Solo ascents give a specific sense of real freedom & responsibility: Denis Urubko after opening a new route on Gasherbrum II

Denis Urubko, the alpinist, who has set his foot on all fourteen 8000ers without supplemental oxygen, opened yet another new route to the summit of Gasherbrum II (8035m). On 1st August, 2019 at 8:40pm, he reached the summit within 24 hours (From Camp-1 to Camp-1). This is his 5th new route on any 8000er after Broad Peak, Lhotse, Manaslu and Cho Oyu. In 2001, he speed-climbed Gasherbrum II by the normal route and also made the first Winter ascent in 2011. This Winter ascent was the first on any 8000er in Karakoram range.

This year remarkably, on 18th July, he again summited Gasherbrum II by the normal route for acclimatization purposes only. So, having ascended the 4th highest peak of Karakoram range atop Baltoro Glacier, he becomes the first and only individual to have climbed Gasherbrum II twice within two weeks - both without supplemental oxygen. The recipient of Legion of Honour - the highest French order of merit and Piolet d'Or - prestigious French mountaineering award, Urubko was actively involved in many rescue missions in Gilgit-Baltistan region.

Urubko, who had originally planned to climb with María 'Pipi' Cardell, later went solo by the new route which he has named "Honeymoon". He started his summit push from Camp-1 on 31st July at 7pm.

In an exclusive interview with Dream Wanderlust, Urubko talks about the freedom of individual decision making being the very kernel of solo alpinism, and his forthcoming plans.

"Important thing is that solo ascents give a specific sense of real freedom and responsibility. As it is a race on the blade by [on] naked feet, the satisfaction is on the same level, but in a different taste - because of other goals," Urubko stated during the interview. The rest of the interview follows:

The "Honeymoon" route in Green line, Normal route in Red line

Interview with Denis Urubko

DW: Having done all 8000m peaks earlier, how important is this 'new route' to you?

Denis: "All 8000m peaks" in usual mode is just a geographical and cultural program. Sportive ambitions are impossible to be realized by the classical routes in the normal style. Generally, mountaineers explored peaks starting from the easiest ways - means that anything next becomes more complicated and riskier. I had been dreaming to open new routes in alpine style on 8000m peaks during my entire career and was awarded around the world because of such strong challenges.

DW: Do you find solo ascents are more satisfying because they are more challenging?

Denis: No. It is not more challenging. Because, I am able to do it faster, choosing my own style, to avoid coordination with partners. Important thing is that solo ascents give a specific sense of real freedom and responsibility. As it is a race on the blade by [on] naked feet, the satisfaction is on the same level, but in a different taste - because of other goals.

Finally, I chose to climb Gasherbrum II by new route with María 'Pipi' Cardell. It could have been the first female record on Gasherbrum II as well. But this time, it is only my personal achievement.

DW: With Gasherbrum II, you have put up new routes on five 8000ers so far. Do you have plans for new routes on the rest of the 8000m as well?

Denis: First of all, these projects take a lot of time for preparation and execution. In my case, 15 years - 5 routes, 3 years for every strong step. But a lot depends on luck, weather, and partners. Personally, I believe that life is too short for this kind of extreme goals. I have interest in many other options of alpinism - to develop rock-climbing, to create help for youth, to write articles and make movies...

Therefore, No! I have no place for all 8000m peaks by new routes and I will try to use this time for many other pleasant actions.

On the summit of Gasherbrum II on 18th July, 2019 by normal route

Summary of New Route - Gasherbrum II

Having started from Camp-1 on 31th July at 7pm, he crossed the first crevasse (6050m) and climbed non-stop to reach the edge of a frozen plateau (7100m) at dawn. From this rocky stretch, Camp-3 of the normal route is clearly visible. Climbing through a serac, he reached 7500m and rested for approximately five hours. By afternoon he had traversed onto the Western Face of summit pyramid and reached the top at 8:40pm. Having climbed through the night he was next spotted near the summit pyramid on his way down. Having scaled the peak without any satellite tracking-cum-communication device, sleeping bag, camping gears, and water, he managed to do the Honeymoon route within 24 hours from Camp-1 (roughly at 5900m), whereas, in 2001, he reached the summit in a record-setting time of 7 hours 30 minutes without supplemental oxygen by the normal route. Reportedly, he climbed with minimal equipment, without having set up a single camp above 5900m. He carried two ice axes and screws, snaps, 20m of a 4mm rope, two carabiners, a sinker, a ski pole and googles, a headtorch, energy bars and gels, and a backpack to carry all of them. Later on, he descended through the normal route as he did during the last three times. Nonetheless, this time it took him 18 hours, (much longer than the first time in 2001, 4 hours from summit to Camp-1) to downclimb to Camp-1 due bad visibility and adverse weather.

Denis Urubko on the plateau at 7500m during the new route ascent

On the summit of Gasherbrum II on 1st August, 2019 by new route

Rescue Missions in the Karakoram, Summer 2019

In addition to many successful ascents on various peaks of the Gasherbrum massif, he has proactively taken part in rescue missions. He helped to rescue the Italian climber Dr. Francesco Cassardo, who was injured after a fall on Gasherbrum VII, while climbing with another Italian Cala Cimenti. After having rescued Cassardo, he led two other rescue mission; of a Lithuanian Saulius Damulevičius who was suffering from HAPE and of a local porter-cum-climber who was wounded on the glacier. Urubko, a 46-year-old Kazakh, who now holds citizenship of Russia and Poland, carried out these three challenging operations in three days while waiting for stable weather conditon before establishing a new route on 1st August in an incommunicado mode. In 2018, he was involved in another valiant operation on Nanga Pabat to rescue French climber Elisabeth Revol.

Photo Courtesy: Denis Urubko | Sincere Acknowledgement: María Cardell