Dispatches for Don Bowie

Post Summit

info@calpinist.com — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:00:00 +0100

Many of you are wondering about my present state of health. This dispatch will address that as well as share a brief description of our summit of G1, descent, with some photos, and the obligatory ridiculousness which still seems resident even when I feel like crap… Total crap!

The real start of the summit push began on the afternoon of July 27th. Joined now by Marty Schmidt, Libor Uher, and Radek Jaros, Alexey and I climbed from Camp 2 to Camp 3 and stopped there for [...]

We were close, but no cigars!

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:00:00 +0100

July 20, 2010

{rokzoom title=|Alexey roams around the million dollar Camp 3 view.Photo Don Bowie|}images/camp3view7-17-10.jpg{/rokzoom}

Saturday, July 17th, at 1:00am, Alexey and I awoke once again at Camp 3 on G1. The forecast for the mountain that day was to be almost perfect - if not a little cold - but low winds and no precipitation. We quickly ran through the morning rituals of alternating swinging arms through down jackets and pulling on boots in tandem. It& [...]

A Little Push, A Little Gag

info@calpinist.com — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:00:00 +0100

July 13, 2010

{rokzoom title=|Alexey in the upper narrow section of the Japanese Couloir Photo Don Bowie|}images/Alexey_narrow_7-13-10.jpg{/rokzoom}

Our trip up to Camp 3 on GI was a very enjoyable climb. Unfortunately, there were many old ragged ropes hanging in the Japanese Couloir - some of which we used to our advantage climbing on the rock to the left of the main chute. The upper part of the couloir is narrow - perhaps 3 meters wide in places - and really nice climbi [...]

Welcome Back

info@calpinist.com — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 18:00:00 +0100

July 4, 2010
Alexey and I are back in base camp now, waiting out a spell of poor weather - along with most of the other teams.

After we arrived at base camp on June 25th, Alexey and I sorted gear for a day or two, then immediately headed up the glacier to Camp 1. The route to Camp 1 seems more straightforward this year, and tackles the top of the icefall directly - which is a shorter journey than last year's more circuitous route, and requires careful negotiation of [...]

Gasherbrum Base Camp - For the moment!

info@calpinist.com — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:00:00 +0100

June 27th, 2010

Travel in Pakistan has been difficult this year with poor weather beating up the roads and delaying flights into Skardu. Once again we were unable to fly up north and were forced to endure the grueling 24 hour bus ride up the Karakoram Highway - this time in non-stop fashion. I woke up in Skardu with my right cheek sporting an impressive macramé waffle pattern, courtesy the dirty window curtain I drooled on during the final 8 hours of the trip. Appar [...]

Don's Upcoming Events

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 18:00:00 +0100

(McMenamins Theater, Portland OR, Jan 2010) Don's Upcoming presentations are scheduled. All shows are open to the public!

April 6- University of Montana, Missoula MT

North Underground Lecture Hall, 7pm

April 7- Gonzaga University, Spokane WA

Jepson Center Wolff Auditorium, 7p [...]

THANKS! (Upcoming Events)

info@calpinist.com — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0100

A sincere thanks to all of you who have followed along with me on the 2009 Gasherbrum III Expedition.

As reported form Pakistan, we did not summit, but managed to establish a route up the lower west face of GIII. We then traversed back into the cwm to 7300meters before Bruce Normand came down with a debilitating altitude illness. When his blood-oxygen saturation dropped to below 40%, things got a little dicey. Despite zero visibility and many harrowing rappels dow [...]

Dispatch 8: Part 3 of 3: Trouble on the Mountain

info@calpinist.com — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:00:00 +0100

(Webteam: This is the 3rd and final part of Dispatch 8. See previous 2 parts for the full story.)

...A few rappels later I found myself at a small icy stance with Billy. We both looked at each other and with various (not so creative) language and exclaimed how crazy it was that we were descending smack dab in the middle of the icefall.

{rokzoom title=|Don rests on ice tools while Bruce rappels down to his stance in the icefall Photo Don Bowie|}images/Don_ra [...]

Dispatch 8: Part 2 of 3; Trouble on the Mountain

info@calpinist.com — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:00:00 +0100

(Webteam: Dispatch 8 is in 3 parts. Tomorrow we will post Part 3 of 3)

At 2am on July 10th I called home on the sat phone for another weather forecast; it appeared that the high winds would be lower on July 11th, and after a discussion with the guys we decided to wait it out a day at the 7300 meter camp. Bruce seemed OK and slept most of the day, even sharing on the brewing-up duties later that morning despite still feeling bad. But by early evening he began to struggle to stay awa [...]

Dispatch 8: Part 1 of 3

info@calpinist.com — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:00 +0100

(Webteam: Dispatch 8 is in 3 sections. Part 2 will be sent tomorrow 7/16 and Part 3 will be sent 7/17.)

