<\/p>\n
By: Larisa Ghitulescu[\/split_line_heading][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][divider line_type=”Small Line” custom_height=”20″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column centered_text=”true” column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ top_margin=”0″ bottom_margin=”0″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\n
(Type of content: Journalism)<\/em><\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Is this your toughest project so far?<\/strong><\/em> A winter ascent on K2, on a new route, North Face, without O2\u2026 is this the hardest thing to attempt in high-altitude mountaineering these days?<\/strong><\/em> Ok then, what can be harder than that, in your case?<\/em><\/strong> Is one expedition enough to know people well, to trust them and to share danger with?<\/strong><\/em> —————————————————————————————————<\/p>\n LATER EDIT: The expedition was put to an end before starting due to permit issue. On December 26,\u00a0Denis Urubko published the letter he had received from the Chinese authorities: \u201cDear Denis, I am very sorry to tell you that the permit has been refused by the Xinjiang government administration; the reason is that due to the terrorisim event happened in Xinjiang , the situation presently is not safe for the foreigners (\u2026)\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” equal_height=”yes” bg_image=”6392″ background_image_mobile_hidden=”true” bg_position=”center center” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” parallax_bg=”true” parallax_bg_speed=”slow” bg_color=”#0a0a0a” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” top_padding=”10%” bottom_padding=”10%” color_overlay=”#000000″ overlay_strength=”0.8″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\n Why K2 in winter time?<\/strong><\/em> I told you once that, in my opinion, this may be the story of our generation. You did not seem to agree. Why?<\/strong><\/em> NEW ROUTES<\/strong>: Denis Urubko achieved the rare \u2018Himalayan Crown\u2019 climbing each of the fourteen 8000m summits of the world without oxygen. His specialty is opening new routes at extremely high altitudes: South Face of Broad Peak in 2005, North-East Slope of Manaslu in 2006, South-East face of Cho-Oyu in 2009, and during the spring of 2010 Denis soloed a new route on Lhotse from the South Col of Everest.<\/p>\n You will be the leader of this expedition?<\/strong><\/em> Will you use high-altitude Sherpa?<\/strong><\/em> If you find it impossible to open a new route, will you ascend on the classic route?<\/strong><\/em> Where does impossible start for you at high altitude?<\/strong><\/em> How much gear and effort you put in this project?<\/strong><\/em> ***<\/p>\n (To be continued. In the latter part of the interview, Denis talks about critical help in the Death-Zone, sponsors, inspiration and what climbing 8000m mountains on classic routes means these days)<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n Later edit I<\/strong>: By the end of November, after this interview, two more Russians joined the team: Artiom Braun and Dmitry Siniew.<\/p>\n Later edit II<\/strong>: The expedition was put to an end due to permit issue. Denis published, on December 26, the letter he had received from Chinese authorities: \u201cDear Denis, I am very sorry to tell you that the permit has been refused by the Xinjiang government administration; the reason is that due to the terrorisim event happened in Xinjiang , the situation presently is not safe for the foreigners (\u2026)\u201d<\/em>.<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n It was Denis\u2019s \u201cdesire and idea\u201d. Adam (Poland) and Alex (Spain) responded with the same energy.<\/p>\n THE KILLER MOUNTAIN<\/strong>: K2 (8,611m) is the second tallest mountain on Earth, after Mount Everest (8,848m). K2 (Karakoram range) was ascended for the first time in 1954 (summer season). It registered 306 successful ascents and 81 fatalities. K2 has second-highest fatality rate among the 14 eight-thousanders (26,5%).<\/p>\n K2 peak was never ascended in winter.<\/p>\n KICK-OFF<\/strong>: The team led by Denis Urubko is expected to leave for Karakoram on December 16th. They will approach the new route from China, on the NE Ridge.<\/p>\n TEAM MEMBERS<\/strong>: Denis Urubko\u200a\u2014\u200aRussia; Adam Bielecki\u200a\u2014\u200aPoland; Alex Txikon\u200a\u2014\u200aSpain. By the end of November, two mo Russians joined the team: Artiom Braun and Dmitry Siniew.<\/p>\n BACK TO K2<\/strong>: In 2002 -2003, Denis Urubko was part of the winter expedition on K2, led by the Polish climber Krzysztof Wielicky. The other team members were Peter Moravsky and Marcin Kaczkan. Denis reached 7650 on north ridge. Unfortunately, they had to abort the ascent, to rescue Marcin. Denis left his ice axe around C4, hoping to come back for it.<\/p>\n SURVIVING IN EXTREME CONDITIONS<\/strong>: For the team to survive and operate well, the temperature must not reach -50 degrees and the wind speed must not exceed 100 km\/h.<\/p>\n GEAR<\/strong>: The team will use \u201cthe minimum of gear and the maximum of effort\u201d in the expedition to come. They will carry about 600kg of equipment and stuff and 1000 meters of rope.<\/p>\n ITINERARY:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nWe\u2019ll see after the expedition. But I think it was the same in 2003, when I tried a similar attempt on K2 (expedition led by Polish Krzysztof Wielicki). I also remember other extreme adventures\u2026 the new routes on Broad Peak (8,051m) in 2005 and on Cho-Oyu (8,188m) in 2009, both ascended on the South Face.<\/p>\n
