Talk:Bottleneck (K2)

Photo

Photo of K2 Bottleneck: [1] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 213.25.195.202 (talk • contribs)

Incorrect information deleted / adapted.

The original text stated;
Despite all the dangers, the Bottleneck is still technically the easiest and the fastest route to the summit. Most climbers choose to use it to minimize time required to spend above 8,000 meters (the "death zone"). From the standard routes, Abruzzi (SE Ridge), Cesen (SSE Ridge, joins SE Ridge), NE Ridge (traverse across E Face to SE Ridge), N Ridge (traverse across N Face to NE Ridge and again across E Face to SE Ridge) and NW Face (climb up to NW Ridge, traverse across NW Face to N Ridge, and again across the N Face and E Face to SE Ridge) all converge to the Bottleneck.

Well, where do I start?
If you know your classics [i.e. read 100+ titles on K2], you are familiar with the general outline of the hill, and you've been there and seen the lot for yourself, you can easily spot the BS in this piece of text. As far as the converging of the Abruzzi, the Cesen and the American 1978 variation on the NE ridge is concerned there's nothing really incorrect here.
The one who, in his right mind, stated that even the N Ridge route and the NW Face converge onto the Bottleneck, is either pulling a prank on us, or is talking out of the back of his own Bottleneck. I'm not even going to bother listing all relevant sources and literature here, just grab your copy of Kielkowski's K2, and Northern Baltoro Mustagh and check the following routes [or Google relevant keywords];
Kielkowski Route 3; NW Ridge and NW Face, 1982 Polish attempt
Kielkowski Route 4; NW Face, 1990 Japanese ascent
Kielkowski Route 5; N Ridge, 1982 Japanese ascent
These head straight for the summit, without coming anywhere near the Bottleneck.
Qwrk (talk) 01:52, 7 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks for correcting the text. I read the description of the routes, and got confused about all the traverses and their directions when writing the section. Good that someone who knows the issue corrected this.

I used [2] as a basis, and there was stated, that at N ridge, I quess after the first ascent by Japanese, current climbers traverse to NE ridge at 7800m and NE ridge in turn traverses to Abruzzi at 7900, just below the bottleneck??? --Whiskey (talk) 16:11, 7 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

G'day, Whiskey, and many thanks for that link. I will try and ask the team of Explorersweb when they last updated that page, as it's in need for smaller improvements as well.

I see that I should have chosen my words with a bit more of care and understanding. But, it was the second consecutive night up awaiting news from K2, and when tired sometimes words come out in a different way. Later tonight I will try and delve into some of the more detailed books and I hope to update this section with slightly more specifications.

Thanks again, for your contributions as well. Qwrk (talk) 17:26, 7 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There's urgent matters awaiting me but I do have to keep my promise. It won't be too long and detailed though, so apologies in advance for that.

In short; the Kielkowski Route 3; NW Ridge and NW Face was first attempted in 1982 by the Polish [L. Cichy / W. Wroz] to a height of 8230m. It saw its first ascent in 1991 by P. Beghin and C. Profit. From the Savoia Glacier the route leads diagonally through 700m of an icy flank to attain the NW Ridge. From there the route roughly heads up diagonally to the left allong gullies to a rib at 7050m. It proceeds up this rib and slowly turns left, where at an altitude of 7600m it follows the line up the N Ridge [1982, Japanese ascent], or takes a deviation to the right hand side of the crest of the pillar.

Kielkowski Route 4; the NW Face from K2 Glacier, had its first ascent in 1990 by the Japanese [Imamura and Nazuka], even when sections had been tried in 1982 by [other] Japanese, and some Polish. It starts on the spur between the north pillar and the north-western ridge. At a firny culmination marked P.6718, on the north-western ridge, it traverses left via snowy fields, up to the foot of a couloir and thence follows the route via the north pillar [Route 5].

Kielkowski Route 5; N Ridge from K2 Glacier, the 1982 Japanese ascent. Repeated in 1983 by Da Polenza and Rakoncaj [and others]. Child, Mortimer and Swenson in 1990, and other expeditions in 1994 and 1996 [maybe even some after that, I have to look that up... which I did just now. After 1996 there was only one mention of this route; Denis Urubko and Sergei Samoilov, in that October[!] 2007 ascent]. In the lower part, up to some 6600m the route goes through icy slopes of the western flank of the pillar, by-passing its huge lower, partially rocky step. Next the route runs near the crest of the pillar up to an elevation of 7950m. From there it traverses to the left of an icy field, hanging in the summit part of the wall, then it continues along the wall to its left edge. Here it leads straight up to the top of the wall and to the summit.

Hope you can spot and plot these on good imagery of the northern sections. Curran's front cover is a nice one to start off with. It shows Nr. 5 in great detail, and that's one hell of a line to gain this most beautiful of summits.

Qwrk (talk) 20:53, 7 August 2010 (UTC)[reply]