Revers gagnant
First ascent of the south face of Sani Pakkush (6,953 m, Pakistan)
Symon Welfringer & Pierrick Fine
SANI PAKKUSH - KARAKORAM - 2020
Symon Welfringer and Pierrick Fine, members of the Samaya Family, look back on their latest achievement in Pakistan, awarded the Piolets d'Or 2021. This achievement takes on particular significance when we consider the number of people who signed up to leave in the autumn, and the few who actually made it. Indeed, of the three known expeditions of 2020, only two reached the coveted summit: the Sani Pakkush by Symon Welfringer and Pierrick Fine and the K6 by Jeffrey and Priti Wright, which also saw the opening of a new line. These were the only two successful expeditions equipped by Samaya.
Samaya was eager to know more...
How did you manage to go on an expedition this year?
Symon Welfringer (S.W.): In the autumn, I always try to go on an expedition: it's a tradition. This time of the year is dedicated to great climbs in the Himalayas. This season, we wanted to go to Nepal, but the pandemic decided otherwise. We were forced to change our plans with haste two weeks before our departure. The choice was reduced. The only country that opened its doors to us was Pakistan. Once the destination was confirmed, we had to find a new destination in a very short period of time. We were looking for a summit around 7,000 meters to perfect our high altitude experience. With the help of "Fatmap" and "Google Earth", our eyes finally fell on the Sani Pakkush, which is 6,953 meters high. A summit that had only been reached once by a German party in 1991 and whose immense south face was still virgin. This year we were one of only three international expeditions to the Himalayas. In addition to COVID-19, this can also be explained by the fact that autumn weather in the Karakoram is far from being as stable as in Nepal. Especially the cold and the winter may come earlier than expected. Even more so than usual, we embarked on this adventure with a lot of uncertainties!
Pierrick Fine (P.F.) : Basically, Symon and I were in two different French teams, with different ascent objectives of course. Both teams wanted to go to the Himalayas. Nepal finally closed down and forced us to review our plans. We all contacted each other, to try to bounce back, form new parties and try to leave. In the end, some of our companions did not want to take the risk of a possible failure due to random Pakistani weather in autumn. The others were caught up in family obligations. I finally found myself with Symon, our party consisting of the only two who wanted to try a game of "poker"!
Was your choice the right one?
S.W.: When we chose the Batura massif, we were looking for a form of isolation. When we arrived, by chance, the snow and mixed conditions on the south face were rather good. Upstream we had spotted several logical lines, but after observing the "movements" of the mountain, we quickly gave up the option of the central spur. Not totally protected from the serac falls, it would have taken us too much time anyway. So we concentrated on a line that could be done in alpine style, to be climbed in "one push", in order to make the most of the short weather slots that Pakistan offers. We were also looking for a line that would be protected from objective risks (avalanches and ice falls). As soon as possible, we devoted ourselves to acclimatisation. Although effective, it could not be optimal because the accessible summits around our base camp were only 5,400 metres high. During the first favourable weather window, we started up the face.
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P.F. : Before leaving, we had imagined plans A, but also B, C and even D. For me, agility is part of the practice of mountaineering: this adaptation is inherent to the mountain and it is it that imposes the rules. The choice of our line was made according to safety and the thermometer. Indeed, as soon as we arrived at the base camp, it was already cold. Finally, the conditions of the mountain but also the weather were good. This is the second time that Symon "bluffed" me with his weather forecast. The first time, at the "Pic Sans Nom", he had announced with his forecaster's "cap" that at 8 o'clock in the morning the wind would stop. Between 7 and 8 o'clock, we went from storm to flat calm, all with a disconcerting precision. For Pakistan, he had spotted before our departure the passage of a big depression, a kind of monsoon which augured a real window of good weather for the continuation. Here again, it worked!
What is beautiful and a little scary with this type of successful expeditions, is that in addition to wanting to do it all over again, we are now tempted to go higher and increase the incline by a few degrees.
Symon Welfringer
How was the ascent?
