Asia, Pakistan, Karakoram, Trango Group, Trango Tower, Attempted Second Ascent, Solo

Publication Year: 2005.

Trango Tower, attempted second ascent, solo. The highly experienced big wall climber Alfredo Madinabeitia (Norwegian Route on Great Trango, Amin Brakk, etc) attempted to make the second ascent, solo, of the Swiss-French Route on the West Pillar (Patrick Delale-Michel Fouquet-Michel Piola-Stéphane Schaffter, 1987 after an attempt by some of the party the previous year: 1,100m, 25 pitches, 6c A4). Madinabeitia fixed the initial section on the 13th July but was forced down by bad weather. He set off again capsule style on the 25th and eventually climbed 14 pitches over 17 days, though he was confined to the portaledge on 11 of those days. This more or less brought him to the big snow terrace at around half-height. Realizing he was not going to reach the summit, he started to descend on the 11th August; a lengthy process with 80kg of equipment. To his high point the Spaniard had climbed pitches of 6c and A4, though there is a hint he might have found the A4 a trifle over graded.

Lindsay Griffin, Mountain INFO, CLIMB Magazine