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Other achievements in the Himalayas
The Reports of Katia
Dispatch, 5 April
Hi, In a few hours, we fly away to Nepal with Jean-Christophe this Monday April 5. Jean-Christophe is ready for his project on Makalu. Today, I can tell you more on this ascension to this giant. We will spend two days at Kathmandu in order to arrange the various formalities with the authorities then we will go by jeep towards Tibet We will pass the border to reach the Tibet at 5000 meters, we will pass then a collar at 5200 meters. We shall be careful with this quick ascension in altitude, always delicate when we arrive so high by jeep. Six days (3 days by jeep and 3 of organization with the yaks, etc) After having left Kathmandu we will leave the jeeps to begin the trekking which will enable us to join the base camp, after 7 days of walk, under difficult conditions. This area is still almost unexplored today, we do not have much information, we know that the region is very wild, that there is nobody, a collar to be crossed, Langma, at 5350 meters to reach the point where we will decide to install the base camp at an altitude of approximately 5300 meters. Snow may pose problems to us to pass the collar with the yaks. The base camp will be installed at the foot of Makalu on a virgin slope, the Northern slope which Jean-Christophe plans to climb without oxygen and alone, it is a beautiful objective with a maximum moral physical engagement because this is the first time that Jean-Christophe will be completely alone on a base camp. Generally, when he opens new ways on these very high mountains, there is always "human life" at the base camp where the “exchange” is possible with climbers. I let to you discover in photograph this slope wild and virgin of the Makalu. Normally we should reach the base camp of Makalu by April 19 but there are strikes forecasted in Nepal and I, as always, make outward journeys and returns "express train" between France, Nepal and Tibet to carry out an illustrated report and video from this wild area and this virgin slope before coming back, as soon as possible, to France near my children which is always so painful to leave behind me, thus in my timing which I manage to carry out, the strike is a very bad new... Normally I thought to remain 3 days at the base camp in order to try to reach the advanced base camp at 6200 meters to take images and photographs before leaving to Kathmandu and take my plane at the end of April. Best regards from Nepal, Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 8 April Hello, After a departure that is as wrenching as ever, whenever I leave my children on this type of a trip to carry out my photo and video journalism, we arrived in Nepal, or specifically Katmandu. After quite a bit of hassle finding a flight departing from either Geneva or Lyon via Katmandu, we were finally able to fly with an airline company MARTINAIR that has direct flights between Amsterdam/Katmandu, which kindly offered us our airline tickets. We are very grateful to them because the situation was very difficult to find available flights at a reasonable fare... the service was impeccable and the flight was also. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank KLM airline, with whom we traveled and also worked with for our flights from Geneva via Amsterdam, which as usual were very good. But, to get back to Katmandu, the general atmosphere is tense… the civil war in the country presents problems at different levels, particularly that of security whenever you move about. The army is everywhere in Katmandu. There is also another problem that makes us revise all of our plans... the strike... as in France... it began on April 6 in Katmandu, it ends on April 8, and on April 9, they go on strike outside of Katmandu… thus we are stuck in Katmandu until April 11… which is really not great. We found an intermediate solution, that will cost us even more money, of being transported to the frontier with Tibet by helicopter. We depart from Katmandu on the morning of the 10th. We are hoping to be able to do our shopping for food and various other supplies, because with the strike most of the businesses are closed. We await the staff and the luggage for three days in Nyalam, which is located at 12,350 feet altitude and will allow us to begin our acclimation. In theory, we should reach base camp on the 19th or 20th of April, and I am going to leave on the 23rd in order to be in Katmandu to catch my plane on April 28th... Weather wise, it's hot but not too bad, summer has begun and so have the storms. We were in a hurry to leave Katmandu to begin our trip to the base camp of Makalu and discover this wild region of Tibet. This Thursday, April 8, we are going to meet the staff of our