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2001
Mugs Stump Award Winners:
Davis/McCray, Offenbacher & Warren—North Ridge
of Shingu Charpa
Nils
Davis, Brian McCray, Todd Offenbacher & Brenton Warren
Dear
Mugs Stump Award Committee,
Here is a brief report of Nils Davis, Todd Offenbacher, Brenton
Warren and Brian McCray's expedition to Pakistan.
The
four of us flew out of San Francisco July 18, arriving
in Islamabad July 20. We were able to immediately board
a PIA flight to Skardu, saving us the three days of down
time and driving that often accompanies this sort of trip
into the Karakoram. On the short flight
into Skardu, we were able to visit the cockpit for about
15 minutes, gaining the opportunity to gaze upon the mind-bending
scenery of the Karakoram, spread out before us into seemingly
eternity.
We
arrived in 2 days at what was to be base camp for the next
4 weeks. We picked a spot on the south side of the Nangma
Valley, situated between our objective, Shinga Chatpa, and
another 2000-foot rock wall named "Green Tower," or
locally, "Roun
Khan-Chun." We spent the first couple days relaxing
and recovering from the traveling. In order to acclimatize,
we thought a new route up the Green Tower might be a
fun way to accomplish this. Over the next 8 days, the
weather turned quite bad, with consistent rain and snow
every day.
Nevertheless,
Brenton and Brian managed a new route up Green Tower, which
they completed in bad weather, in a 28.5-hour push, after
500 feet of fixing. Todd and I started a bit after them,
taking a portaledge, and completed another route in 4.5
days. Both routes were characterized by extremely quality,
steep granite, but with dirt-filled cracks pretty much
the whole way up the 2000-foot wall. If the routes had
clean cracks, they would be predominantly free at about
5.11.
To
backtrack a bit, before starting on these other routes,
we had made an initial reconnaissance of our main objective,
the North Ridge of Shinga Chatpa (I ascertained that the
proper spelling and pronunciation of the peak is "Chatpa," with
a "t" not
a "r." This is
a common mistake, I imagine, when translating phonetically
the Balti language into Roman alphabet, and especially English, when
the Balti "r" is trilled and it is sometimes
difficult to recognize the difference between the "r" and
the "t.").
We took about half a day to explore the possibilities
of the base of the ridge proper, and to see what the
rock and consequently the climbing might be like on the
lower part of the ridge.
We
found we needed to scramble up a roundabout grassy ledge
system, about 400 feet in length, and drop down a 3rd class
rock ramp, fixing a line to the ground, in order to avoid
the grass on subsequent sorties. This initial fixed line
was to prove our undoing later. At any rate, in so doing,
we climbed four 55- meter pitches carrying approximately
21 liters of water to a high point.
We
did not return to the ridge until our other routes were
completed. Approximately 1 week later, Brenton and Brian
returned to the ridge to haul a bit more water up onto
the 3rd class ramp, at which point they would carry this
water on the follower's back to the high point, as we had
not left any lines fixed on the ridge proper. Well, what
happened next was the source of our problems and essentially
our failure.
Actually,
this could be written into the "Accidents
in North American Climbing." Brian intended
to jumar our 70-meter fixed line, trailing
a 60-meter rope to haul up the extra water.
The two had a brief discussion about whether it would reach
to the anchor from the
ground, as there was change on the 70-meter cord on
the ground. Brian jumared, reaching the end of the 60-meter,
at which point Brenton detached the rope from the haul bag;
he began to walk up the hill with it, so that he might carry
the haul bag up after Brian had
reached the anchor, and reattach it. He called to Brian,
but there was no intelligible response. Brian reached the
anchor, called to Brenton, and received no intelligible response.
He rigged the haul, tested the line, perceived a resistance
which he assumed to be the haul bag, unclipped his back up,
so that he might have leeway to walk
down the slab at the top, and began to haul. As the rope
was not attached to anything, he was immediately tumbling
down the slab. He managed to stop himself on the last little
3-foot wide ledge before the wall dropped away vertically
150 feet to the ground. His ankle
was badly sprained, but he was alive. What was usually
a 1-hour return trip took Brenton 6 hours to help Brian back
to base camp.
