Himalaya: strong wind on Gasherbrum I -fr

Himalaya: strong wind on Gasherbrum I -fr

Himalaya: strong wind on Gasherbrum I -fr
On the 18th of July 2018, the trentino alpinist Giampaolo Corona reached the summit of Gasherbrum I (8068 meters) in the Himalayas.
In the below few lines, Giampaolo tells us an episode of how it was up there about a month ago, in a difficult season for high-altitude climbings and in which few alpinist have been successful.
 
17/07/2018 Gasherbrum I, 7000m height.
Luis and I quickly climbed the couloir over C2.
It started to snow and the other few mountaineers decide to get off. They forecast beautiful whether.
Luis calls the Swiss predictor with the satellite, who does not see anything on the screen: “It will be a storm that should not last long".
"How “should”, what does it mean ...?!" "Luis we can not stay here!"
We are optimistic but above all determined. We climb 100m more up to a shoulder where they usually put C3.
The first gust throws me to the ground.
We remain on our knees waiting for the next gusts. They look like concrete walls. "Luis, we have to set up this fucking tent".
I have our only tent in my backpack, a Ferrino Maverick 2 (single canva for 1/2 people). Our only shelter, go down is unthinkable with the wind.
I calculate the times between one gust and another. Useless, they are cyclicals but we are tired. We need a shelter.
On my knees, I pull it out and we hold it down in two. The poles! Woe betide if we lose them. We set up it.
We await the gust and then anchor it to the ground with ice axes and nails and some big stones. We enter one at a time, trying not to let the snow in, uselessly.
I close the zip.
The heart beats hard, the breath gasping for the effort, the altitude and the tension. We are determined. We exchange a few words. The fury of the wind continues and I'm afraid the curtain will break or be torn away from the anchors.
The Maverick 2 resists.
We start to inflate the mattresses, we need to melt some snow to drink but I'm afraid that if we open the zip and the apse a gust will swollen the tent and thrown us into the abyss.
I say a silent prayer.
We are exhausted. We cling to a faint hope.
"Luis, it seems to be calming down". 
I open the zip and see the blue of the sky. 
"The storm has passed!".
We drink and eat something. At 2 o'clock in the morning we leave and at 2 pm of 18/07/2018 we reach the summit of G-I.
Alone on the mountain.
My Maverick 2 curtain, cleaned and dried, rests at home waiting for the next trip.




Text and Pics Giampaolo Corona