steve descended as possible. on the 25th, exhausted from waist deep snow about the Couloir. They said the route We made five trips away from Base Camp, had a very high avalanche danger and shouldn't totalling 21 days. The route from Base be attempted, as a storm was coming in. Camp to a camp we called Camp II on Gasherbrum La, at 6500m, involved a Dale and I and two Japanese stayed at four-hour walk up the South Gasherbrum Camp II, and everyone else went down. The Icefall to Camp I, which was on the neve. next day a storm raged, so after digging Then we continued the next day across the ourselves out of the snow cave three times neve to the Gasherbrum La icefall, and we decided to move into the Basque ascended to Camp II on the La. Expedition's tent. In the morning the storm was still with us, so we decided to go down By 25 July Dale and I were fit and ready to Base Camp with the Japanese. The to make a summit push. To get to this stage Pakistan Army Team above, informed us we had been in storms I thought would shred that they were going to descend, as one the Olympus, and snow caves which we of their members was very sick. Dale and continually dug our way out of. We had I, and the Army Colonel at Camp I, warned also eaten Abdul's (our Base Camp cook) them of the danger of descending the avalanche-prone couloir! Base Camp 1 Rex Benbrook

Baltoro Glacier Rex Benbrook At 7.40 am, just as we were about to leave, our faces. To continue, we would need to I stepped out of the tent and was hit by fix ropes all the way to Camp III. Only the blast of a powder snow avalanche coming 300m had been fixed so far. I reasoned down from above the couloir. Four objects our probability of success was approaching lay in the snow at the bottom of the face. zero, so as the weather worsened I staggered The two Japanese and I rushed over to the down clearing the camps of all our gear. site, while Dale tried to radio for help. The objects lying in the snow were the bodies One last chance in the remaining four days of the Pakistan Army Team. The four had saw Gavin and I turn our sights toward Baltoro fallen over 500m. We left the bodies where Kangri. We reasoned that if we set off they were as the snow slope was in a dangerous at midnight we could be up the avalanche condition. The storm raged on. gullies before the slides started - a quick alpine-style attack. The weather turned Morning dawned very cold but clear. We bad again sO we never really got off the decided to recover the bodies, and then ground. head down to Base Camp. During the recovery my feet started getting cold, due to the I had now come the full circle. We headed deep snow. We left the bodies in two tents out on 11 August. The walk out took us 200m down from the accident site, and seven days and tore my feet to bits. continued to Base Camp. That night when I took my boots off I found my toes hard It was a great experience. If I had known and cold, but not frozen. it was going to be like it was, I would still have gone. I am glad I did. The next day Bill had a look and said I couldn't go back up the mountain, or walk out, as Postscript I had frostbite. When Craig told the Colonel Four New Zealanders stayed on when the of my condition, he organised a helicopter rest had to leave Base Camp for home, and to fly me out. I flew out a week before an 8000m peak was climbed by three of the expedition left Base Camp for home. them. The name can't be revealed for obvious reasons. Dale continues the story: I now had the problem of no climbing partner, The weather was against most expeditions heaps of our gear at Camp II, and a pretty this year. Up until 11 August only four strong summit urge. out of thirty expeditions had made a summit. The others had decided now to change routes The members of the 1987 New Zealand on GI, opting to try the Habeler-Messner Karakoram Expedition were: Craig Stobo route which looked in better condition. We (Leader), Bill Atkinson, Rex Benbrook, Lydia now had only six days left. Geoff was heading Bradey, Steve Bruce, Angela Hair, Geoff up to Camp II to pick up gear, and Brigette Little, Carol McDermott, Brigette Muir, seemed keen on a summit attempt. We Dale Parsons, Peter Sampson, Geoff Sharp, teamed up for one last effort. At Camp II Ian Stevens, Gavin Tweedie, and Hugh Van the wind was howling, spindrift was stinging Noorden. by Rex Benbrook and Dale Parsons

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