AMERICAN K-2 EXPEDITION LEADER GARY PFISTERER
Gary leads multinational team to K-2
MAY25-2000
By
Asem Mustafa Awan
ISLAMABAD
— Forty seven year old Gary Pfisterer from America is on a sojourn to
Karakorums which he dreamed to visit for over a decade.
Gary
an established mountaineer in the North America leads 11 member
multinational group which forms the American expedition will attempt the
peak in Semi Alpine Style from the South East Abruzzi Ridge.
Gary
is member of the Seven Summits Club which has less than 50 members in the
world and the climbers who qualified for the rank are the ones who have
scaled the seven highest points in the seven continents.
Gary
from Monson (MA) finished his quest for Seven Summits in 1995 and is
excited with the prospects of facing the challenge of his life.
"K-2
is my dream peak," said Gary adding," It is the most challenging
peak in the big mountains."
Gary
has the summits of Everest and Cho Oyu and has led successful expeditions
on Kanchenjunga, Makalu, Dhaulagiri and
Shishapangma. He returned very near from the summits in the four
expeditions due to different reasons but he is contented at heart that
there will be another time.
"We
are hoping for good weather on the peak," said the 47 year old
adding," The team is quite strong and all the members have been
successful on at least one 8000er."
"They
all have the requisite skills for the challenge ahead and I know all of
them personally and has climbed with them on different occasions."
Gary
also gave a brief resume of the expedition credentials.
The
team has a 32 year old elite Turk climber Nasuh Mahruki who is also having
the Seven Continental Summits besides Lhotse.
Tony
Tonsing (41) from Denver (CO) in the group has three of the 8000ers
Everest, Broad Peak and Gasherbrum II.
Chris
Shaw (38) from Boulder (CO) has a number of attempts in the Himalays but
he has summit of Kanchenjunga.
Hamish
Robertson (42) from Ocean Shore, Australia has climbed Makalu.
"I
am very excited
to be in Pakistan and Karakorum offers the most spectacular scenery added
with the most beautiful mountains of the world," said Gary
adding," We hope that weather should be kind this year and Insha
Allah we will make the top."
Sixty
one year old Peter Grote from
Boston (MA) is the eldest member in the group who will be seen in action
with the camera.
Other
members of the expedition are: Andy Collins (34 England), Andrew Evans (39
Canada), Billy Pierson (43 USA), Ivan Vallejo (41 Ecuador) and Fabrizio
Zangrilli (28 England). Janice LeDrew and Connie Kemmerer are accompanying
the expedition as support members.
The
expedition is attempting K-2 in Semi Alpine Style with out oxygen and high
altitude porters and will be making base Camp at 5000 metres, Camp 1 at
5800 metres, Camp 2 at 6400 metres, Camp 3 at 7200 metres and Camp 4 at
7800 metres. The team is taking 1200 metres of ropes to be fixed in the
difficult section of the climb.
CAPTION:
Gary Pfisterer (leader)
CAPTION:
Nasuh Mahruki (beard and moustache)