http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry080315-133052
So yeah, this was another classic trip to a classic mountain up a more than classic route. I had an excellent small group and we really dominated on Ama Dablam. Scott got really sick so he had to bail from camp 1 which is a big bummer for him and I. Me me me, Angus and Tsering Sherpa climbed on.


Our superbad ascent went something like this:

day 1- BC rest
day 2- BC rest
day 3-ascent to camp 1, sleep camp 1
day 4-load carry camp 2, sleep camp 1
day 5-ascent to camp 2, sleep camp 2
day 5-summit Ama Dablam(8hours 20 min) -return to camp 2 (5hours 40 min)
day 6-descent to Ama Dablam Base Camp from camp 2 (8 hours having a blast and enjoying the views)


And the best part of it all:



I really love being on Ama Dablam. It is such a nice place and the vibes are always good. Next time i wonder what music i will choose for the video.?suggestions?
]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry071031-110313
There were many people walking past him focused on their own summit attempts. I sat down beside the man and asked him if he was ok. He told me he had just summited and that his partner had fallen and broken his leg while descending. A victim of fatigue and cramponed boots biting into the hard snow. We call it a boot line fracture. Snap! Right above the plastic boot. Alex, the boss of the 7 summits club was lowering the victim down the 15m ice wall just above us. Four sherpas, Pashang, Lakpha, Pemba and another Lakpha were assisting on the extremely difficult terrain at an altitude of about 6900m.

When they reached me I explained that I was trained in high angle rescue and first aid and that I would like to offer my assistance. They sort of looked at me like I was crazy and said, "what about your summit?". I told them that I'd been rescued before and that a man’s life is a far better reward than some summit. The Sherpas said something in Nepali to each other, one of them slapped me on the butt and said "you very good man, lets go", Alex handed me a rope and in his thick Russian accent said "you short rope him, keep head up hill".

We all prepared the injured climber for the descent by creating an improvised litter/sled with a number of ropes attached for keeping him steady and 'feet downhill'. Meanwhile, many climbers, and even a mountain guide walked down past us without a word. Also, two supposedly 'very famous' alpinists passed going up without even turning their heads. I was quite shocked at all of their abilities to so easily ignore such a serious situation. Disturbing and selfish beyond all words. Count 1 through 10, ohmmm.

Anyways, we started the 500 vertical meter, 2 km ridge line lower to camp 1 where a group of Tibetan porters were waiting to carry the injured man back to ABC and eventually a waiting jeep the next morning. The lower was pretty routine with all of us moving about with our short ropes keeping the sled in position through the challenging terrain. After about 4 hours of very tiring and stressful work, we managed to get our man safely back to camp 1, along with his partner who was exhausted, nearly in tears and suffering from acute frostbite on his left hand.


We celebrated our success with cup of hot tea and a big round of hugs, took five and loaded up the injured climber for the 4 hour walk across the glacier. In this case, a sturdy Tibeten piggy-back ride down 600m and over 5 km of glacier back to ABC. I was informed that both men left early this morning via yak for the road and onto Lhasa.
I'm bagged, done, arms stretched out of their sockets, brain-fried, inspired by those who took part in the rescue, and disheartened after bearing witness to short-sighted display of those who ignored the situation.

Jacob and I are now on standby, radios on, waiting to head back up the hill if our team needs us this evening. Good luck gang, stand on top and make us proud. Get back down safely so we can drink that beer we've been saving.]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070828-205912
base camp-camp 1 load carry
sleep camp 1, rest day
load carry camp 2- sleep camp 1
move to camp 2, rest
move to camp 3, rest
summit attack and back to camp 3
descend base camp
rest rest rest...

It was a difficult journey. Sickness, bad weather and poor morale tested our resolve over many days. Even a high altitude porter, (The Pakistani equivilant of a Sherpa) who was ill and wanted to go back to base camp all stood in our way. I stood on top after breaking trail for 8 hours with my team of 4 about an hour behind me. It was actually painless and i really enjoyed summit day for once. I managed to take a small nap at 7000M while my guys relished in their sucesses.

Being the only guide on the mountain at that time, it was my responsibility to 'sweep' the clients off of the mountain. On descent, the weather turned bad and our visibility was reduced to about 3 meters. This was the closest i have ever been to dropping to my knees and becoming a permenent part of the mountain landscape. I made it back to camp, all of my guests warm and safe, 16 hours later. My HAP, or high porter, sleeping soundly in his bed. This was not cool as he is my supposed saftey net if things go wrong. Thank god for my well trained auto pilot and all of those evenings coming home from pub during my college years.



Alas, the expedition did have some sad sides. A friend in another group suffered severe frost bite on his toes and may lose some of them. To me, no matter how many members we put on top, if the helicopter has to come to base camp, the trip is not a success. From this we learn not to repeat the mistakes of others.

Until next time. ]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070801-192117
Le link:
http://www.fieldtouring.com/dispatches/spantik_2007.php

Our team departed this morning at 5am for the mountains and Ian and I are sticking around for a while to settle our permits and whatnots with the ministry of mountaineering and tourism. We will fly to Skardu, the start of all things mountaineering in Pakistan, this afternoon for a day or so of much needed down time.

Peace to you my brothers & sisters. Asa La Ma Lakim!

