They climbed Northwest Ridge between July 23rd and 28th.
(First published Friday, July 29 2016 at 02:21PM) We finally have an update from Slovenian duo about the most anticipated climb of the season. Aleš Česen and Luka Lindič reached North Summit of Gasherbrum IV on July 26th and are safely back to in Base Camp. They climbed Northwest Ridge between July 23rd and 28th.
After acclimatization on Broad Peak, Aleš Česen and Luka Lindič waited for weather window to launch summit push on G-IV. Due to unfavorable conditions, they revised their plan and decided to attempt Northwest Ridge, not West Face as originally intended. Starting the ascent from BC on July 23rd, they reached North Summit on 26th. It’s apparently fourth ascent of NW Ridge (although only two teams reached the Main Summit).
The duo’s descent was complicated by heavy snow. They made it back to BC on 28th; happy, exhausted and emaciated. They are now set to start the return journey.
Aleš Česen and Luka Lindič arrived in Pakistan on June 15th and reached Broad Peak BC on 29th. They made two acclimatization trips, first spending a night in C1 (5700m) and next sleeping at the altitude of around 7000m. The two climbers summited Broad Peak on July 12th. They were first climbers to reach Broad Peak summit this season.
Gasherbrum IV Northwest Ridge was first climbed by Greg Child, Tom Hargis and Tim Macartney in 1986. Korean Kang Yeon-ryong and Yun Chi-won repeated the route in 1999. While Alberto Inurrategi, Ferran Latorre, Jose Carlos Tamayo, Juan Vallejo and Mikel Zabalza made third ascent of NW Ridge in 2008. The Spaniards stopped at a sub-peak between North and Main Summits.
Italian Walter Bonatti and Carlo Mauri made first ascent of G-IV in 1958 from Northeast Ridge. G-IV West Face – the Shining Wall – attracted several expedition in 1970s and 80s. The face was first climbed by Polish Wojciech Kurtyka and Austrian Robert Schauer, in 1985 (they reached North Summit). Korean Bang Jung-ho, Kim Tong-kwan and Yoo Huk-jae who climbed Central Spur were first to reach Main Summit via West Face in 1997.
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