Ouverture de la Voie « Harvest Moon » Dansam Pic Ouest 6600m / 1600m / WI6 / M6
Style Alpin- Juin 2021
Martin Élias – Jérôme Sullivan – Jérémy Stagnetto – Victor Saucède
Petit récit d'une aventure invraisemblable au cœur du Baltistan
Au cours du mois de juin 2021, nous sommes partis - Martin Elias, Jérémy Stagnetto, Jérôme Sullivan et moi-même - dans une histoire complètement rocambolesque. Malgré toutes les barrières érigées contre nous et renforcées par le Covid ; nous avons réussi tant bien que mal à nous envoler pour le Pakistan.
Notre rêve était d'aller visiter une zone peu fréquentée du Pakistan et de gravir la face Nord du Dansam Peak Ouest (K13). Le fond de la vallée du Kondus, proche de la frontière avec l'Inde est une zone militaire très surveillée. Pendant plus de trente ans, ces montagnes ont été interdites d'accès aux alpinistes.
Nous avons eu la chance de pouvoir s’aventurer et grimper l'une d'entre elles.
Après une période d'acclimatation sous un soleil radieux, une perturbation s'installe sur le Karakorum, et nous empêche d'envisager l’ascension de cette grande paroi chargée de rocs et de glaces. Petit à petit, notre moral s’affaiblit et nos espoirs s’amenuisent. La date de retour en France approche et nous commençons à imaginer le pire : devoir rentrer sans même avoir pu mettre un pied dans la montagne.
Malgré la frustration, nous essayons tant bien que mal de se remonter le moral et de profiter de l'instant dans ce pays incroyable.
Martin, un sourire aux lèvres, nous rassure et nous laisse rêver encore un peu :
« C'est bientôt le changement de lune, avec un peu de chance, la météo va s’améliorer » dit-il
Dans l'espoir que ses paroles soient justes, nous décidons de nous lancer à l'aventure.
Après un jour de marche, nous voilà au pied de cette grande muraille à observer la belle ligne de glace depuis nos tentes. Ce grand toboggan nous inspire et nous attire vers le sommet. Dès le lendemain, nous commençons notre ascension.
Les longueurs de neige et de glace s’enchaînent, les journées passent et nous prenons progressivement de la hauteur. Entre deux spindrift (petite coulée de neige), nous pouvons observer la raideur des sections suivantes. La glace se redresse jusqu'à devenir verticale.
Les avant-bras chauffent, les mollets se tétanisent mais le plaisir de grimper sur cette montagne est indescriptible, c’est une joie immense.
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Après une nouvelle nuit perchée sur une arête neigeuse, nous grimpons lentement en direction du sommet. Les difficultés sont moindres mais l’effort est éreintant. Le souffle court, nous respirons fort. Chacun dans nos pensées, nous admirons les tours de granit et les hauts sommets enneigés, et marchons un pas après l'autre en direction de ce petit triangle de granit perché au sommet du Dansam Ouest.
Arrivés au sommet nous sommes un peu sidérés en apercevant du matériel d’escalade sur une montagne que l’on croyait vierge !
Mais ce sentiment furtif est très vite balayé par toutes les émotions de joie qui virevoltent dans nos esprits. La montagne nous a tellement gâtés !
Après une journée de rappel dans la face, nous marchons, exténués mais le cœur chargé de bonheur, en direction de notre camp de base et bientôt de nos foyers.
Merci au peuple Balti, à nos nombreux soutiens et merci à la lune.
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Opening of the “Harvest Moon” Way Dansam Pic Ouest 6600m / 1600m / WI6 / M6
Alpine Style - June 2021
Martin Élias - Jérôme Sullivan - Jérémy Stagnetto - Victor Saucède
A short story of an incredible adventure in the heart of Baltistan
We departed in June of 2021 - Martin Elias, Jérémy Stagnetto, Jérôme Sullivan and myself - Despite all the barriers against us and reinforced by Covid; we somehow managed to fly into Pakistan.
Our dream was to visit a remote area of Pakistan and climb the north face of Dansam Peak West (K13). The bottom of the Kondus valley, close to the border with India, is a heavily guarded military zone. For more than thirty years, these mountains have been closed to climbers.
We were lucky to be able to venture out and climb one of them.
After a period of acclimatization under intense sun, a disturbance settled on the Karakorum, and prevented us from embarking on the climb of this great wall laden with rocks and ice. Gradually our morale started to weak, and our hopes dwindled. The date of return to France was fast approaching and we imagined the worst: having to return without having been able to set foot in the mountains.
