The relentless bad weather in the Karakorum has spelled the end of Ralf Dujmovits and Nancy Hansen’s attempt on unclimbed Biarchedi I (6,810m).
The climbers progressed without fixed ropes or camps, completely on their own, moving on unknown terrain toward a remote summit. A good weather window — six days, Dujmovits estimated — was essential.
“With a forecast of four-and-a-half days of good weather, we headed up,” he wrote. “But the snow started again after only one day, and our good weather window was shortened to two-and-a-half days — not nearly what we needed.
“After an additional 30-40 cm of new snow, we headed down, bringing all of our things with us from our high point at 5,650m,” Ralf Dujmovits said.
The climber didn’t hide his disappointment at the end of their expedition. “[We] have invested so much time, energy, and money into such a trip, only to be shut down by almost three weeks of bad weather,” he said.
For those who have followed the expedition, however, the pair has shown an example of the Karakorum’s potential for lightweight, creative alpinism.