expedition at the agency and settle the last preparations. On April 9, we will close up our luggage for this long trip. English Translations EverestNews.com Best regards from Nepal, Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 11 April Hello, Here we are in Nyalam… finally we have been able to do our shopping for food, etc... and fly by helicopter as planned. The two days we spent in Katmandu before our departure were long ones despite all the preparations. The very tense atmosphere in Katmandu was somewhat harrowing. We were supposed to go to Immigration in order to settle a visa problem, but the violent demonstrations did not allow us to go. Yesterday, April 9, walking through an area of Katmandu on foot, we came upon a large demonstration on two occasions, the atmosphere was really very tense and after a little while, according to all comments from there, the situation was very close to collapsing into a civil war much worse than what is happening now… during the month of March there were five bombs in a popular area of Katmandu “Thamel”… it’s the area for sightseeing and tourists… which led us to think that the situation is completely stuck in Nepal and that the Maoists, in order to be heard, are going even further… Up until now the tourists were secure in Nepal, today the situation is changing and not in the right direction. After having flown in the helicopter for twenty minutes, we arrived in Kodari. We reached and crossed the border with Tibet without problems, but with a long wait, which is common, as always, in this country. The lunch break was "wretched" in a small squalid city: Zangmu... then after about two hours by jeep on a rutted road we reached Nyalam at 12,350 feet altitude… in order to begin our acclimation. This place is also demoralizing and sinister... I definitely feel a drop in my spirits and don't feel like doing anything... everything is sad, the people are sad, the city is sad and ugly, the shops are sad, the atmosphere is dreary... I realize with great astonishment that in this place in the middle of nowhere my cellular phone is working... unbelievable and what a paradox to be in such a place and see the signal for connection to the Chinese network… I hurried to call my little men who were then in the South of France… I had some trouble grasping the situation of me being here and speaking with them, and hearing them sound so close, but in reality be very very far from me physically. The program for the following days is terrible… the 11th in Nyalam, the 12th, in Nyalam, the 13th in Nyalam… that night the cook and assistant cook are to find us in Nyalam with all our luggage, because in fact the strike outside of Katmandu ends on the 13th, they are thus to leave Katmandu by Jeep around 5 o’clock in the morning, and drive all day in order to be in Nyalam that night. On the 14th (sigh of relief)…, we are all leaving together for a very long trip by Jeep that will take us over a pass at 16,900 feet altitude to get to Karta (12,025 feet) which is the place where we will begin our trek to the base camp of Makalu! With a little luck, we can begin our trekking on April 15, which is going to depend on the organizing of the yaks, the distribution the baggage on the animals, etc... On the 12th or 13th of April, I will try to set up an interview with Jean-Christophe on site. Until later. Katia Lafaille. English Translations by EverestNews.com Dispatch, 12 April Hello, We are still in Nyalam… the place is still as desolate… Yesterday, Jean-Christophe went walking above Nyalam for some physical activity while acclimating himself. His spirits were good, good feelings! For my part, I did not move from our quarters… I was really not in good spirits... this year, I am not handling the separation from my children Tom and Jeremy well, I miss them and I am not motivated for this trip..., I am here to carry out the photo and video reporting... to work. Today my spirits are about the same as yesterday… meaning not too good…, along with Jean-Christophe we went for a three hour walk today. Not feeling very well inside my head, my acclimation is not going very well… me, who last year “galloped” on the Baltoro glacier in Pakistan to rejoin the Broad Peak base camp at 16,250 feet altitude, today I am struggling to breathe at 12,350 feet. I have a headache and don’t feel well. Luckily for Jean-Christophe, he is feeling otherwise, and is in good form. Furthermore, the situation in Katmandu is really not good, the conflicts are multiplying and the strikes are continuing with the consequence of more delays, more delays, more delays… the strike should end April 13, but in fact it is continuing until April 16… we spoke with the agency yesterday by telephone, they told us that our staff and equipment were flying by helicopter today to