\nEvery climber has to find the hardest \u201cchallenge\u201d for his or her personal style of climbing mountains.<\/p>\n
\nIt will be very hard to keep our health and our patience under extreme conditions. It will also be hard to keep friendship and good relations with partners up there.<\/p>\n
\nI was with Adam Bielecki from Poland and Alex Txikon from Spain last spring, during the We climbed together as friends. It was a magic expedition. We realized that we could climb together again. And here we are, ready for K2.<\/p>\nRECOGNITION: Denis Urubko, 41, achieved international recognition as a world-class alpinist in 1999, during the Snow Leopard Project, with his remarkable ascents of the five 7,000m peaks of CIS (USSR) in 42 days.<\/h5>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”5%” bottom_padding=”5%” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\n
\nWe don\u2019t go there to discover, nor to conquer anything\u200a\u2014\u200awe don\u2019t need geographical explorations any more. Can anybody find a new geography on the Colosseum arena? No. But we don\u2019t ask athletes or football players to discover new grass on the field or new gates. They go there to achieve their own goals and to perform. It is the same thing in mountaineering, from Base Camp to the summit and from the summit back to Base Camp. The most important thing we are looking at in this expedition is to learn about our abilities, to understand ourselves and to defeat our weaknesses. That will be our own Discovery, as in sports or in art.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nI am not against; I am not polite also\u2026 A story is a story\u200a\u2014\u200awe will understand it later. For example, the winter ascent of Gasherbrum2 (8,034m) was just a personal adventure\u2026 but two years later we realized that it was a part of the Story. Each time I look at my ascents as being \u201cnormal\u201d\u2026 during the climb. But after each expedition, looking back at what I had lived, I feel the fear. I feel amazed, too. I am wondering how I had survived.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” equal_height=”yes” bg_image=”6395″ background_image_mobile_hidden=”true” bg_position=”center top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” parallax_bg=”true” parallax_bg_speed=”slow” bg_color=”#0a0a0a” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” top_padding=”10%” bottom_padding=”10%” color_overlay=”#000000″ overlay_strength=”0.8″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\nSource: North Face<\/h6>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”5%” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\n
\u201cIn winter conditions, the normal route is much more difficult than our new idea\u201d<\/h3>\n
\nIt was my desire and my idea for K2 in winter. I shared that with Alex and Adam, they agreed, they felt the vibe and put the same energy as I did\u2026 Now, this is a big duty for each of us. I am the leader of the expedition, indeed.<\/p>\n
\nThis is a sports project. That means that above Base Camp (BC) we will be on our own. No oxygen, no dope and no porters.<\/p>\n
\nIn winter conditions, the \u201cnormal\u201d route is much more difficult than our new idea.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_content” bg_color=”#0a0a0a” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” color_overlay=”#000000″ overlay_strength=”0.8″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][image_with_animation image_url=”6396″ alignment=”center” animation=”Fade In” img_link_large=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”in_container” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” top_padding=”5%” overlay_strength=”0.3″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\n\u201cI think I am able to reach 9,500m without oxygen\u201d<\/h3>\n
\nDo you mean my personal ability? I think that I am able to reach 9,500 meters without oxygen\u2026 but on the easy (classic) route. The crisis limit when I was younger was above 8,600m; now it is higher, I suppose. This is due to my experience. But, to me, the question does not refer to the physical ability! It is about psychic and humanity: our weaknesses push us to leave down the civil thinking. Up there, we become animals, we only follow our instincts.<\/p>\n
\nThe minimum of gear and the maximum of effort. We will carry about 600kg of equipment and stuff.<\/p>\nPhotos: Denis Urubko
\nText: Larisa Ghitulescu
\nContributors: Tatiana Russu, Elena Voinea (translation of the paragraphs that Denis wrote in Russian language)<\/h6>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=”full_width_background” equal_height=”yes” bg_image=”6386″ background_image_mobile_hidden=”true” bg_position=”center top” bg_repeat=”no-repeat” parallax_bg=”true” parallax_bg_speed=”slow” bg_color=”#0a0a0a” scene_position=”center” text_color=”light” text_align=”left” top_padding=”5%” bottom_padding=”5%” color_overlay=”#000000″ overlay_strength=”0.8″][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]\nK2 WINTER PROJECT 2014 – 2015<\/h2>\n
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(With data from Explorersweb.com; 8000ers.com)<\/h6>\n