Dispatches for Webteam

Waiting for stable weather

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Phone dispatch from Don, 9am, July 9, 2009 (PKT)

Don, Bruce, Billy, and Guy reached the cwm at 7000 meters last night (July 8, PKT). They are waiting there for more stable weather so that they can attempt a summit bid.

Wallow-Me-Elmo

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Wallow-me-Elmo

It's been a week since I departed Pakistan, and I'm now feeling rested and revitalized, assimilating back into western culture and snacking on the odd french fry or two...ok, maybe more than two. I'll be in Europe for the next week, arriving back in the States near the end of March.

On February 25th, it was made public on the HiMountain website that our expedition was over. We had tried for 70 days to surpass our high point of Camp 3 at 7000 meters, [...]

The Story Continues:

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0100

On Sunday, February 15th, our huddle in Camp 2 awoke to the wind still battering the tent. Sometime during the night Artur had received a SMS (or phone call, I can't remember) with a weather update stating some possibility of lower summit winds on Tuesday the 17th. As we were already in the thick of things, I also decided that we might as well try, day-by-day from this point, to see if the winds would in fact decrease a little - that a decent window might somehow appear.

Artu [...]

"We got our butts kicked!"

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0100

[video:3279188 100x100] There's no way around it. There's no other way to say it. To avoid the idea that elements on Broad Peak can outmatch any human is simple arrogance (or denial), so I won't hesitate to admit our (at least momentary) defeat. High winds - at times easily more than 100km/h - and temperatures below minus -35C, added to this, endless sheets of continuous, monotonous, bulletproof ice, were the tools of our challenger, and the challenger outmatched us - the final blow being t [...]

�Can it be meant for us?...."

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0100

I would like to personally send my congratulations to both Simone and Denis for their incredible accomplishment of summiting Makalu in winter. All of us here at base camp were cheering you guys along, and celebrated with shouts and applauses when we received the news. Finally, the last 8000 meter peak of Nepal has been climbed in winter. We are proud of you both!!

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0100

(Posted 01/20/09, 1:32 pm Pakistan time)

Hoping to take advantage of a few hours of storm reprieve, Qadrat and I left mid-morning yesterday (Jan 19th) for Camp 1. My plan was to stay the night there and then climb to Camp 2 today, sleeping one night there and carrying my share of the summit push supplies, then returning to Base Camp to wait out the next spell of bad weather. During our ascent to Camp 1, Qadrat and I spent much time and energy digging and pulling out the ropes buried [...]

Base Camp Boredom

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:03:32 +0100

Basecamp Boredom 1.1 from Calpinist.com on Vimeo.

Back from Camp 3

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Back from Camp 3 at 7000 meters, we are all now resting in base camp, waiting for a spell of good weather to try for...dare I say.

In 18 days since our arrival, we have spent 10 days of activity on the mountain - a remarkable feat for even a summer expedition. We take our fast progress in stride, committed to the long haul, knowing that long spells of bad weather and other challenges lay ahead. Personaly, I feel content, but most of all, I feel thankful - simply grateful - to be on a [...]

Camp 3: Phone dispatch from 7000 meters

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0100

(The team left base camp on 01/05/09 to overnight in Camp 1 and then climbed to Camp 2 at 6300 meters to overnight on 01/06/09.)

(11am 01/08/09 Pakistan time) "We reached 7000 meters and decided to set up Camp 3 even though it is a little below what we had planned. The weather was worse than we had anticipated. There was more precipitation than we had expected and the winds were blowing consistently at 40 km/hr with gusts up to 50 km/hr. These winds don't seem like mu [...]

On the way to Camp 2

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0100

On the way to Camp 2 from Calpinist.com on Vimeo.

Camp 2: Phone Dispatch from Don

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0100

(9:30 pm Pakistan Time) "Happy New Year greetings to all my family, friends, and supporters. We are back in base camp now, but we spent last night at Camp 2 at 6300 meters, temperature -35C. "

Donus Bowius, Luke Hajzer-Walker czwarty, Rob Vader
picture by Artur Hajzur

Christmas Eve at Base Camp filmed by Artur Hajzer

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:42:16 +0100

Christmas Eve at Base Camp from Calpinist.com on Vimeo.

Camp 1: Phone dispatch from Don

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0100

At 8:30 pm Pakistan time (8:30 am MST on Dec. 27) Don phoned to tell us that he, Artur, and Robert had reached Camp 1 on Broad Peak (approximately 5600+ meters). The team will be spending the night in Camp 1 and then, weather permitting, hoped to continue up the mountain to set ropes to Camp 2. "There is not much snow, but a lot of ice and rock." As they were settling in for a nights rest, Don said, "Our stomachs are full....of sauerkraut and kielb [...]

Broad Peak: Socializing at 14,000 feet

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0100

Artur Hajzer: Aproaching Broad Peak from Calpinist.com on Vimeo.

Apologies from the Web Team

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:00:00 +0100

For those of you who receive our dispatch announcements via email, we once again apologize for sending out some of Don's old dispatches along with Don's first dispatch from Broad Peak. We thought the problem with our automated system, Feedburner, was fixed, but apparently not. Therefore, we have dismantled it and will be sending out future dispatches with a new system. Watch for Don's latest dispatch coming up soon!