the border with Tibet, along with other baggage for groups that are going to Everest and to Cho-Oyu, and who are here in Nyalam in the same situation as we are. This solution, it seems, will not be costly…., I hope, since I told the agency that we don’t have any more "money” … we have not stopped stretching what we have for this and that since we arrived and it is beginning to amount to a great deal extra. I think that tomorrow, April 13, we will go sleep in Tingri at 13,975 feet altitude by crossing the Lalung La pass at 17,875 feet altitude by Jeep before going back down to Tingri. On the 14th, we are supposed to continue our trip all the way to Karta, and on the 15th begin the infamous trekking to the base camp of Makalu. I am thinking about my return… alone… with the current conflicts in Katmandu, the strikes, etc… this trip is really cool! Great … To be continued soon… Katia Lafaille. English Translations by EverestNews.com Dispatch, 14 April Hi, Yesterday, Tuesday April 13th we have left Nyalam to go to Tingri (4300 m), approximately 4 hours walking from Nyalam. The road was beautiful, completely empty not even a tree it is incredible to cross these Tibetans villages, rather many, and to see people living under these conditions. To heat, Tibetans, as they do not have a tree and thus not wood, collect dungs of yaks they make them dry and then burn them... Here there is no wasting, all is used twice, consumed, and so on! It is very hard to see these children living in these conditions, I would like so much to be able to help this population when I come here and our roads crossed. To go to Tingri, we have passed the collar Lalung at 5.050 meters. We stopped a few minutes in order to admire this panorama arid and desert from where emerges the high Himalayan tops, one of which is the Shishapangma which culminates at 8036 meters. For information, Jean-Christophe has climbed it twice in October 1994 by opening a new way alone. This afternoon our luggage and staff are finally arrive at Tingri… ouf…a large concern in less! From Tingri, we see the northern slope of the Everest and a while before arriving to Tingri the Cho-Oyu. As per the weather forecast, not very good news, sand storms at our arrival yesterday, today the sky is covered and like always after midday, the wind is here and blows high by raising the sand which wraps Tingri in a cloud of dust. The news from Kathmandu are getting worst. I have an e-mail from the agency in Nepal which assure me that the conflicts are multiplying in the streets of Kathmandu with violent confrontations between Police and Maoists. My decision is taken, I am organising my repatriation to Kathmandu because the situation is really too critical. Maoists are using the tourist season as pressure against the Government in order to be listened. As the situation is still the same, Maoists cross a step by aiming at the tourist. At this time my return to Kathmandu poses security problems because once at the border of Tibet and once on the Nepalese territory the situation becomes dangerous. The agency does not know how and what to do, she asks me to call them once in Zangmu (small sordid Tibetan/Chinese city at 20 minutes from the border) and according to the situation decide if I pass or not the border. I think that I will choose, if possible, another alternative which will be to return to Lhassa (capital of Tibet) by jeep and once at Lhassa to take a plane to Kathmandu which may be full, because there is only one flight per week. The current political situation arranges nothing. I have also to check the booking flights for my return because I am more in security while waiting in Tibet than in Nepal, it isn’t simple to organize this at the bottom of Tibet with often bad telephonic communications with Nepal… For the timing “expedition” of the following days, we leave tomorrow on April 15th to Karta, which is at approximately 6 hours of jeep. April 16th , the day will be dedicated to the Yacks organisation and the distribution of the luggage on these animals. The 17th , Jean-Christophe will leave to take his way direction to his base camp of Makalu. He plans to be there between the 20th and 21st April. I will leave by my way on April 17th , I do not know where… The “alone adventure” of Jean Christophe will start with his departure to the base camp, with no company from there! As I am doing many communiqués at this moment I have not organised an interview with Jean-Christophe. I will make one before our separation on April 17th . Regards, Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 19 April Jean-Christophe begins his trek to the base camp of Makalu and I am in Kathmandu We thus have left Tingri on April 15th to join Karta after 6 hours of Jeep on a really bad We have then arrived, as each day, in a