Sergey Nilov and Dimitry Golovchenko have reached 6,510m on Mount Jannu, but may face some difficulties in the coming days.
Marcin Tomaszewski withdrew from the climb but has remained in Base Camp and has kept an eye on the pair’s progress. He estimates that the pair have climbed around 400m over four days to reach their current high point.
The headwall above, where the real technical difficulties lie, has been deemed too difficult. Instead, the Russians plan to traverse towards the Southeast Ridge, despite that route’s precarious seracs.
Should Nilov and Golovchenko summit, a return down the Southeast face is unlikely, as the icefall is too difficult and dangerous, according to Tomaszewski.
The weather may improve in a week or so, but currently it remains formidable: “Until the end of the month, the jet stream at 7,000m blows 80 to 112 kph from the northwest,” says Tomaszewski.
