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labrat
Trad climber
Nevada
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Video 15, The Descent is up.
Erik
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Conrad
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 2, 2008 - 01:39am PT
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Thanks for checking out the web page. The whole journey is up - with many thanks to Renan for his excellent work on Final Cut to compile the story.
I had tried this route 5 years ago with Bruce Miller and Doug Chabot with no success. Our route (to the right of the wall) was finished up by another team utilizing fixed ropes. Our goal was the Shark's Fin proper, a route that Mugs and Steve Quinlan had tried in 88, 20 years earlier.
We made it back on the 12th of October after 19 days on the wall and two days getting down. Our plan was to go capsule style in a quasi alpine manner. We started at the base and hauled our gear as we climbed. We used one big haul bag and one small haul along with our ledge and fly. We planned on a 10 day ascent and packed the according amount of food. On the second day a brutal storm hit and pinned us to the wall. We sat in the ledge for four days while it snowed three meters through out the Himalaya. Five porters lost their lives to exposure on the 19th of September in this storm when they tried to hike back to Gangotri and lost the trail. The Saddhus and Mahatajis (holy people) in Tapovan Meadow were getting worked. They live under boulders with a tarp and live on tea and flour. One saddu was on a 11 day fast and endured the snow.
After the storm let up we moved up - the route was pretty well plastered making the progress a bit of an effort. Eventually we got to the base of the big wall, which we dubbed "The Indian Ocean Wall" in deference to El Cap. The climbing went from vertical to overhanging, kinda like the right side in the diorite section. We drilled 13 bat hook holes, 8 rivets and three 3/8" bolts. For the iron we had 25 assorted beaks & peckers (the two larger sizes were very helpful) and placed them a bunch. The route to our high point was 35 pitches in length.
We moved our camp up, albeit slowly, and made a dash for the summit. As we had taken thin rations and made them thinner. We were running low on calories. After fixing three ropes we climbed over to the NE face and ice climbed to with in 100 m of the summit. We had hoped for easy ice or hiker 5.9, yet were confronted with what turned out to be more overhanging granite. Had we gone for it it would have meant an open bivy. With minimal food in our bellies and not much in the pack we turned around. Had we continued on our injuries would be much more severe than what they are now. With families at home and many pitches of warm rock still to climb we made the call.
Perhaps it is western folly to think we can climb to the center of the universe. We were very humbled by the experience.
Eric DeCaria and Zach Bones were in camp for Bagirathi III, super light and fast. The storm buried their gear and food. They set the new standard for hard boulder problems in the meadow. On a bigger scale the talked to us on the mini radios, phoned our families and trekked to the base of the route to help ferry our kit down. They are both totally awesome fellows and kind beyond words.
We had the same LO and cook from five years ago, Amrish and Sultan. Great help and a window into the culture.
The trip was funded by TNF, and as someone noted up thread, would constitute corporate climbing. My apologies - this is what I do.
The Korean team which climbed the left wall in the photo did an admirable job of hanging it out there. Pretty amazing line climbed in the middle of the monsoon (June ~ July). They left their ledge on the wall, a tent lower on the route (home to spent canisters and garbage) and a bunch of fixed rope. If one is not using gear & equipment it constitutes rubbish and should be dealt with accordingly.
The cabana ledge was an ACE ledge sewn and milled in Montana. The design is what is now what the BD ledge is.
Thanks to Jimmy and Renan for being stellar partners.
__
Werner - thanks for fixing the Toyota. My parents are happy that you are able to coax a second life into it. I brought you some water from Gaumuk, the source of the Ganges River. Do you still have the "more wag less bark" sticker on it?
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Wild report. I love that region. Hiked to Gaumukh and Tapovan once but no climbing.
Looks like amazing rock but i'm waiting for another lifetime when global warming has made the place more YOsemite-like. (I did dip in the ganga where it emerges the ice cliff!)
Peace
Karl
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Those are really evocative clips there guys. Way to suffer!
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Congrats Conrad and co. Sounds badass!
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Hoots
climber
Tacoma, Toyota
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This is the sort of thing that gives us mere mortals and armchair adventurers shivers. Amazing reporting from the field guys.
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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May 29, 2009 - 03:22pm PT
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Friday lunch time bump - awesome!
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Conrad
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 26, 2009 - 06:19pm PT
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Silvo Karo, Andrej Grmovsek and Marko Lukic from Solvenia are in Tapovan this season to have a go at the Shark’s Fin. Silvo is pretty much the man. East Face of the Torre among other difficult ascents.
http://www.montura.it/anagrafica.lasso?cl=12&lvl1=62&lvl2=26&l=1&sez=1&layout=4&keyid=1193
Totally keen for their ascent. And wishing them well.
Arrow is high point, dot below lightening bolt is abandoned portaledge (Korean Expedition in July) and peace is for happiness.
Photo Jimmy
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona
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Aug 27, 2011 - 09:06am PT
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Bump
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Conrad
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 8, 2011 - 10:41pm PT
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As they say: "Third time is a charm or three strikes and you're out." It was going to be one or the other. We were lucky with exceptional weather, a fine team and fun climbing.
We summited on the 2nd of October at 1:40. I am in Delhi, India for the next 48 and will post the topo once I get it drafted.
After 23 years knowing of the route and three attempts over 8 years it is nice to have "clipped the chains".
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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So rad Conrad!!!
Psyched to hear all about it!
Cheers!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Is that what they mean when they someone "jumped the shark"?
Congratulations!
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Great job guys!
Hey Conrad, since you are only here for 48 you probably have your time planned, but if you need something to do or a place to crash, or whatever
give me a ring, I'm within short walking distance of IMF. ph# 2411 6067
you can PM me too...
cheers
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johntp
Trad climber
socal
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bumping for more photos and more verbage
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Gagner
climber
Boulder
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WOO HOO, RAD - Bitchin...
Paul
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10b4me
Boulder climber
Happy Boulders
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way to go guys
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Congrats on a great send! Meanwhile we were sending your route here on El Cap.
Cheers,
Big Wall Parvenu
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SuperTopo on the Web
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Let us know!