BASK – Jannu North Face’ expedition

Mt. Jannu (Nepal, 7710 m), the 38th tallest peak in the world, is called a mountain of the 21st century and it deserves this title. Its unrelentingly steep 10,000 foot north face still remains a true last great problem in the Himalayas. In spite of numerous expeditions of the world’s best climbers none could ascend up this wall. Now Russians challenge this Face.

`BASK – Jannu North Face’ expedition is a part of `Big Walls – Russian Way’ project, which is managed by a permanent leader: famous Russian climber A. Odintsov. The event is to take place this autumn and now the team is preparing for it: intensive sport trainings are alternated with logistic preparations. Special gear and clothing are supplied by company BASK – general equipment sponsor of the expedition.

`Big Walls – Russian Way’ project implies breaking new routes up the highest world’s mountain walls. There are only about two dozens of such (700 steep with 1 km elevation change) walls and conquering each of them is a great even in climbing society.

On a previous stage of the project ‘BASK – Great Sail Wall’ expedition tried Great Sail Peak which is situated at the east coast of far off Baffin Island. The expedition was successful and in spring of 2002 climbing team leaded by Alexander Odintsov broke a new offbeat 1500-meter route up the forbidding Face of Great Sail Peak. It was the first Russian route to the summit.

This time our athletes laid down the most ambitious aim that at first sight seems to be almost unrealistic. If their attempt turns to be successful, Russia will be firmly established as a leading climbing power.

A crux of Jannu North Face consists of a hardest 700-meter wall located at 7k altitude. No one has ever managed to climb this crimson 7710-meter fang.

At the moment the team includes Alexander Odintsov, Alexander Ruchkin and Nicolas Totmyanin (Saint-Petersburg), Michael Devi, Alexei Bolotov and Michael Pershin (Ekaterinburg), Michael Mikhailov (Bishkek) together with high-altitude cameraman Ivan Samoilov and a permanent team doctor Michael Bakin.

A leader of `BASK – Jannu North Face’ expedition Alexander Odintsov said that `Jannu is an apex of our plans and at the moment I can see nothing behind of it. Each our new expedition is harder than the previous, but Jannu North Face is the hardest wall in the world. None could conquer it. And now we, humble climbers, dare to ascend up the awesome Face. What we may but pray for our success.’

03.06.2003