Dispatches

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.

Spinning in Spindrift

arlene@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"

arlene@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 [...]

Six men in a tent!

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

02/14/09 9:50 am PKT

Phone dispatch from Don:
"We left Friday morning (PKT) for our summit push and all of us here managed to reach Camp 2 with no ill effects even though the winds were very high. Taqi had to turn back and is now safe in base camp. We had left two tents at Camp 2, but one was destroyed, so six of us had to sleep in one tent last night. It was rather a cramped night!! The winds have carried into this morning and are still very hig [...]

Finding our way

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Phone Dispatch by Don Bowie

Our team is in good health and in good spirits, except for David who has been suffering from some sinus issues, but is now beginning to feel better.

Despite the bad weather in the Karakoram, we have continued to work hard for the past five days. Getting closer to our goal: Gasherbrum III and/or IV is our objective. First of all, we're in the process of establishing our next camp at 6000 meters in the v [...]

Snowshoeing with sharks!

arlene@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

arlene@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 [...]

2009 Expedition to Gasherbrum III & IV

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

The Expedition to Gasherbrum III & IV in Pakistan began on May 23, 2009. The team consists of an international group of five mountaineers:
Don Bowie (Canada)
Bruce Normand (Scotland)
David Fält (Sweden)
Guy McKinnon (New Zealand)
William Pierson (United States)

After a long trek in, the team have finally arrived in G2 base camp. Here is Don’s first dispatch:

We are alone in Gasher [...]

"Spirit of Mountaineering" Commendation

arlene@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 [...]

Get in gear and get the gear at unbelievable prices!

tommy.klinefelter@gmail.com — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 18:00:00 +0100

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, [...]

Trekking Out!

arlene@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"

arlene@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 [...]

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 [...]

Summit Bid Aborted

arlene@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.

�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!!

Cheering on Simone & Denis!

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Phone Dispatch from Don: (02/09/09, 11 am PKT)

"I specifically wanted to call to extend my best wishes to Simone (Moro, Italian) and Denis (Urubko, Kazakhstan) (who are at this time making their summit push on Makalu in the Himalayas). We wanted you both to know that all of our team here on Broad Peak have been following you and are cheering you on, rooting for a successful summit and safe return to base camp."

From Don's Support Team: "Simone [...]

Gotta Get that Camp 3 Higher....

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:00:00 +0100

Don, Qadrat, Amin, Ali and Taqi try to push camp 3 higher from Calpinist.com on Vimeo.

Polar Bears

arlenebowie@gmail.com — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:00:00 +0100

The sound of snow falling on my tent is soft and soothing. It feels good to be snug inside my sleeping bag - this feathered zeppelin - at the end of each day. I usually get Didar (our cook) to fill up one of my Nalgene bottles with boiling water, which I stuff into my sleeping bag - at least until it gets a little too hot. That's right, I said a little too hot. I can thank my Feathered Friends -60C Snowy Owl sleeping bag for that. Still, despite this short period of nightly comfort, even in [...]