Denis Urubko: first will be Baruntse, the second - Annapurna...

Photo: Russianclimb, Almaty, March 2004

In this Spring season one of the strongest high-altitude climbers Denis Urubko (Kazakstan) is planning to do two first climbs in Himalaya via new routes - to Baruntse and Annapurna. Simone Moro, his old friend will be his partner in this expedition. They have already worked together on the slopes of Lhotse, Everest, Nanga Parbat, Lenin Peak, Korzhenevskaja Peak, Comminism Peak and Khan Tengri.

Expedition chronicle:

10 April, 2004
Hi! All's OK. We set the Base Camp April6 at 5100. We can see the South Face of Lhotse from here. It's too far from our base to the Face - it's in the next gorge, and it take us 2 hours to reach it. We set ABC April 7 at 5250 m, and yesterday I together with Boris Korshunov brought loads to ABC. As we desided now, we'll probably reset our ABC 400 m East, more close to the route we choose.

The North-West Face of Baruntse is impressive. The altitude diiference- from 5400 till 7050, so 1650 m. The kind of rocks is very strange here, but I'm sure, hooks will be safe. According our plan, we'll climb in alpine style after the acclimatization.

We have the time till the end of April. I'm lucky, that Boris Korshunov is here. He's now in best conditions in spite of his ages, and I can't run after him. He acclimatizes here before Annapurna climb, and tells me a lot of old mountaineering stories. That's a pity, but he lost all his luggage, including BASK equipment which they sponsored him, so we gave him what we could.

The day before yesterday I had rescue works instead of the rest. Our cook felt ill very hard, so I with kitchenboy rescued him down on our hands, because all members (Simone, Boris, Bruno and Barbara) were at Khala Pattar on acclimatization. I gave him a lot of pills and brought him down. He's in valley now - than porters helped him to reach the village.

Barbara (Simone's wife. THey had married the day before the expedition and spent their honeymoon in Himalaya - ed note) goes back to Italy today. New cook Biby went to our Base Camp from Namtche Bazaar. imone and Bruno go th bring some else loads to ABC, and probably, they will reset the camp to the new place.
Denis, April 10, 14-24


28 March, 2004
Hi! I'm in Kathmandu. I'm very tired and sad about Kazakhstan: I had difficulties with passport control in Almaty airport. Here I met the Russian team (Jannu expedition): Ruchkin, Mikhailov, Bolotov... So, I'm not alone. They are my good friends, as you know. Today morning we run here at the hills, and are resting now. They're crazy, my friends...
Bye, Denis, 28 March, 13-05

28 March, 2004
Simone started to Kathmandu from Italy.

24 March, 2004
Denis started to Kathmandu from Almaty.

More details

12.04.2004