ITALIAN GASHERBRUM II EXPEDITION (CHINA) LEADER FABIO AGOSTINIS
Italians for first ascent on GII from North
JUNE8-2000
By
Asem Mustafa Awan
ISLAMABAD
— Elite team of Italian mountaineers will be leaving for China in couple
of days to attempt Gasherbrum II 8035 from the North.
Forty
four year old Fabio Agostinis is leading the seven member team which comes
from Friuli in the northern part of Italy.
It
will be the second attempt of Gasherbrum II from the Chinese side,
Japanese made the first try in 1999 and managed to reach 6700 metres on
the unclimbed North East Ridge.
The
expedition if successful will have the first ascent in the world. The team
is considering two routes either the unclimbed 3000 meter near
vertical wall with an angle of 75 degrees and more or the unclimbed North
East Ridge.
Elite
climbing couple Nives Meroi and Romano Benet both 38 are also member of
the expedition.
The
two enjoy the distinction of reaching a number of summits of 8000ers
together a distinction held by very few in the world. The two have climbed
Nanga Parbat in 1998 (The Nation has the exclusive), Shishapangma and Cho
Oyu in 1999 in an incredible span of 10 days from May 12 to May 22.
The
two have made a number of climbs together including Everest in 1996, the
two managed 8000 metres. Their most notable climbs include a new route on
Bhagarati II in Gharwal, India,
they also reached 8450 metres on K-2 while attempting a new route from the
China side in 1994.
Married
since 1989 the two climbed Chopilalqui in Peru during their honey moon.
"It
was big day for both of us reaching the summits of two 8000ers in 10 days
'Shishapangma and Cho Oyu' ," said Nives Meroi who was the only
person in the entire expedition speaking 'good' English adding," I
have a very good feeling about the team and Insha Allah we will make it to
the top."
"There
are too many avalanches on the route we have taken for G II, we will
consider both the possibilities depending on weather and snow
conditions," she said adding," We planned for the peak in 1998
but we ran out of money and Nanga Parbat was the only option for us in
1998 then and we got lucky with the summit."
We
are climbing Gaherbrum II from China as it is unclimbed, more challenging
and above all we are all eccentric and a little crazy in the head.
But
it is beautiful above all and we have a photo of the peak taken by the
American expedition which was attempting Gasherbrum I
from China in 1999."
She
said," The hard work on the wall is from 5000 metres to 7000 metres
requiring considerable front pointing due to the steepness of the angle
and last 1000 metres are a little easy in terms of grade.
The
entire route has avalanche hazard and we hope to climb the peak in one
piece and back."
Most
of the expedition members are veterans of the Nanga Parbat climb the
leader Fabio Agostinis managed 8000 metres on the peak before turning back
due to bad weather. Fabio's other excursion to the highland includes K-2
from the North twice in 1991 and 1994 besides leading a successful
expedition to Cho Oyu in 1988.
He
somehow never made it to the top on all the occasions due to bad weather
on most of the account but enjoys the respect as a good leader in the
entire Italy.
The
expedition is attempting the peak in Semi Alpine Style taking 1500 metres
of ropes to be fixed in difficult portion of the climb. The expedition is
likely to make the summit bid in the third quarter of July.
Other
members of the expedition are: Luca Vuerich (24), Alessandro Di Lenardo
(40), Paolo De Martin (53) and Sergio Gosseitini (51).
The
expedition will make Base Camp at 5000 metres, camp 1 at 6000 metres, Camp
2 at 6800 metres and Camp 3 at 7700 metres.
CAPTION:
Nives Meroi