ITALIAN DIRAN EXPEDITION LEADER NICOLO BERZI
Italians to attempt Diran, 3rd on '5 year Project 8000er'
JULY17-2000
By
Asem Mustafa Awan
ISLAMABAD
— Italian expedition comprising 11 mountaineers will leave for Gilgit on
Tuesday (today) for Diran 7266 metres.
The
team is led by 30 year old Nicolo Berzi a professional mountain guide and
all the climbers are visiting Pakistan for the first time.
The
team has been on a project and that is '5 years for an 8000er'.
"We
started our project in 1998 from India where we climbed Kanghiatse (6400
metres) followed it with Huascaran (6800 metres) in Peru in 1999,"
said Nicolo adding," Diran is the third one and we expect to reach
the target of an 8000er in 2002 which will be either Gasherbrum II in
Pakistan or Cho Oyu in Nepal."
"The
2001 project is Musztagh Ata in China."
We
are taking the normal route the North Face and then the West Ridge from
the Col at 6400 metres," said Nicolo who has been with the team from
the first year of the project.
The
expedition is from Milan and represents Societa Escursionisti Milanesi
section.
The
climbers are all amateurs and are pursuing the target for making the 8000
metre peak in five years gradually scaling the different altitudes,"
said Nicolo adding," The other mountain guide who is in the team is
Giuseppe Gidaro (29)."
"We
will form group of three's with climbers roped together," said the 30
year old adding," The hardest part is the North Face itself and Diran
is a big peak."
"The
seracs are broken and route finding is a big problem on the peak."
Answering
a query he said," The first ascent of the peak dates back to 1968 by
the Germans, the Italians have climbed the peak in 1985 and 1992 and this
will be the third time."
The
team will make Base Camp at 3500 metres, Camp 1 at 4800 metres, Camp 2 at
5400 metres, Camp 3 at 6400 metres.
"We
hope to make the summit bid in early August," informed Nicolo.
Other
members of the expedition that also includes four women climbers are
Alessandra Bassini (38), Alberta Chiappa (29), Enrico Galletti (41),
Fabrizio Cocchi (29), Omar Vecchio (32), Valeria Alliata (39), Domenico
Palandri (41), Giovanna Canton (41) and Renato Squassoni (33).
CAPTION:
Nicolo Berzi