Markus Kronthaler remains brought down from Broad Peak

Markus Kronthaler

In 2007 Jasmine Tours organize Austrian Golden Jubilee Broad Peak Expedition, one think which motivated me to write again about this expedition was Georg Kronthaler determination and courage to bring the body of his brother Markus Kronthaler down from Broad Peak.

Georg wrote before leaving "I don't just want to bring my brother down - I want to change the ethical principles in high altitude climbing. We can't only focus on our sport goals and thus walk literally over corpses - someone who had an accident doesn't deserve to be left there like garbage." he further mention Pakistan will celebrate the Broad Peak 50th anniversary in 2007 and a large number of climbers is expected on the mountain. " I too will climb Broad Peak together with my friends, But there is nothing to celebrate in my ascent, Markus remains are lying exposed at about 8000m in a place all climbers pass by. Many will take pictures I am sure - This is something my family and I just can not accept. Thus my goal on Broad Peak will be to take my brother down and bring him back home, where he will be properly buried."

Not only he brought down the body of his brother down from the mountain, he also wrote a history by bring down a dead body from an altitude of 7900m.

In brief after bringing down the body from the mountain, it was transported from Broad Peak base camp to Skardu by Army helicopter, from there it was further transported to Islamabad by Pakistan International Airlines. George was consulting back home with his family either to buried or burn the body in Islamabad, we first stored the body in PIM's hospital Islamabad so it did not loose its shape. we been to Hundi temple in Rawalpindi to find out either it is possible to burn the body but all in vain. Finally the family decided to bring the body back home to buried it there. With the help of Austrian Embassy in Islamabad we organize papers for the smooth travel of dead body from Pakistan to Austria. Markus Kronthaler body was transported to Austria, where a proper funeral ceremony was held which was participated by family and friends of Kronthaler family.

There are still many human bodies are lying on different Mountains in Pakistan, many of them are forgotten by their families. Mountains are not graveyard bring down your love-one remains from the mountains and buried them properly. "Pakistan High Altitude Rescue Organization - PHARO".

Markus Kronthaler graveyard in Austria

by Asghar Ali Porik
Owner 
Jasmine Tours Pakistan

Bulgarian GI and GII Expedition report 2009

Peter Atanasov

Nikolay Petkov

Dear Sirs, My name is Boyan Petrov and this summer I was a member in the Bulgarian team for climbing Gasherbrum-1 and Gasherbrum-2 as a part of Jasmine Tours shared permit. I am type 1 diabetic with previous experience in the Karakorum Mt (2001- Bulgarian Broad Peak Expedition up to 7300m and 2005- Polish-Bulgarian K2 Expedition up to 8150m).

With the present letter I would like to clarify some details of my accent to Gasherbrum-2, which I did on 1^st August 2009. 

Gasherbrum-1 (26^th July 2009)

As a member of the Bulgarian team led by Mr. Nikolay Petkov, on 26^th of August 2009 all four members from our group (together with Veikka Gustafsson and Kazuya Hiraide) reached the summit of G-1 between 10:40 and 11:25 AM.

On 27.07.2009, all four Bulgarians descended to Camp 1 (5960m), where I decided to try solo Gasherbrum-2 in the following days.  

Gasherbrum-2 (27^th July – 2^nd August 2009)

27.7.2009- I climbed directly to Camp 3 (6950m) where I slept in the tent of the missing Spanish climber Luis Barbero after taking the permission from the leader of his team, Mr. Carlos Soria. 

28.7.2009- After two unsuccessful attempts (in 1AM up to 7100m and in 5AM up to 7250m) in worsening weather conditions in 9AM I decided to go down. I reached Camp 1 about 1PM that day. 

29.7.2009- Rest day in Camp 1.

30.7.2009- Again without support from any other climbers I broke the trail from Camp 1 to Camp 3.

1.8.2009- I started alone for the summit at 3AM. Breaking the trail in the soft fresh snow on the traverse beneath the summit pyramid was the most challenging part of this climb. In about 12:15h was at about 100m below the summit ridge. I was not fully prepared for climbing G-2 right after G-1 and did not read the description about the last part of the climb. I was unable to estimate where the true summit is and decided to climb straight up in the middle of the ridge. I reached the sharp, corniced ridge in 1:10PM and broke the cornice to see Broad Peak, K2 and beyond (Picture 1). Then I realized that the summit of G-2 is actually to the left of me at about max. 40m (Picture 2).

Picture 1: Broad peak (in the clouds) and K2 on the back as seen from the summit ridge of Gasherbrum-2, 1.8.2009, 13:14h, B. Petrov

Having only one ice axe and a stick I started traversing towards the summit from the Pakistani side. Beneath the fresh, powdered snow I stepped on a very hard ice and in a fen to twelve meters horizontal traverse I felt twice for 2m. Then I decided to quit. Thus the highest point reached by me is actually at about 30m horizontally from the highest point of the Gasherbrum-2’ ridge and about 5-7m lower.

In 5:10 PM I reached Camp 3 and found the Spanish Sechu Lopez and the Iranians Mohamed and Hussein. All of them have planned to push for the summit in the next morning and I decided not to disturb them. After a short break I continued to descent and reached Camp 1 in 8:05 PM.

2.8.2009- I packed all the gear and the tent from Camp 1 and safely reached the Base Camp. 

Picture 2: The summit of Gasherbrum-2 (the highest part of the snow ridge to the left) as seen from the Chinese side of the mountain, 1.8.2009, 13:15h, B. Petrov

6.8.2009- While crossing Gondohoro La pass I fell 13m in a deep ice crevasse. I was rescued by the Spanish Andres, Luis and Jorge with the help of several porters. 

18-29.8.2009- I passed many medical urological, neurological and endocrinological examinations, tests and other checks to verify the health consequences due to all disorders I have suffered after the fall in the crevasse.

From 30.8.2009 I am resting with my family at the island of Thassos in Greece.  

Please consider all facts and the enclosed pictures in this letter in order to include me or not in the list of G-2 2009 summiteers. 

With my best greetings, 

Boyan Petrov

2^nd September 2009, Thassos, Greece.