Todd
and Brenton and I continued to work on the ridge. We made
two more trips up the ridge. Brenton and I started a new
line up the lower"triangle" of the ridge, different
than the line Brian and Todd and I had climbed, and stashed
water. This line was more on the face of a triangle wall
made by the ridge at the bottom, and less on the ridge
proper, as the first bit was. Brenton and I climbed 600
feet of technical face and crack, and fixed lines on this
face. We then returned with Todd with more water, performed
some shenanigans to swing over and retrieve the water we
had previously left, right of our fixed ropes, and climbed
to what we called the "first
step."
There
are approximately four steps on the ridge. We took all
day, one leader, two jumaring carrying approximately
18 liters of water each, to reach this first step. We then
rapped, leaving one fixed line on a cruxy pitch up high,
and the three bottom ropes fixed. It is 2400 feet of roped
climbing to reach the first step, which we estimated to
be approximately one third of the length of the ridge.
Briefly,
our goal was to establish a gear stash, mostly water, tents,
stove, etc, at the first step, so that we could get started
on the rest of the ridge, and be supplied for the two days
of work we guessed it would take to reach the first snow
patch, where we could then melt snow for water. We guessed,
if all went as planned, the ascent would take 6 days and
the descent 1-2 days.
Brian's
ankle was bad but improving. He indicated to us he might
be able to climb given a little time. So the team waited
and tried to occupy itself. Eventually, approximately 10
days after the accident, Brian said he could climb, and
we gave it a shot. We reclimbed to the step with all our
gear this time. Upon reaching the step after a very hard
day, it was too apparent that Brian's entire ankle was
not fine, and that he would be a liability if he tried
to continue. It was a valiant effort just to make it that
far.
At
this point, Brian would have to descend, taking two ropes
and gear to create rappel anchors. This meant we would
all have to descend, so we could return with a full rack.
We also discovered that it was going to be better to haul
on the next sections of the route, instead of carrying
the now too heavy packs. We did not have haul bags with
us. We pulled everything off the step and headed back to
base camp.There are other factors at play here. There had
been much dissension among the team members as well as
tension and conflict. We had no idea what Brian was feeling,
and could not judge whether he would be able climb or not.
We took his word for it, and committed to the ridge after
much time waiting and deliberating and with much anticipation.
It was clear when on the step, he could not continue. Todd
voiced his opinion that he had lost motivation, largely
based on the conflicts and the fact Brian couldn't make it.
Brenton and I were forced with making the decision to leave
gear just for us, so that just the two of us might return
once again to the step, now with no fixed lines through
the crux pitches (as we had pulled them on the way up),
and make an attempt. At this point, time was running a
bit short for our return flights, which added to it as
well. We decided to call it off.
I
have tried to be as clear as possible about our trip. I
am not happy about the circumstances of our failure, as
we really were not even able to give it an honest go. Brian's
injury, and team communication were the roots of our problems.
In hindsight, I believe the ridge to be possible, albeit
very committing and difficult, with two people. Also, the
team needs to commit to climbing the lower 2400 feet of
the ridge 2-3 times in order to get started on the upper
part as this alpine ridge has the somewhat interesting
distinction of being so large and steep with so little
water supply. In addition, the team needs to have the ability
and gear to switch from carrying heavy packs to hauling,
as each is necessary at different parts of the ridge. I
would like to return to this ridge in this manner, as it
is immensely beautiful, striking, and because it presents
such a distinct challenge.
Many
thanks to the Mugs Stump Grant Committee for helping us
to explore Pakistan and the North Ridge of Shinga Chatpa.
Many thanks in having faith in us, and helping us try to
realize our dreams. I am disappointed not to submit a story
of a summit, but I sincerely believe success is in the
journey. This trip taught me much about people, relationships
and much about climbing. We all grow stronger and wiser
from these experiences, and I am grateful to have had the
opportunity to do so. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Nils Davis
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