On Monday July 6th, Guy, Bruce, Billy, and I began the hike up the glacier to Camp 1. I wanted to continue up to our Camp 2 nestled in the icefall, but was out-voted by the others, so instead we brewed up and spent a hot afternoon basking in our tents among the small G2 tent village. In the morning we (again) broke trail to our Bibler tent set up at 6300 meters in [...]

Spinning in Spindrift

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

On June 23rd, Bruce, David and I left for Camp 1 with supplies for a few days work. Bruce and I hoped to climb into the cwm at 7000m and stash a tent, stove, and other gear. We spent the first night at Camp 1, leaving the next morning for the cash at 6400m on the lower south face of GIII near the bergshrund- the same place Billy and Guy reached a few days earlier. Bruce and I broke a new trail all the way up the glacier to the foot of the GIV-GIII icefall, and then up through dangerous avalan [...]

"Familiar Waftings"

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

The last few days as we rested in base camp we watched long lines of porters filing up the lower moraine, bringing with them loads of gear for the G2 expeditions. There is a rumor about the camp that a total of 13 expeditions will try G2 (and/or GI) this summer, and the base camp spots around us are already dotted with the bright colors of nylon tents. At least 70 people now occupy various spots at base camp - with perhaps 100 more to come, and from the proximity of the tents it would appear [...]

Snowshoeing with sharks!

info@calpinist.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

{rokzoom title=|Bruce wonders where he left his car keys?by Don Bowie|}images/Bruce_keys6-10-09.jpg{/rokzoom}

A few more days of overcast skies and sometimes low visibility have passed, but we've managed

{rokzoom title=|Billy stops to make snowconesby Don Bowie|}images/Billy_cones6-10-09.jpg{/rokzoom}

to move farther up the glacier toward the col between Gasherbrum 3 and 4. By the time this dispatch is posted, Bruce, Guy, Billy and I will have left for a 5 day stint back up the [...]

MUDFLOWS and the BILLYSICLE

info@calpinist.com — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

DISPATCH BY DON BOWIE {rokzoom title=|Camp @ Goro 2 on way to Concordia;by Don Bowie|}images/Camp-Goro-2-09.jpg{/rokzoom}

The trip from Skardu to base camp went relatively smoothly - except for an impassable section of road being pounded by a huge mud flow and hurtling boulders on the jeep ride to Askole. We retreated and spent a night in the village of Apo Ali Gon, waking early the next day to pass through the dangerous section. When we reached the mudflow, we found the road semi-rebuilt, but [...]

"Spirit of Mountaineering" Commendation

info@calpinist.com — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Don Bowie's Support Team is proud to announce that on April 25, 2009, at the Piolets d'Or ceremony in Chamonix, France, Don Bowie along with Simon Anthamatten (Swiss), Alexey Bolotov (Russian), Horia Colibasanu (Romanian), Ueli Steck (Swiss), and Denis Urubko (Kazakh), were the first climbers to be awarded the "Spirit of Mountaineering" Commendation by The Alpine Club . They received this award for their attempt to rescue Inaki Ochoa de Olza on Annapurna in May 2 [...]

Trekking Out!

info@calpinist.com — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0100

The team has begun their evacuation of base camp. Don and five of the team members have started their trek out. They have a long and difficult journey ahead. Shortly after they left base camp, Don injured his knee which has impeded his progress. In addition to this, he is carrying 60-70 lb packs and often trekking through waist high snow. We ask you to pray for safety for all of them during this difficult journey. Don will update us when he arrives at his final destinatio [...]

"Summit attack halted"

info@calpinist.com — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0100

“Retreat: The Summit attack halted by the weather” reported Artur Hajzer on his website:

Artur continues to say that, “According to forecast from Meteo Institute till March 21 2009, which is end of the winter, there won't be the weather allowing attacking Broad Peak Summit. There will be heavy wind blowing up to 100 km per hour on summit level. Not having much of a choice, in the situation, HiMountain Expedition decided to terminate the siege and [...]

Summit Bid Aborted

info@calpinist.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Don and the team are safe in base camp. They had to abort their summit bid due to severe weather conditions and other circumstances. Dispatch from Don to follow soon.

At Camp 2 filmed by Artur Hajzer

info@calpinist.com — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 22:02:07 +0100

At Camp 2 from Calpinist.com on Vimeo.

Pictures of ascent to Camp 1

info@calpinist.com — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0100

Here are a few images of our ascent to Camp 1. The weather was clear and reasonable for climbing- let's hope it stays that way. (But we know it won't!) Next on the agenda, Camp 2....Obviously.

Click on picture to enlarge
{rokzoom title=|Artur approaches Broad Peak as clouds bend around K-2|}images/2 Artur approaches Broad Peak as clouds bend around K2.jpg{/rokzoom}{rokzoom title=|Artur and Robert in the entry coulior|}images/1artur-robert-12-29-08.jpg{/rokzoom [...]