Karakoram Expedition 2008
Gabriel ČMÁRIK, Viliam ŠUJAN
“We have found free line for the first ascent so we started climbing through the crack where Japanese guys rappelled down. I lead the rope today. We climb with bag packs - heavy pigs, while rope leader, if there is a hard climb section, just hangs the bag pack and climbs further up. Then the other two guys climb up to him, pretty pissed off and with awful swearing. After overcoming the crack, which is about 300 meters long, we climbed into the wall in the right. Hopefully, we will be able to climb it freely because technical climbing would be time consuming and causing delays. Cool, everything goes very smoothly even that rock which almost smashed my legs. The sun is relentless and dries us up; what is more, towards the evening our water stocks are depleting. We need to climb up to the big terrace where we plan to lay down our bivouac. We managed to get there in the evening...“
(From the dairy of Gabo Čmárik )
In the summer 2008, Gabo Čmárik and Vilo Šujan from Trencin, Slovakia, participated on the Expedition Karakoram 2008, whose aim was to do climbing activities at the K6 and K7 peaks in the Charakusa valley. This district offers several most famous Himalayan climbing problems of present age. Also our two natives strived to catch the thrown glove, who replenished their team with the third young talented guy Jano Šofránko from Považska Bystrica. They take an effort to do the first climb up to nearly 7000 meters high peak K7 through its south face. Fast progress, perfect performance, and excellent climbing co-operation of the team of three guys were; however, stopped by bad weather conditions and avalanches after three hard days spent in the wall.
Gabriel ČMÁRIK (1982)
When counting Gabo’s climbed routes it seems that mountain climbing makes his world. He started climbing in his 13 on domestic rock Skalka from which he quickly vault over to close as well as remote world climbing destinations. He shocked ambient climbing population by his hard sport climbing routes, which he climbed in summer as well as winter times. In 2005 he managed to catch the attention of worldwide mountaineering population by his first ascent called Assalam Alaikum to the top of Great Trango in Pakistan. This ascent was nominated to the Piolet d ´Or which is the most prestigious award of world mountaineering achievements.
He likes to test his competing spirit in ice climbing and dry-tool competitions across the Slovakia, Czech Republic and Austria, and his firm nerves, decision abilities and courage in the sole climbing.
HIMALAYAS
Karakoram: Shipton Spire – attempted to do first ascent
Karakoram: Great Trango – Great Trango – Alpine style first ascent , „ASSALAM ALAIKUM“, 8/A2/ABO, 90 pitches, more than 3000 m
Karakoram: Hainabrakk – Alpine style first ascent , „DOLZAG DIHEDRAL“, VI/6/ABO, 1000 m
Karakoram: Uli Biaho – Alpine style first ascent, „DRASTISSIMA“, VI/6/ABO, 2200 m
Karakoram: K7 – attempted to do first ascent, new route climbed up to the beginning of Japanese route
Karakoram: Beatrice – repeating the climb through the south corridor
PATAGONIA
Cerro Torre – attempted to climb the route COMPRESOR by Alpine style, (due to the bad weather conditions he finished first attempt 200 meters below the top, and second attempt 100 meters below the top)
ALPS
Grandes Jorasses - „COLTON Mc INTYRE“ (Alexis), ED3, 1200 m
Les Droites – Alpine style first ascent , „BON VOYAGE“, IV/5, M7, 1100 m
Petit Jorasess – Mon com Espagnol 7a, 750 m
HIGH TATRAS
Many hard winter and summer routes
Jastrabia veža (Hawk’s Spire) – Sunset Boulevard IX OS
Viliam Šujan
Viliam graduated from the Collage of Management, City University, he works as the head of a company; however, what is most interesting is the fact that he has been climbing for 12 years. After the initial climbing impassion he relaxed in climbing activities for a while and started to devote his free time to sky-diving. However, after his success in the competition Go and Climb in 2005, which is focused on the most valuable ascent in the Alps or High Tatras, mountaineering became his living fuel. Vilo has been training, climbing, snowboarding, organizing climbing events and competitions.
HIMALAYAS
Karakoram: K7 – attempted to do first ascent, new route climbed up to the beginning of Japanese route
Karakoram: Beatrice – repeating the climb through the south corridor
ALPS
RUINENORGEL, WI 5/5+
ANOUK, Petit Jorasses, 6c, AF, 750 m
EPERON WALKER, Grandes Jorasses TD+, 7 A0, 1200m
MON COM ESPAGNOL, Petit Jorasses, 750m, 7a, AF
ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE, Pizz Badille, 600m, 7, OS
MAGIC LINE, Qualido, 600m, 7b+ OS
HIGH TATRAS
ELEGANCIA, M7+ OS, M. Kežmerák
PRAVÝ PILIER, M7 OS, Pustá Stráž
PATAGÓNSKE LETO, Lomnický Štít, 350 m 7+/8- UIAA, OS
ČIERNY PILIER, Lomnický Štít 8- OS
KASTRÁTOR, Mlynárik, 9- AF
“Next week we are facing really bad weather, boredom has come, but only until Andy comes to dinner with his calf deeply torn. First of all, we finish our dinner and than the operation can start. I am the head surgeon and I have available at least seven nurses (all of them are hairy and having nuts). Andy’s wound is pretty deep caused by the spike of the ice shoes when jumping over a crevasse. The wound is large and needs to be stitched up. “Nurse, get him one injection of Tramal into his ass and let him drink at least three shots of Slivovitz so that aesthesis really works”. After an hour I look at my work of art created on Andy’s calf. Awesome. Boy will get antibiotics and that’s it.
(From the dairy of Gabo Čmárik)
