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Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2001 01:13:43 -0500
From: Sandra Bowkun <show at it.ca>
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Subject: mountaineering and hiking programs
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Dear mountaineers and hikers,
This is a one-time message about our 2001 mountaineering
program. If not interested further no,
action is needed. For reactions and questions on our program
please use the feedback form on our website at
www.geocities.com/highalpex
ALPEX is very proud to present to you our program for the
2001 season. In comparison with last years we have extended
the number of projects significantly. As has also been the case
with ALPEX on all our expeditions, climbers as well as hikers are
welcome.
New in our program next year are climbs in the Southern
Tibetan Himalaya, and after an absence of several years we
again return to the Kyrghyzstani Pamir and Tien Shan. Although
the trouble in Southern Kyrghyzstan is far from over, our local
partner has convinced us they can garantuee the safety of our
parties at certain well known mountains. As some of our clients
were arguing that we had only one project suitable for climbers
who are just starting in the Asian high mountain ranges, we
added the accessible and technically not so difficult 7134 meter
peak Lenin again to our program besides Muztagata, which we
visit yearly.
Also new for 2001 is that, for our expeditions in China, we no
longer make the strenuous 3 day drive in from Kazakstan, by way
of Kyrghyzstan to Kashgar; Clients of ours convinced us that,
although it is a beautiful stretch, its to fatigueing, has to much
irritating custom controls, and cuts time available for the climbing
. So now all our expeditions in China's Xinjiang will start and end
at the colourfull silk road city of Kashgar. For this we have
reserved more time for sightseeing around the town and extra
climbing days at base camp.
For the further we sought for every possibility to upgrade our
services even more, so you can be really sure you get a full
servicepackage and the only thing you will have to take is your
personal gear. Partly our company continues working with old
partners who have proven they can deliver quality services, partly
we start with new partners who look very promising.
In the following we give you a short impression of the
expeditions in our 2001 program. More detailed descriptions can
now be found at our website at www.highalpex.com, as well as
information about dates, prices, procedures etc.
TIEN SHAN, KYRGHYZSTAN; Peak Pobeda 7439 meter
Come and meet the coldest 7000+ mountain on earth!
Together with its Kyrghyzstan based partners ALPEX organizes
an attempt on this most Northernly situated of all high mountains.
the fact that Soviet mountaineers already scaled the mountain in
the nineteenthirties, must not be misunderstood as that this
mountain is not so difficult. The straightforward routes all are of
great difficulty and often dangerous. The two normal routes might
be somewhat less difficult, but they are very elaborate, and a
great deal of time has to be spent on a long ridge all above 7000
meter. Due to the fact that this is the most Northernly mountain
on the globe even in full summer one is confronted with very low
temperatures. This ALPEX expedition will start and end in
Bishkek the capital of Kyrghyzstan, from where basecamp is
conveniently reached within one day. To make sure the team will
have a fair chance of succes, we have planned quite a long time
for the climbing activities, and we will make sure we will be
anything but short in climbing materials.
PAMIR, KYRGHYZSTAN; Peak Lenin 7134 meter
As a majority of our expeditions ask for previous experience
and/or substantial technical ability, we feel we also should have
some less difficult projects, for climbers who want to step up
their career from the Alps and the North American mountains
to the high altitude climbing of Asia. Well, this one you will
like. Climbing Razdelnaya ridge is neither steep nor technical
in any way - skiing poles are of greater use than ice-axes on
most of the way - but its other things that make it hard and
very worthwhile. From base camp to its summit it is a long
way indeed; 3634 vertical meters and 18 horizontal
kilometers have to be scaled, much more than in the case of
many well known giants. Before you even start the main
climb, you already have scaled a high col and most of the
lower and middle reaches of the huge Lenin glacier. Instead
of being barren and deserted basecamp is in a grassy high
Achik Tash valley where in summer many nomad herdsmen
make their camps too.
TIEN SHAN, XINJIANG-CHINA, Mount Tomur 7435 meter
20 July 2001 - 31 August 2001
Mount Tomur is the Southeast side, on Chinese territory, of
giant Peak Pobeda massif. But quit contrary of the heavily visited
westside, this area sees only rarely mountaineering or hiking
parties. After two attemps, Chinese mountaineers scaled the
summit in 1977. According to the CXMA a few mountaineering
parties have visited the peak, but none of them met with succes.
We will reach basecamp by a two day drive from the Xinjiang
capital Urumqi, followed by a short walk in. The climbing is
certainly of technical nature, although not exceedingly difficult.
Finding a safe route is the great challange of this venture; Many
areas of the huge face are reknown to chronically avalanche. The
first ascent party had to retrace several times, before they finally
found a relatively protected line.
For experienced hikers this is also an eldorado; Very rugged
and mostly unexplored terrain, waits for pioneering hikers.
KUNLUN, XINJIANG, CHINA, Muztagata 7546 meter
1st period; 21 June 2001 until 18 July 2001
2nd period. 20 July 2001 until 16 August 2001
Like this year we and our Russian partners will organise a
expedition to this beautifull mountain, now rapidly gaining interest
in mountaineering circles. For climbers - and very experienced
mountain walkers - who are about to step up their career to the
high altitude mountains of Asia this presents an excellent first
objective. Although the massif is very complex, and contains
many unclimbed difficult routes and lower summits, there is a
straightforward, gently angled way up its west flank. This is not
technical climbing at all, but very hard hiking on great altitude.
