High aspiration climbing: face to Face with a mountain

‘All I’ve done before is just a prelude to this climb’ (Valery Babanov, leaving to Nuptse)

Valery Babanov is one of the leading climbers, world-famous with his extremely difficult solo climbs. On the 11th of September he leaves to a new Himalayas expedition. This time he is going to climb a virgin summit Nuptse East, 7804 m. Climbers from all the world have been trying to summit the peak during 18 years, but none could ascend it. Valery is the first who dared to challenge the mountain in a solo style, choosing the hardest route. It is the fourth great expedition, where Valery is equipped by BASK company. Besides a clothing outfit and a special BASK tent, the company has also provided Valery Babanov with a satellite phone to establish connection with ‘the Continent’.

Unequalled Babanov’s first climb of Meru Central in Garhwal Himalayas in 2001 had captured him two main alpinist rewards: ‘Piolet d’Or’ and ‘Genziana Glovane’. Now Himalayas, the favorite Valery’s mountains, are calling him back again.


Exclusive interview with Valery Babanov
Conducted by Larisa Martynkina, BASK

LM (Larisa Martynkina, BASK): Valery, how do you grade this expedition? Were you preparing long to the climb?

VB (Valery Babanov): You know, all I’ve done before is juat a prelude to this climb. It is the hardest route I’ve ever seen: all pitches are crucial! Virgin Nuptse East has been challenging me for last three years. I've been dreaming about it and considering possible routes to the summit. The height of Nuptse East was measured by a satellite as none has ever stood on its apex. My route goes up the South Face of Nuptse massif, following the Southeast rib. Elevation change from a base camp to the summit is about 2500 m. 1500-meter lowest segment is very hard: it’s a mixed rock and ice climbing there. After it there is a steep rib with overhanging snow cornices. The final part is a mixed steep terrain again: snowed rocks and ice. These, last, 300 metres to the summit were never surpassed by a human.

LM: What is the highest altitude reached by climbers at Nuptse East slopes?

VB: 7500 m — by Michael Fauquet and Jean-Christophe Moulin. They reached it in autumn of 1994.

LM: You’ve spent a lot of time in Chamonix. Why could you not make inquiries at the French, what have stopped them?

VB: Of course, I know Michael and Jean-Christophe. They, as most climbers, were stopped with hurricanes that can’t be overcome. Summit ridge is the segment that is most exposed to winds. The nearer you are to the summit, the more you are frustrated with terrible north winds that blow from Tibet with 180 km/h speed. Atrocious winds and frost doubled with high altitude are the main obstacles on a way to the summit.

LM: And how are you going to cope with them?

VB: I hope to catch a weather ‘window’. I’ll wait for a gleam of weather and start to the summit. October is the best month for climbing in the region, but even in that period it may be storming for a week with a perfect silent weather for the next 1-2 days. What concerns the terrible frost above 7000, I rely upon down BASK garments that succored me in previous Himalayas expeditions.

LM: What is your forecast concerning the terms of the climb?

VB: I plan to spend 5-8 days (including a descent) after ‘landing off’. It will be like a marathon if I am lucky with weather. Most part of the Face should be climbed in minimalist alpine style with a minimum of food, gear, gas stove, down sleeping bag and the lightest tent designed by BASK especially for me.

LM: Once you said that Himalayas are your favorite mountains. ‘Nuptse’ is your sixth Himalayas expedition, isn’t it?

VB: Yes, and the forth organized by myself. First time I faced Himalayas at Lhotse in 1997. That time we met a disaster: Volodya Bashkirov was killed during a descent. The next year we tried to traverse Lhotse massif and to summit Lhotse Middle. It was my second Himalayas expedition and the last one with a team.

LM: It’s well known that none has ever dared to climb Nuptse alone. When and why did you decide to climb hardest routes in a solo style?

VB: When you are alone, you acquire a new vision of mountains. At the same time, I take all the decisions myself, I estimate a possible danger and I am completely responsible for all my actions. It is important for me.

I had been climbing for 12 years before I made my first solo climb of Free Korea at Tyan-Shan. It happened at year 1993 and to that moment I had climbed more than a hundred of routes in a team. But, it seems, the time came to change something. Now I myself choose a style and a pace; I decided when to start and when to finish, and none but me is effected with sequels of my actions.

Soloist is a priory in extreme conditions. Of course, margins of safety of climbing team are much higher. That’s why I am permanently working over my safety and try to minimize risks. Total self-control, reliable gear, reliable ropes from BEAL – these are my safety regulations.

LM: Valery, what brought you to climbing? Lucky chance, childhood dream or what it was?

VB: I really wished to be nearer to sky since my childhood. I was keen on astronomy for many years and after a school I entered Omsk Aviation Technical College. My speciality was ‘assembling of aircrafts’. I’ve gone into climbing at ages of 14 and in two years I started mountaineering. Now I am 37 and not so long ago I graduated ENSA – French Climbing Guide School. I plan to work as a guide in Chamonix. This way I may maintain my family and still do what I love most of all. But I am not going to terminate my extreme and sport climbs. I’m sure I’ve still of benefit for climbing and my potential is not exhausted yet.
From my point of view, modern climbing may be conventionally separated in three branches: commercial, exotic and a ‘climbing of superb achievements’. The latter extends the frontiers of human abilities and I hope I still have something to do with it.

13.09.2002