K2 PRE-ACCLIMATION

ARRIVE ACCLIMATED AND GET CLIMBING

RALF DUJMOVITS

FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITION’S UNIQUE K2 PRE-ACCLIMATION SCHEDULE HAS YOU STANDING AT THE BASE OF THE NORTH RIDGE READY TO CLIMB WEEKS EARLIER THAN A STANDARD ITINERARY DOES.

THIS PRE-ACCLIMATION PROGRAM IS A WAY OF MAKING THE EXPEDITION TIMELINE MORE EFFECTIVE BY HARNESSING ADVANCES IN INFRASTRUCTURE IN TIBET & XINJIANG, FLIGHT SCHEDULING & MODELS FOR LOGISTICS. THIS IS NOT HOW THE HIGH TECH FAST-TRACKED ASCENTS FOUND ELSEWHERE OPERATE*. CLIMBERS LOOKING TO BUY HOME-BASED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY & TRAINING ROUTINES, HELICOPTER TRANSFERS, ULTRA-HIGH FLOW SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN & HIGHLY STAFFED LOGISTICS TO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE REALLITIES OF 8000m CLIMBING WILL NOT FIND THOSE THINGS HERE.

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USING TIME-PROVEN METHODOLOGY THIS PRE-ACCLIMATION STAGE USES A VERSION OF OUR TIBET ACCLIMATION SCHEDULE FOR 12 DAYS, PREFIXED ONTO A DIRECT FLIGHT TO KASHGAR THEN AN EXPEDIATED APPROACH TO K2’S BASECAMP AT 5000m. THIS REDUCES OVERALL TRIP LENGTH BY 20% – FROM 65 TO 52 DAYS – AND REPLACES TRADITIONAL ACCLIMATION FROM THE INTENTIONALLY SLOWED APPROACH OVER THE HIGH PASSES THEN THE SERIES OF SLOW PORTERAGES UP TO BASECAMP BEYOND WHERE THE CAMELS CAN GO.

THIS SCHEDULE ALLOWS FOR GENUINE METABOLIC ADAPTIONS MADE AT REAL ALTITUDE IN A VERY RELAXED & COMFORTABLE PROCESS, COMBINED WITH A TRIP THROUGH THE RARELY SEEN PARTS OF EASTERN TIBETS HIGH ALPINE VILLAGES. FOR MANY THIS TRIP ALONE WILL BE A HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR EXPEDITION TO K2.

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TIBET PHASE

THE TIBET PHASE OF THIS ITINERARY INVOLVES SOMETHING IMPOSSIBLE TO ACHEIVE BY USING ARTIFICIAL METHODS AT HOME – REAL-TIME GAIN & LOSS OF ALTITUDE. WE USE A SCHEDULE WE HAVE USED MANY TIMES BEFORE FOR GAINING ALTITUDE, PUSHING OUR THRESHOLD, THEN DROPPING BACK TO REST & ADAPT. BECAUSE WE ARE HIGHLY MOBILE DURING THIS PHASE WE CAN ADJUST OUR ALTITUDE GAIN IN REAL TIME TO EXTREMELY FINE INCREMENTS, AS WELL AS ADJUST OUR EXPOSURE TIME TO OPTIMIZE ON PERSONAL CONDITION. UNLIKE HOME TENT METHODS, WE SPEND 100% OF OUR TIME ON THE ALTITUDE LADDER WITH A REAL-TIME SCHEDULE FOR REST, ACTIVITY & THRESHOLD MANAGEMENT.

DURING THIS PHASE WE DRIVE BETWEEN ALTITUDE THRESHOLDS IN THE BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES OF EASTERN TIBET, WHERE WE STAY IN COMFORTABLE HOTELS AND HIKE TO OUR HIGH POINTS. WE MOVE AT A VERY SUSTAINABLE PACE TO BOTH ADAPT PROPERLY BUT ALSO TO INTERACT WITH THE PLACES WE VISIT. THIS IS AS MUCH A TOUR TO THE HIGHLANDS OF TIBET AS IT IS AN ACCLIMATION SCHEDULE.

DAILY HIGHPOINTS ARE USUALLY TRIP-OF-A-LIFETIME LOCATIONS WE HIKE TO, LIKE MOUNTAIN PASSES, REMOTE MONASTERIES, SUB-PEAKS OR SHRINES. NIGHTS ARE THEN SPENT GETTING AS MUCH QUALITY DOWNTIME SO OUR BODIES CAN ADAPT DURING SLEEP, STAYING IN HOTELS WITH GOOD FACILITIES & EATING IN PLACES THAT MAKE ‘DOWNTIME’ JUST AS INTERESTING AS THE ACTIVE PERIODS. THE LATER NIGHTS WE STAY IN TENTS – AT ACTUAL HIGH ALTITUDE – SCHEDULED AROUND HIGHER HIKES & RETURNS TO LOWER TOWNS TO TOP OFF THE GREATER ALTITUDE ACCLIMATION PROCESS. BY THE TIME WE ARRIVE ON THE MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB WE WILL ALREADY HAVE SPENT SEVERAL NIGHTS AT HIGH ALTITUDE.