The exhausting thin air is problem number one, and with lots of
new snow even the easy angle may seem almost vertical.
Base camp is conveniently reached by means of a one day
drive from Kashgar along the famed Karakoram highway, and a
3-4 hour walk on the next day.
KUNLUN, XINJIANG, CHINA: Kongur Tagh 7719 meter
20 July 2001 until 30 August 2001.
We hate to admit, but the ALPEX Kongur expedition 2000 did
not make the summit. Bad wheather and subsequent dangerous
conditions prevented our team of doing so. After the first ascent
by a British team, the mountain has by now prevented a dozen
team's from succes. We think one day this myth should be
finished, In order to achieve this as soon as possible ALPEX
mounts an expedition to this highest Kunlun peak again next
summer.
From the many publications in mountaineering magazines
one might get the idea that every meter on Kongur is of great
technical difficulty. The lower parts up to 7000 meter are more
elaborate then strictky technical. But above 7000 the summit
pyramid ridge provides for real hard climbing in steep and
exposed mixed terrain. Hard, especially because most
climbers perform at least 1-2 grades less at this altitude then
at sea level.
We must stress, that in order to qualify for this climb one
needs previous experience with technical climbing at high altitude
CENTRAL KUNLUN, CHINA: Ulugh Muztagh ????meter
4 September 2001 - 18 October 2001
During most of the twentieth century it was said that with
7756 meter this was the highest peak of the entire Kunlun. But
the mountain is so remote that for long nobody even saw it. In
fact there is still uncertainty; The only ascent party until now, in
1986 proclaimed it to be only 6973 meter. When we and our
partners studied the photographic material that we have acces to,
we developed doubts again; according to our calculations it must
be some 7200 meter. Only a sattelite measurement will definitly
settle the question; We are planning to do just that.
Although this mountain is only of modest difficulty, its a pearl
for the mountaineer and hiker who seek the last crumbs left of
the real exploring adventure. Due to the fact that the area is not
mapped in detail until now, and we will go to the yet unvisited
Southside of the massif, this expedition might even be interesting
for Geographists and Geologists.
Because of its remote position on the barren northern edges
of the Tibetan plateau 6-8 days are needed for the drive in. On
our way to the Muztag Feng we will make a four day stop high in
the Central Kunlun where you will be able to explore 6000+
peaks that have not even be named.
For the serious high altitude hikers this is one of the last
paradises; All unexplored terrain, in unspoilt nature. Degrees of
difficulty vary acoording one travels near the mountains or further
in the plain. Deu to the abundant wildlife including large predators
like wolf, snow leopard and brown bear, some safety precautions
are however necessary for the trekking party.
HIMALAYA, TIBET-CHINA: Namjagbarwa 7782 meter
4 September 2001 - 18 October 2001
More than 5000 meters rises Namche Barwa - as
Namjagbarwa is also still widly called - above the bottom of the
Yarlung Zangbo river, a vertical distance matched by very few
climbs. Recently the difficult to acces Yarlung Zangbo gorge has
been determined the deepest on earth. Situated in a remote
corner of Tibet, the area has been long closed to foreign visitors.
It was only in the early nineties that Japanese mountaineers were
invited here for joint expeditions with their Chinese hosts. After at
least one abortive attempt the mountain was scaled in 1993.
Although now a good map of the area and the way up the
mountain exists, routefinding remains difficult because of very
complex nature of the massif. The thus caused slow progress
ask for at least 6 high camps on the mountain. It may not be K2
but still the climbing is of considerable technical difficulty.
For many different hikers the area may also be interesting.
Difficult mountain hikes are possible on the lower slopes of the
mountiains themselves, more culture orientated walks can be
done to the many tiny traditional villages in the valley. This
ALPEX expedition has start and finish in the Tibetan capital
Lhasa.
HIMALAYA, TIBET-CHINA: Gyalha Bairi 7249 meter
4 September 2001 - 18 October 2001
North of Namjagbarwa, rising from the opposite bank of the
Yarlung Zangbo their looms another great spire; Gyalha Bairi, a
very beautifully shaped, more or less lone standing mountain.
Due to its more remote location even less is known about the
mountain. The only thing we could figure out it has been climbed
by Japanese in the late eighties, and for the further has been
largely ignored. The route to take is however pretty clear; The
ridgesystem on the Mountains South side, which reaches
down almost to river level. We estimate that this climb is
considerably less difficult than that of Namjagbarwa, de ridge
still has an average angle of around 45 degrees.
For hiking members the thing is the other way round. The
area has little to no population, there are few defined trails and
terrain is expected to be very rugged.
This expedition will travel together with the team for
Namjagbarwa, but operates from a different base camps.
So far our nine Mountaineering and hiking expeditions for
2001. Like before ALPEX develops small team arrangements as
well as wintersurvivals upon demand of clients. If after consulting
the information on our website you still have questions about one
or more of our ventures, don't hesitate in asking us!
If you are interested in being kept updated about our ventures in th
future, you can subscribe, and unsubscribe again, at
http://AlpexUpdates.listbot.com/
Friendly greetings
Johan W Heersink,
Director
ALPEX High Alpine Expeditions
top at BamIDunya.getxs.nl
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