CZ & SK Expedition 2021 – Gasherbrum 2 updates
There is a 10-man Czech and Slovakian team on Gasherbrum II this year.
The team are climbing with logistics from ‘Blue Sky Treks and Tours’.
We are following their journey with this Diary…
22nd July
“The boys started descent from base camp back to civilization and are flying home next week.
“No one else in the group will try Gasherbrum 2 and Gasherbrum 1 is closed this year.
“There’s no fix and there’s no one there so it would be almost suicide.”
18th July
“It’s there!!! The boys looked at the world with an eight thousand look!
“We did it, after 8.5 hours of hard work we composed Martin Ksandr, Pavel Burda, Jozef Zajac to the top of Gashe 2-8035m
“Unfortunately, the rest didn’t climb, but they are cool. Filip Vítek, CoVit Dubec, Lukas Beranek turned around at 7800 m. Unfortunately, the weather was spoiled this afternoon and it started to blow a lot.
“Everyone is safe on the way to C3-7000m where we will sleep. Tomorrow we will meet to BC and then we will see what else.
“The peak pyramid was tricky, there was no marker and it was relatively technical at 8000m. Otherwise, of course without oxygen.”
“It was really windy on the top, so we were there for a while, but I have a photo with the flag. The flag of Expedition club.cz thus rolled on eight thousand!”
16th July
“So far it’s going as planned… It’s exciting, right?
′”We are holed up in C2, tomorrow we go to C3 (7000 m) and then we will see according to the acclimation, but probably Summit Push.”
14th July
“The boys are struggling with snow, but that won’t stop them.. Tomorrow they will start their first peak attempt! If it goes well, they can stand on the top of Gasherbrum II on Sunday. Fingers crossed!
“After four days of bad weather when it snowed, we are heading to C1 tomorrow. For the weekend they report a window of nice weather, so if everything goes according to plan, maybe we will give a peak attempt.
Most slept max in C2 (6400 m), but we were there again for three nights, i.e. chances of being a sufficiently acclimated team, here it is.
“The plan is to reach C3 on Saturday and if we feel like it and weather, then Summit Push on Sunday. Let’s see what else the half-meter of snow in height camps and on the route, plus it should still snow until tomorrow. It should probably sit down by Saturday.
Tomorrow we go gradually C1 / C2 / C3 to relax. The mood on the team is good. All healthy.”
11th July
“This year our Blue Sky Trek and Tours team is serving their duty for 13 members from Czech And Slovakia for Gasherbrum 2 Expedition.
12 Czech members
1 Slovakian members
Gasherbrum 2 Basecamp Staff;
1) Mr.Katib Assistant Chef
2) Mr.Javaid Guide
3) Mr.Ghulam Chef
4) Mr.Rafi Assistant Chef
5) Respectable L.O Of Expedition
6) Mr.Zaheer Chef
Team Blue Sky is proud of you having in the team.
We are very thankful for your day, night hard work.”
9th July
′′So hello! Last days we were on the hill and we didn’t have a power bank, so we saved the satellite for possible sos.
Our team scattered after C2. Part of it returned to BC yesterday to rest, the rest tried to charge C3. The boys fixed half a kilometer of rope to C3 but they failed due to deep snow, so there was another division – two attempting C3 again today and the rest descending to BC.
Now Einstein’s puzzle. How many people went back to BC yesterday and where did Martin sleep? Anyway, tomorrow we should all meet down in BC for a rest.”
7th July
“Hi, today we conquered C2 after endless fight. It was not a walk, but from the tent the view of Gasherbrum I and II, so we are almost fine.”
6th July
′”Hello! At 9 am this morning we went to C1, less than 70 degrees in the sun in the tent during the day. Hell on earth 
Tomorrow at 5 am we leave for C2, this is the dreaded section of the output called Banana Ridge.”
5th July
′′Hello! Yesterday we successfully and joyfully met to BC. Some of them were sick, so today’s rest day was well deserved. Tomorrow at 3:30 we leave again to C1, the day after tomorrow perhaps C2. It will hurt again.”
3rd July
“Today, the boys enjoyed an acclimatization day at the first altitude camp. We agreed to go back to BC tomorrow to rest. There was an option to go to Camp 2 tomorrow, but we won’t.”
1st July
′′Hello! Yesterday we somehow forgot to send an update during a relaxing day. We’ve been packing bags, planning stages and distributing food and resting. At 5am we took the first part of things needed and headed towards C1 to leave things half way. We left about 50 kilos of things at 5000 meters and tomorrow we will get more equipment and go to C1 for the first acclimatisation stage.”
29th June
′′Greetings from base camp! Beautiful views here (G1, G2 hiding). We have mega comfortable mattresses and rest day tomorrow! Heads are pounding. Ouch ouch! ′′
27th June
“The boys first saw the destination of their journey!
“Sleeping at 4000 meters, headaches, but we see Masherbrum (7000m), Gasherbrum IV (7000m) and especially our Gasherbrum II (8035 m). Also Broad Peak (8000m). Lovely!”
26th June
“What do the Gashe boys have for a snack on their trek?
“Another day behind us. All this time we enjoyed the views of Trango Towers. Incredible awesome!
“It rained on and off today. But still better than the crazy sun.
“We got packages with us for lunch, like at camp. Yesterday there was boiled potato and Bounty, today’s egg and Marska. We also have live chickens with us. Yummy!”
25th June
“The boys have finally stretched their legs after a long journey and are stepping on their own!
“Greetings from the second camp, the first day of the trek is done – easy walking, only the sun is brutally fried. We have a lot of donkeys and only 20 carriers + staff.”
24th June
“The first message from the satellite guys came!
“Today we have been cruising with jeeps to Jhula camp all day. We survived this, we will give everything. It’s beautiful here, we sleep at 3000m.”
23rd June
“Today Ghulam Muhammad showed us the tents in which we will stay on the trek and in the base camp – decent palaces!
“We will dream of these in our rubbish tents, which we take to high-rise camps.
“During the day we were running around Skard and we were buying the last of our supplies, now we are changing bags for the carrier and tomorrow at 7am we will have cars waiting for us.
“So far it’s all going smoothly – no fuckups, delays, great!
“We’ll even get rid of cars a day walking closer to base camp than we expected. Good one!”
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