storm, a storm of wind. We had difficulties in assembling the tent in these conditions as now we sleep under a tent and not in lodges. The cook and his assistance have install the kitchen and prepare the evening meal and the tea. They are really very good, effective, organized and very good cook! April 16th we organize the loads for the Yaks and begin the negotiations on the number of Yaks and the timing to be respected, and so on... always talking and Tibetans are not easy... On the 17th my road with Jean-Christophe finishes, separations are always so difficult... I leave by Jeep at 9h30 in the morning and Jean-Christophe will leave about midday Karta to start his first day of trek. I sleep in Nyalam the 17th by the evening after 7h00 of jeep with pain in the back by the jolts. The night was short and without sleep... much noise in the lodge and the night the dogs take over barking all over the night. The 18th in the morning, we join "Zangmu"... the sordid city near to the border Tibetan/Chinese/Nepalese. I pass the control of customs, visa, quarantine (before returning and leaving the Country, the temperature is taken)... then my driver leaves me at 500 meters of the border where a guide makes me cross the border Tibetan/Chinese and to return again to Nepal with more formalities. I wait 20 more minutes before climbing in a car which must lead me to Kathmandu... I first believed that I was going to take another jeep, because considering the roads I never imagined I was going to reach Kathmandu in such a vehicle... I am not really relaxed, we pass 5 or 6 check point, the soldiers are behind bags of sand with the rifle aimed on the hills... it is the Maoists zone, the tension can be felt in the car with the chauffeur and my escort... two guides for me!! At our arrival at Kathmandu, another manifestation, we go back to take another way and reach the hotel. Lastly, which happiness to find a "clean" bed and to take a shower! After this essential toilet, I met Mr. Dawa of the agency with whom I resume the events. I talked, via another telephone, with Jean-Christophe. He is well, the place is beautiful, he plans to arrive at the base camp by the 20th or 21st April. The mood is good! Today April 19th , I will solve the last details of my return, walk in Kathmandu, try to rest before my departure to France tomorrow Tuesday April 20th. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 23 April Hi, Here I am back home…, I found my family in a great Jean-Christophe arrived at the base camp of Makalu on April 21st without any problem. Yacksmans decided not to go during a day... Jean-Christophe was in anger to still lose an important day with the acclimatization. If not it was generally happy with the stages of walk carried out during the day. Its base camp is comfortably installed on grass at 4900 meters. Jean-Christophe wanted to be installed on the glacier directly and not on grass because there was not a close water point. The cook prefers to be installed on grass, much more comfortable and less cold, and to go, with Kitchen Boy, to seek and carry water to the camping. Jean-Christophe is very happy with his team, they are "extra" he tells me... to have been with them two days, I confirm the point of view of Jean-Christophe. The telephone with which Jean-Christophe was going to send photographs via the computer to me still does not work and this is becoming a problem... for the moment he gives me information via our secondary telephone... The weather is variable, often beautiful in the morning, snow in the afternoon and not too much wind in high altitude. Yesterday, April 22, Jean-Christophe installed his small village at the base camp, the mood was not on the top... a little consequence of our separation, to find himself alone, etc... Today April 23rd , he plans to climb and install the advanced base camp around 5600 meters in order to be at the feet of the virgin face which he plans to climb There are no objective dangers (stone falls, seracs, avalanches, etc...) which is very reassuring for him and for me also.... He will sleep at the advanced base camp this night and will go up to locate, most probably, and perhaps to install, the camp 1 tomorrow Saturday. He has lost a little time with the current situation at Kathmandu, then the day of stop during the approach to the base camp... He wants, prudently, to optimize the timetable as much as possible, as well as the phases of rest and ascensions. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 26 April Hi, After this sunny week end, here are the last news from Jean-Christophe. He has installed the advanced base camp around 5650 meters of altitude last Friday (on April 23) and slept at this camp. Saturday 24, he tackled a new way on a splendid spur but stiff to reach the altitude of approximately 6700 meters in order to leave the material necessary to the installation of camp 1 (food, reserve of gas, stove, sleeping bag, etc...). He went back to the advanced base camp where he spent a second night for the acclimatization. Yesterday, Sunday 25th, he climbed again to camp 1 in order to deposit material there then joined the base camp because the bad weather arrives for several days... The spur is splendid, stiff and is not exposed to the dangers (avalanches, falls of seracs, stones, etc...). He installed a cord for the passage of the "rimaye" (passage which marks the beginning of a slope in high-mountain by a crack, sometimes open) which is rather open. He is quite happy and of his first feelings on the mountain. The experience is new for Jean-Christophe because he is completely alone at the base camp... and on this part of virgin mountain... The program of the next days will proceed at the base camp by resting. The weather is bad until May 1st. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 29 April Hi, Jean-Christophe thus remained at the base camp in order to rest as forecasted. Yesterday, Wednesday April 28th , he went to the advanced base camp in order to make another deposit of food to hold approximately a week at this camp as from tomorrow Friday. The weather of the last days wasn’t as bad as forecasted... The approximate program of the coming days will be as follows: Friday April 30: climb to the advanced base camp. Saturday May 1: climb and installation of the camp1 at 6600 meters and night at this camp in order to continue the acclimatization. The following days, Jean-Christophe will see what he can do because the weather announces good weather but on the other hand there will be very strong wind in altitude. Thus, either he can continue the route above the camp1 in order to install camp 2, or he will have to wait until the wind is calmed if it is too strong. Thursday 6 or Friday May 7, he will turn back to the base camp to remake a health before continuing this long and committed rise far from any human civilization... Loneliness is sometimes heavy for Jean-Christophe at the base camp... it is also what he went to seek this year... Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 3 May Hi, Jean-Christophe went up to the advanced base camp on Friday April 30th . May 1st , he went to deposit material at camp 1 then went down again to the advanced base camp because weather forecasting were very windy. All the night of May 1st was stormy as well as the day of May 2nd The wind blew by gust reaching sometimes 90 km/h. In high altitude around 8000 meters this one blew at 150km/h... Today Monday May 3rd is a beautiful day shiny for Jean-Christophe who could go up to the camp1 at 6600 m and install a bivouac. The wind rises again and tomorrow there will still have much wind. I hope that Jean-Christophe has been able to protect himself because it is not finished. This afternoon, I again have a telephone contact with him, I will tell him to protect himself well... The mood is good and the motivation too. I think that I will join him in Nepal with the children towards mid-May... he needs psychologically to know that we are not very far from him... he wanted me to join him at the base camp but after reflexion this place is not possible for the moment with the children. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards and good Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 6 May Hi, Here are the last news...Good ones! Jean-Christophe went to sleep to Camp 1 last May 3rd (Monday) in order to continue with the acclimatization which is very important. He placed the tent in a hole in order to protect himself from the wind. Tuesday May 4th , he climbed until around 7200 meters in order to deposit material to continue but over all to equip with fixed ropes a very difficult passage at 7000 meters of altitude!!! Jean-Christophe told me that according to him, he had never climbed such a difficult passage at this altitude... a wall of mixed of 60 meters , very technical.... He needed 2 hours to climb 60 meters! I am happy because it is a real pleasure for him this virgin route... He is then turned back to the camp1 to spend the night there. As the wind was strong at 7000 meters the following day and that Jean-Christophe was tired, he is went down again, therefore on May 5th , to the advanced base camp in order to rest, to reload his bag for a new "heavy" bearing to deposit at camp 2 which he will install around 7400 meters. Today, May 6th he left the advanced base camp to climb directly At 7400m to deposit a large bearing of material, which is almost 2000 meters of uneven at this altitude with a bag of 20/25 kg!! At one time he tells me "I am astride on an edge of impressive snow hyper suspended in