Despite the frustration, we tried our best to cheer up and enjoy the moment in this amazing country.
With a smile on his lips, Martin, reassures us and lets us dream a little more,
"It's almost the moon change, hopefully the weather will improve.”
In the hope that his words are right, we decided to begin the approach and our adventure.
After a day of walking, we stood at the foot of this great wall to observe the beautiful line of ice from our tents, inspired by this great slide. The next day, we started our ascent.
The pitches of snow and ice followed one another, and as the days passed and we gradually gained height. Between two spindrift (small snowfall), we saw how stout the of the following sections were. The ice straightened until it became vertical.
Our forearms heated up, calves paralyzed, but the pleasure of climbing this mountain was an immense joy.
1 custom-htmlAfter another night perched on a snowy ridge, we climbed slowly towards the summit. The difficulties were less, but the effort was still grueling. Breaths were shortened and we were breathing hard. Immersed in our own thoughts, we admired the granite towers and the high snow-capped peaks and walked one step after another in the direction of this small triangle of granite perched at the top of Dansam West.
When we reached the top, we were a little shocked to find climbing equipment on a mountain that we thought was unclimbed!
But this furtive feeling was quickly swept away by all the emotions of joy that swirled in our minds. The mountain had spoiled us so much!
After a day of rappelling the face, we walked, exhausted but with full hearts, towards our base camp and soon our homes.
Thank you to the Balti people, to our many supporters and thank you to the moon.
1 custom-htmlOpening of the “Harvest Moon” Way Dansam Pic Ouest 6600m / 1600m / WI6 / M6
Alpine Style - June 2021
Martin Élias - Jérôme Sullivan - Jérémy Stagnetto - Victor Saucède
A short story of an incredible adventure in the heart of Baltistan
We departed in June of 2021 - Martin Elias, Jérémy Stagnetto, Jérôme Sullivan and myself - Despite all the barriers against us and reinforced by Covid; we somehow managed to fly into Pakistan.
Our dream was to visit a remote area of Pakistan and climb the north face of Dansam Peak West (K13). The bottom of the Kondus valley, close to the border with India, is a heavily guarded military zone. For more than thirty years, these mountains have been closed to climbers.
We were lucky to be able to venture out and climb one of them.
After a period of acclimatization under intense sun, a disturbance settled on the Karakorum, and prevented us from embarking on the climb of this great wall laden with rocks and ice. Gradually our morale started to weak, and our hopes dwindled. The date of return to France was fast approaching and we imagined the worst: having to return without having been able to set foot in the mountains.
Despite the frustration, we tried our best to cheer up and enjoy the moment in this amazing country.
With a smile on his lips, Martin, reassures us and lets us dream a little more,
"It's almost the moon change, hopefully the weather will improve.”
In the hope that his words are right, we decided to begin the approach and our adventure.
After a day of walking, we stood at the foot of this great wall to observe the beautiful line of ice from our tents, inspired by this great slide. The next day, we started our ascent.
The pitches of snow and ice followed one another, and as the days passed and we gradually gained height. Between two spindrift (small snowfall), we saw how stout the of the following sections were. The ice straightened until it became vertical.
Our forearms heated up, calves paralyzed, but the pleasure of climbing this mountain was an immense joy.
With a smile on his lips, Martin, reassures us and lets us dream a little more,
"It's almost the moon change, hopefully the weather will improve.”
In the hope that his words are right, we decided to begin the approach and our adventure.
After a day of walking, we stood at the foot of this great wall to observe the beautiful line of ice from our tents, inspired by this great slide. The next day, we started our ascent.
The pitches of snow and ice followed one another, and as the days passed and we gradually gained height. Between two spindrift (small snowfall), we saw how stout the of the following sections were. The ice straightened until it became vertical.
Our forearms heated up, calves paralyzed, but the pleasure of climbing this mountain was an immense joy.
1 custom-htmlAfter another night perched on a snowy ridge, we climbed slowly towards the summit. The difficulties were less, but the effort was still grueling. Breaths were shortened and we were breathing hard. Immersed in our own thoughts, we admired the granite towers and the high snow-capped peaks and walked one step after another in the direction of this small triangle of granite perched at the top of Dansam West.
When we reached the top, we were a little shocked to find climbing equipment on a mountain that we thought was unclimbed!
But this furtive feeling was quickly swept away by all the emotions of joy that swirled in our minds. The mountain had spoiled us so much!
After a day of rappelling the face, we walked, exhausted but with full hearts, towards our base camp and soon our homes.
Thank you to the Balti people, to our many supporters and thank you to the moon.
1 custom-html