Gasherbrum II/Gasherbrum I 2008 Expedition Dispatches

BACKGROUND

About FTA and GII

This will be our third trip to G2 and led by Chris Szymiec and supported by our experienced high altitude porter staff many of who have previously been with us on G2, Broad Peak and K2.

We welcome you to follow our 2008 team as they make their way though the Karakoram valleys and glaciers to reach base camp and then tackle the pair of 8000m peaks.

 

 

 

CLIMBING TEAM | TREKKING TEAM | SPONSORS | DISPATCHES | GASHERBRUM II 2009 INFORMATION PAGE

SPONSORS

We woud to thank the following comapanies for their generous support for our Gasherbrum 2008 expedition.

Solo Wilderness Medicine	Competitive Edge

 

THE CLIMBING TEAM

Chris Szymiec (Canada), Leader

Living full time in the Canadian Rockies Chris's typical weekends include quick trips up 50-70° snow and ice climbs and checking out the insides of crevasses! Origiinally from the Alberta, Canada, Chris learned much of his skill in the maritimes with ocean waves splashing at his feet while climbing fleeting ice flows. Not much fear here!

Chris has led for FTA on our trips to Spantik, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam and Everest BC trek and is roundly held as one of our most thoughtful and dedicated guides. Chris is a qualified Wilderness First Responder has just completed his EMT certification.

 

For more about Chris and our other guides see our staff page.

 

Jean-René Boidron (France)

Living in Paris, Jean-René, 43, is running and cycling 3 to 4 times a week to keep his heartrate high and be in good shape for Gasherbrum II!

Previously Jean-René has summited such peaks as Cotopaxi (1990), Kilimandjaro (2005) and Lenin Peak (2006) at 7.135m. When time allows, he is visiting the Alps; he has climbed the Mont Blanc (2004), Matterhorn via the lion ridge (2005), crossing of La Meije (2006), crossing of the Aiguilles Dorées (2007). He also trekkked and climbed in Japan (Mount Fuji), Peru (Inca trail), Bolivia, Nepal (Annapurna trail), Iceland (Vatnajökull) and
Indian Kashmir (unknown peak!).

Jean-René just sold the IT company he had created 10 years ago. Before he starts a new company again, it is the right time for him to make a 8.000er attempt. He is married and has two 14 and 11 year-old sons.

He looks forward to meeting everybody on June 10 in Islamabad.

 

 

François Neukirch (France)

Living in Paris, François, 44, looks forward to attempting his first 8,000er.

François is keen on the Alps, doing high-altitude ski touring, ski running, mountaineering and rock climbing. He has been climbing for the last 20 years several summits such as crossing of Les Ecrins (2003), Mont Blanc (2004), Matterhorn via the lion ridge (2005), crossing of La Meije (2006), crossing of the Aiguilles Dorées (2007). He also climbed Kilimandjaro (2005), rock climbed in southern Algeria, and did ski touring in Norway and Mongolia.
After having sold his IT company two years ago, François is now running a CRM services company. He is married and has a 15 year-old daughter and a 12-year old son.

He looks forward to meeting everybody on June 10 in Islamabad.

 

Mark Kosmider (Australia)

Mark Kosmider is 40 year old father of 10 month old Tom. Originally born in Jersey (Channel Islands), he now resides in Perth Western Australia. He has been putting off climbs for the past 5-years for various reasons, but is looking forward to being in the hills again as part of this team.

Mark is a director of his own Risk management company www.bushellbuckley.com.au and enjoys a challenge.

 

 

 

Andy Clark (UK)

Andy is a geologist working in the Norwegian oil fields. His quest to escape being contacted by 'the office' has lead him to many of the remote, high altitude areas of Argentina, Chile and Peru. He has also trekked and climbed in Nepal, Ladakh and the Altai region of Mongolia. In 2007 he even resorted to cruising the Southern Ocean and Antarctic peninsula in a 56ft yacht.

 

 

 

Fred Treur (Netherlands)

Being from the Netherlands Fred been climbing in the Alps since 2001. He has climbed several 4000-ers in the Alps such as Finsteraarhorn, Zumsteinspitze, Mont Blanc du Tacul, Monch, Polux, Castor, Nadelhorn etc.

He has high altitude experience on trekkings in the Himalaya up to 5500 meter. He has also trekked to Annapurna, Lantang Helambu, Everest Kala Patar and Gokyo Ri in Nepal and Everest Base Camp in Tibet. He climbed Kilimanajaro (5900 m.) and El Misti (5800 m.) in Peru and did the Incal Trail.

 

 

Surech Kuppusamy (Malaysia)

Surech joins our expedition as an FTA alum from Ama Dablam 2006 and Cho Oyu 2007 and has been trekking and climbing in the himalayas for 7 years.
He has visited the Indian Himalayas to formally train on all aspects of mountainering including high altitude search and rescue. Each of their training lasts 1 month on average and are conducted in Indian Himalaya. Surech is involved actively in long distance and mountain running and climbs to 6B/6B+ (french) difficulty on rock.

 

 

Nacho Lucero (Argentina), BC services

Expeditions

 

 

 

TREKKING TEAM

Clare Gillespie (UK)

Clare's many travels have taken her from Iceland to the high Andes, down through the wilds of Patagonia to Ushuaia and across the Southern Ocean to the Antarctic Peninsula. In Asia she has summited Mera and Stok Kangri and explored the Altai mountains of Mongolia. She has always wanted to drive the Karakorum Highway and hopes she will get the chance now.

DISPATCHES

 

The dispatches will begin live at the end of May. Stay Tuned!