Asia, Pakistan, Nanga Parbat, Diamir Face

Publication Year: 1988.

Nanga Parbat, Diamir Face. After the successes on Gasherbrum I and II in 1985 and Broad Peak and K2 in 1986, the Quota 8000 climbers turned in the summer of 1987 to the 1962 German route on the Diamir face of Nanga Parbat. We were Italians leader Agostino Da Polenza, Gianni Calcagno, Soro Dorotei, Dr. Giovanna Gaffuri and I, Frenchman Benoît Chamoux, and Austrians Kurt Diemberger (cameraman) and Hildegard Diemberger (sound). We got to Base Camp on June 20. The weather for an entire week was terribly snowy. Even so, we set up Camp I at 6110 meters and Camp II at 6750 meters, from which we hoped to climb to the summit. On June 29, our summit attempt at 7300 meters failed in the Bazhin Basin when deep snow and threatening weather forced us back to Base Camp. On July 3, the weather turned fine and we returned to Camp I and the next day to Camp II. At 2:30 P.M. on July 5, despite deep snow, wind and cold, Dorotei, Calcagno and I stood on the summit after a 12-hour climb. Giovanna Gaffuri had to give up at 7500 meters. That same day Benoît Chamoux left Base Camp and climbed to the summit of Nanga Parbat in 23 hours. We were all back in Base Camp on July 6.

Tullio Vidoni, Club Alpino Italiano