S.W.: We left very early on the first day to avoid "stirring up" too much snow on the lower slopes. We soon realized that the snow and ice conditions were excellent. We were in the right place, at the right time and with the right strategy. Our choice of equipment was also optimal, neither too much nor too little, to cope with the seven technical pitches, sometimes vertical, that awaited us. Very quickly, we gave up waking up too early in the morning without sunshine. The temperature variance was extreme, ranging from freezing nights with -30°C on the thermometer to +20°C inside the tent in the middle of the afternoon. Without the sun, we were running in slow motion and lacked all efficiency. So we quickly reconsidered the time we set on the alarm clock. Another problem we had to face were the bivys and their not always optimal locations. In this 2,500-metre face, partly covered in snow, we expected more options. We enjoyed only one comfortable night out of the four. With the cold and the feet in the void, some nights were not very restorative. But even with only one pole, our assault tent fully served its purpose. We had to wait for the last bivy at 6,400 metres to enjoy a little comfort. The next day, after a good night, we chose to leave in light and fast mode towards the summit. Slowed down by the deep snow and the altitude, we had to dig deep within ourselves to balance ourselves on the ridge of our dreams. At the summit, we found what we came for, a mixture of emotion and frosty tears.
P.F.: There were four highlights in my book. The first one, which is rather frightening, is the huge "spindrift" that hit us in the first pitch. As soon as the first rays of sunshine came out, the mountain was shedding weight down the heart of the corridor we were in, fully exposed. This small avalanche tore Symon's backpack and almost stopped the climb. The second was the second bivouac in "survival" mode to which we had to adapt. Symon was sitting on a rock with his feet in the air, with the tent as a makeshift shelter. As for me, I managed in hammock mode, under the stars and supported only by a small bundle of straps, "homemade". This night was very expensive in terms of fatigue and cold. The next day, after barely two hours of climbing, we stopped to rest and warm up. The third is a happy memory. I can still see Symon full of enthusiasm in an incredible length of ice that he climbed to the top on the second day of the climb. His enthusiasm was really infectious. On the fourth and last day the image of those huge walls of snow mushrooms through which we had to climb over the summit ridge will stay in my mind for a long time. This fantastic rollercoaster ride, combined with the breathtaking view of the two valleys that our ridge separated, remains one of the most memorable moments of our journey.
What roles did your two tents, the base camp and assault, play during this expedition?
S.W.: At the base camp, we faced bad weather with large amounts of snow. The Samaya BASECAMP 8K did its job perfectly. Quite honestly, I don't have much to say about this 3-4 person tent, other that it impressed us with its technical qualities and finish. In my opinion, no model and no brand could compete with it. Two of us with a vestibule each; we were more than comfortable. The Samaya ASSAUT2 from the ULTRA range played an important role. This all-Dyneema® tent was our only refuge between base camp and the summit. Together with Pierrick, we were also impressed by this tent with almost zero condensation and a high-quality design. In spite of partial set up with only one pole on some bivouacs, the stress on the anchor points and the abrasion of the rocks on the ground, the tent really stood up well. At less than a kilogram, it's just incredible.
P.F. : In the Samaya BASECAMP, we were always dry. The many accessories and storage spaces sometimes reminded me of a furnished bedroom, even though we had no wardrobe or chest of drawers! In the Samaya ASSAUT2 ULTRA, we used the safety strap almost all the time. Here again, it seems to me that, even at an altitude of 8,000 meters, I will not do without the accessories and the large side pockets.
When do we go back? I'm well motivated to go a little higher, beyond 7,000 meters. But before climbing at these altitudes on technical faces, I'd like to test my abilities on higher but also easier terrain, why not around 8,000 metres.
Pierrick Fine
The birth of a new partnership?
S.W.: I already knew Pierrick before I left. We had the chance to share an expedition in Pakistan two years ago with Antoine Rolle and Aurélien Vaissière. Pierrick has a "big engine" and extraordinary endurance. On the summit ridge, faced with the altitude, he was the one who pushed on into the wind in the fresh snow. Throughout the climb, he knew he could count on my unfailing motivation and my technical climbing skills, whatever the terrain. We work well as a team because we are complementary and share the same vision. I hope that this success is just the beginning of a long series.
P.F.: Symon's first quality is its determination and willpower. Whether climbing or at altitude, he never gives up. His weather analyses are also a real plus in our strategic decisions. With a few words of encouragement, he has the ability to switch from off mode to on mode with great capacity for remobilisation. For my part, I'm going to be more consistent, maybe last longer, but when the battery runs out, the machine stops.