full vacuum... it is beautiful, splendid..." Tomorrow, Friday May 7th , he will dismount camp 1 definitively to move it at 7400 meters, it will be the camp2 or camp1 as one wants! According to the feeling, he will spend one or two nights there before going back to base camp. The phase of acclimatization will then be at its end... then he will rest at the base camp, to await the good crenel weather to launch out in his integral ascent of Makalu 8481 meters, alone on a virgin slope and without oxygen!!! This will take him approximately 7 days to make the round trip: base camp - top of Makalu - return to base camp. I fly away on the airline company KLM, which I still thank for its invaluable assistance in this project, with our children to Nepal next May 14th . I will arrive at Kathmandu on May 15th . I will of course continue to make you live this adventure, this extraordinary ascension that Jean-Christophe wishes to realize. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 9 May Hi, Jean-Christophe went back yesterday, May 8th, to the base camp. Last Friday, May 7th, he moved his camp to 7200 m spending the night there. Saturday morning, he went to locate the continuation of this vertiginous edge..., he had only one little piece of rope of 20 meters which he was forced to use in its totality to still equip a very technical passage... he did not have, unfortunately, more to equip the most delicate zones. The unit is splendid but on the other hand the climbing is very demanding and requires one hundred percent of vigilance and technicality! From what he saw, the continuation of the rise is an edge with large cornices to join the top of Makalu 2 before going down again to join Makalu La. From this point, he will join the normal route of the Nepal slope. This Saturday morning after having located the continuation of his ascent, Jean-Christophe decided to go down again to the base camp to rest. From last Friday when he left base camp, this means 10 days making heavy bearings, installs, take to pieces his camping to assemble it higher, and so on... In addition, he is completely alone... apart from our daily contacts he does not have any exchanges.... Generally on the base camps and the advanced base camps, there is always a soul... He is acclimatized and feels ready for the top! while waiting for the crenel weather which seems to come towards the weekend, he will profit to rest, hydrate, feed, etc... to remake a health before leaving to try the complete ascent of this giant! Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 13 May Today, Thursday May 13th Jean-Christophe leaves Makalu’s base camp, in order to start the complete ascent, alone, opening a new way on a virgin slope and, of course, without oxygen which is doping. Jean-Christophe will need a week (more or less) to realize this ascent and get back to the base camp. The approximate timing will be as Day D D D D D D D If weather forecasting allows it, Jean-Christophe will reach the top of Makalu between May 17/18 or 19. In this timing the snow is forecasted and it will be necessary to adapt to these weather conditions, of course. I feel him well for this great adventure and I hope that my "Little Big Men" will reach the top of this very beautiful mountain with pleasure in this rise alone... ... As per me, I leave tomorrow Friday with my children to Nepal... I will be near Jean-Christophe, he is happy and the children also... information continues thanks to satellite telephony.... Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. Dispatch, 13 May Jean Christophe arrived yesterday morning at Makalu's base camp, Nepal slope, by the normal way in the coming back. He will not try anymore to reach the summit, as all the other expeditions are leaving today to Katmandu. With a base camp, and an infrastructure, he had considered a new attempt in three days, but under these conditions, it is unthinkable. I think that it is better like this. He stills coughs very much and the infection at the lung is not arranged. Today, the adventure continues for Jean-Christophe because he must join his base camp on Tibet slope. It is tempting for him to escape by Nepal, but it is impossible. I have just had a telephone contact with Jean-Christophe. He finally arrived at the advanced base camp after one day in No man' s Land where he battled in the bad weather, in snow, at 6.000 meters of altitude. I am happy to know him at the advanced base camp. He has finished his loop. He does not know yet the name he will give to the new way that he opened in Makalu 2, but as soon as possible, I will put on line topo of the difficulties and the name of his way. Now, we are willing to take a few days of holidays and rest in family. Translations by Fabienne for EverestNews.com Best regards. Katia Lafaille. |