C
]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070729-230642
It all started when i fell. Yes, fell. I was back from my last adventure a mere 5 days when i decided to go climbing with a good friend Josh. Well, at the time we were mere acquaintances but that all changed at about 5pm that evening. I had climbed frozen waterfalls many times before and this one was in fact quite easy in comparison to some of my other trips. This is why the ego should be left back at the car when one heads up into the mountains. Yeah, i fell. 12 meters or so. thats about 40 feet. Without getting too much into the details i was putting in an ice screw to secure myself when my ice tool popped out and next thing you know, my pelvis was broken in three places and i was still a about 20 meters above the ground. Josh saved my ass. Tim and Andrea saved my ass. STARS air ambulance and Nordegg search and rescue sure did save my ass. Thanks everyone for stepping up and getting my off of that bloody cursed waterfall. The rest is history really. Two weeks in the hospital and ten weeks off my left side. Tough stuff being a couch potato.

Once i was all healed up i headed straight for the mountains again. No miss haps, no dramas just good clean fun.

I managed to gain employment as an instructor for Outward Bound Canada and that was quite the wild ride. A month of guide training and two months of working. Its a great job, really, it's just too bad the kids have to be there to spoil it. I definitely did discover something about myself this summer. I love taking people into the mountains on one condition: they have to want to be there. So i quit.

Stu from Field Touring Alpine, the company i work for called me up and asked me if i would like to go to Pakistan and climb a mountain as an assistant guide. This one is called Spantik, it is 7030 meters tall and sits in the Karakorum range of the Pakistan Himalayas. Here is a link to the page:
http://www.fieldtouring.com/expeditions/spantik.php

This trip is about 30 days long and should be a very interesting experience.

A one way ticket to Islamabad is next in my series of bad decisions. I need to find a way to get myself into India then Nepal from the heart of taliban country: Northern Pakistan. I think i will take a bus or a train. I have about a week to make the overland trip and am actually looking forward to it with elated apprehension.

If and when i actually make it into Nepal i will be undertaking the biggest climb of my life. It is the 8200 meter Cho Oyu. We will be driving from Kathmandu into Tibet to climb it from the north. Yikers. She is BIG!
http://www.fieldtouring.com/expeditions/cho_oyu.php

After that 37 day expedition I will be leading a group of trekkers up to Everest Base Camp on a 21 day trek that will end with a climb up Island Peak. Fun stuff.

http://www.fieldtouring.com/expeditions ... t_trek.php

Wow, i'm getting tired just writing this. After the Everest trek, i will be leading a trip up Ama Dablam at about 6850 meters. This is the mountain i summited last year on November 1. Guess what, a link:
http://www.fieldtouring.com/expeditions/ama_dablam.php

Then, i think i will sleep.

I hope to be able to keep this site updated with my progress and stories from the flip side. Peace out and dont forget to breathe.

]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry070112-223104
This morning a monkey was banging on my window. Yesterday a huge bull was roaring like a dragon outside my door. Bells ringing, people jabbering, horns honking, dogs barking. All that is India has now become that background noise we usually just filter out. The smells, the dirt, the starving people on the street reading about how their government just put 4 satalites into space. The worlds biggest democracy is far too busy trying to impress the world and fill it's own pockets than to provide it's people with the basic ammenities like shelter and water.

The Indian people are really fantastic. Although i have sadly met a few dirty crooks, the huge majority them i will miss dearly. There is so much color an soul in these people. Their hearts are always open and they really love to laugh.

So, as i pack my bag for the final time; i reflect. Will I continue to take for granted clean water? Will I appreciate the wide roads and quiet streets? I doubt it. I will likely just disolve back into my previous life with only my photos and bought trinkets to remind me. This is really too bad. I want to retain my new vision of the world but it is far to conflicting. Canada and India are worlds apart. Now, my re-adjustment begins again.

I just know it, i will dream of India again, very soon.

Chris.]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry061218-065316
Up seemed like the most logical choice and the road would be sure to provivide that. Twenty minuites later here I'm sitting in an Indian ski resort. Of the three in India, the Solong Valley is known as the least inspiring. I thought it was wonderful. My big western feet denied me however, of fitting into any available rental gear . The spectacle of Indians skiing was well worth the trip. I laughed at their expenses but they were so cute i dont think they will care.

Kashmir is full on snow but Auli & Solong, my destinations, are sadly lacking the good energy of the white stuff. Perhaps a swift holiday trip to Rishikesh will quell my desire to climb and allow time for the snow to fall.

hope hope hope]]> http://www.szymiec.com/blog/index.php?entry=entry061216-222224
It seems that in my quest to be original, avoiding the over crowded drug induced cheer of Goa'n beaches, I've isolated myself in the summer party and adventure haven of Manali. Now however, the only non locals here are the hordes of recently married Indian love birds oogling over each other and rockin the walls and windows at the strangest of times. Thankfully, the Indian stamina seems to be quite short and everything quiets down in 45 seconds or so (I can't believe I'm writing this). Being alone through this whole ordeal, i always have a blast with my additional dialog and sports like commentary.

"He's definitely showing promise Jim. Perhaps next game he'll get his times up closer to the one minute mark."

Did I mention I was bored? Bored and constrained. Unable to climb into the wonderful Himalayas due to unrelenting terrible snow conditions. Things just don’t seems to settle down here at all and every day things are getting worse. Not enough snow for Skiing. Too much snow for non-suicidal mountaineering up high, and all of the waterfalls are still flowing in the valley.

I just really need to make a decision on what to do next. I want to spend the holidays with some good people and not alone in a cheap hotel room. I know Rishikesh can offer this but i feel a strong pull to stay here for a while. I am just soooooo bored its starting to hurt! Today, i will find something, today is the day, I can feel it. Funny thing, just as i looked outside at the mountains for a final burst of inspiration, I noticed cirrus clouds fast moving from the north. A sure sign of bad weather on the horizon. Bummer.

Happy Holidays to All

]]>