isomorphismseven

Last time I said that my trip in Germany led me into the world of outdoor activities. That said, I naver had any idea about mountaineering until I got to know the legendary ascent of Mount Siguniang (1500m, ED) made by a wonderful team from the UK, Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden. I didn't know they were so amazing until recently.

That ascent, which Achu (阿楚) said "that's so very horrible, we never bear a chance. We even do not dare to consider that face", won them a Piolet d’Or that year. Also, thanks to their ascent, more and more climbers in China began to realize that it didn't matter whether one made to the top. What mattered was that how one made to the top. Following your expedition company guides and Sherpas to the summit of the Everest should not be the ultimate goal of mankind. Those who wish to challenge, who stand out among those who doesn't, who really have the spirit of mountaineering, wish to find some interesting and challenging routes in a well-climbed mountain (say Eiger), wish to go somewhere untouched and create their own world (say Gave DIng). In this sense, Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden really live to their dreams.

They do not like the idea of climbing a famous peak only to get recognition. Of course, like most other well-known climbers in Europe, Mick climbed Eiger and some other famous mountains in the Alps. But these are different things, you know. The more I get to know them, the more I feel amazed by them. Mick's characters are equally precious as indicated in their Gave Ding (6571m, ED+) expedition, which won them a third Piolet d’Or prize. Note that they have more. For example, Paul Ramsden won a Piolet d’Or in 2017 for his (with partner Nick Bullock) first ascent of the north buttress of Nyanchen Tanglha Southeast (7046m, ED+).

It seems that Mick is always so positive. Up till now, he is 64 years old. However, neither cancer nor age can keep him from mountains.

Can you imagine that after the above, Mick still went climbing like this?


With his unrecovered body, he returned to China in 2019 for Chombu. His British-style humor for his expedition really affected me. Mick and his partner Victor Saunders nearly reached the summit, within a vertical distance of 250m. Although without success, this expedition was remarkable enough.

Paul said "Mick Fowler is one of the most positive people I have ever met". During the Gave Ding expedition, upon their arrival at Nepal, Paul didn't find his bags in the airpot. Worse still, due to India’s blockade of fuel for Nepal, there might not be enough petrol for the bus to get them to Nepalgunj, and that the plane from there might not have enough fuel to fly them into Simikot. Mick's mysterious positiveness worked. Mick stood next to the carousel, grinning and assuring Paul the bags would arrive on the next flight, and that fuel for the minibus would be available on the black market, and that aviation fuel must be stockpiled in Nepalgunj. It turned out that, their baggage really turned up on a flight later and the feul proved to be sufficient. WIth a seemingly bad start, they actually made to the mountains more smoothly. It seems with Mick, every bad luck disappears and good things come automatically.

They used satellite images to plan in advance. However, Gave Ding proved to be more difficult when they were really there. "The choice of line was going to be trickier than expected." From previous satellite images they thought some great ice lines on the left side of the north face were available. But the truth was that they led into large snow basins, which were a bad choice should the wether turned bad. As for the right side of the north face, seracs threatened all the lines to varying degrees. So they had one chioce left. But but smooth granite bands there were no good news. Later it proved to be hard and that they had no Plan B's.

The first day they reached a small col, which provided only one uncomfortable bivy option. Again, Paul was greatful for how long they had been climbing together. "Both of us knows what needs doing, and each gets on with it without much discussion." The discomfort was just accepted.

The second day started with a smooth, snow-covered slab, followed by steep mixed grooves. Difficult as is was, they found pleasure. Mick shouted with pleasure. The second bivy emerged from a snow bank below an overhang. Beautiful sunset accompanied them to the night. Bliss.

The third day, they had to cope with steep, thinly iced walls. Steep groove lines with thin ice turned to crud gradually. They camped in a crevasse and a loud crack shook their tent.

The fourth day, they finally met the sun. At night it snowed heavily. The summit looked close. Paul plowed a trench in some deep snow. Sometime chest-deep. After climing some bulletproof ice (laugh), then a traverse gave the way to the top. "Any first ascent is a privilege, but to climb a virgin summit from a little-known valley via a demanding route, up a steep north face, was a real joy."
They descended the southwest ridge. At a nice spot with a sunny late morning, they even decided to stop for the day. Personally, I like this decision. Here are their words.

"I have noticed that as we get older Mick and I take longer to descend. It’s not that we are moving slowly, but if the weather is nice and the camping good, we seem to find any excuse not to go down. After all, it’s far nicer on the mountain than it is at base camp, and we both understand that it will be at least another year before we could find ourselves in a similar position. As the afternoon wore on, we relaxed with endless brew-making and idle chatter. (Mind you, when a tax inspector and a health and safety consultant are sharing a tent, you can’t expect the most thrilling of conversations.) "

How I dream of going climbing like this.

Summary: First ascent of Gave Ding (6,571 meters) in the Changla Himal of western Nepal, via the north buttress (1,600 meters, ED+). Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden. Won a Piolet d’Or the next year.

Details of the Gave Ding expedition and most of those photos come from the AAJ.