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TRANSITION PHASE

FROM OUR HIGH POINT IN EASTERN TIBET WE RETURN TO CHENGDU THEN FLY TO KASHGAR IN A DIZZYINGLY STREAMLINED TIMELINE ONLY MODERN CHINA COULD ALLOW. KEEPING ANY CURIOSITY OVER THE EXOTIC CITY OF KASHGAR FOR THE RETURN, WE THEN GET ON CHINA’S OTHER EXAMPLE OF MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE – HIGH SPEED FREEWAYS – TO DRIVE TO THE REMOTE TRAILHEAD FOR THE APPROACH TO K2.

NOW BEING ACCLIMATED, WE CAN APPROACH K2 WITHOUT THE NEED FOR SLOWING OVER THE ARGHIL PASS – IN FACT WE CAMP ON IT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RETURN TO ALTITUDE – AND AFTER ARRIVING AT SUGHET JANGAL SPEND ONLY A DAY BEFORE CONTINUING TO BASECAMP AND REGAINING OUR ACCLIMATION THRESHOLD.

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THE ADVANTAGE

AS ADVISED TO US BY OUR FRIEND RALF DUJMOVITZ, THE FACTOR MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO SUCCESS ON THE NORTH RIDGE ISN’T SPENDING MORE TIME ON IT, IT’S ARRIVING ACCLIMATED SO WE CAN MOVE DIRECTLY ON TO THE CLIMBING. THIS MEANS A LEVEL OF ACCLIMATION THAT ADDRESSES THE UNAVOIDABLE CARRIES TO BASECAMP

SINCE INITIATING THE IDEA, DISCUSSIONS HAVE MOVED ON WITH A PRIMARY CONCERN EMERGING OF OUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE NORTHERN KARAKORAM. AS MORE PEOPLE GET INTERESTED IN GOING THERE WE HAVE CHOSEN TO START THE PROCESS OF IMPACT MITIGATION AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE BY SIMPLY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF DAYS SPENT OUT THERE THAT CAN MORE EFFICIENTLY BE SPENT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

OUR MODELLING SAYS COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS K2 CHINESE SIDE EXPEDITION SCHEDULE THIS WORKS OUT EFFECTIVELY THE SAME

• FLIGHTS ARE THE SAME, IF NOT MORE EFFICIENT AS BY FLYING INTO CHENGDU RATHER THAN URUMQI IT’S PROBABLY A MORE COMMON FLIGHT PATH (DEPENDS WHERE YOU’RE COMING FROM OF COURSE)
• ROAD TRANSIT WORKS OUT ALMOST THE SAME, THE TRIP UP ONTO THE TIBETAN PLATEAU IS ABOUT HALF THE DRIVING WE WOULD HAVE DONE ANYWAY FERRYING AROUND KASHGAR AND VEHICLES OUT TO THE TRAILHEAD. WE NOW TRAVEL THIS LEG IN UNDER HALF THE TIME IN MORE EFFICIENT VEHICLES
• WILDERNESS IMPACT, CLIMBERS ON THIS ITINERARY HAVE ABOUT 2 WEEKS LESS OF CONSUMING STOVE FUEL & LIVING IN CAMPS; THIS TRANSLATES PER CLIMBER TO ABOUT 1250g OF FUEL NOT BURNED, 14 SOLID TOILET DEPOSITS NOT MADE, 50 LIQUID TOILET DEPOSITS NOT MADE, 50 DISHES NOT WASHED, 10 AAA BATTERIES NOT DRAINED & 4 LOTS OF WASHING POWDER NOT USED.

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THE COST

THE COST VALUE IN OUR K2 PRE-ACCLIMATION ITINERARY IS EXTRAORDINARY. THE COMBINATION OF THE TOUR OF EASTERN TIBET & THE GENUINE MOUNTAIN ALTITUDE ADAPTION THAT THEN TAKES OFF 15% OF THE K2 TIMELINE, AND IT’S BENEFITS THAT PLAY OUT DURING THE CLIMBING MAKE THIS THE ULTIMATE WAY TO EDGE YOUR PERFORMANCE ON A ROUTE LIKE THE NORTH RIDGE OF K2. SWAPPING OUT THE PREACCLIMATION PROGRAM FOR THE EXTRA TIME IN XINJIANG EQUALS OUT TO COST NOTHING MORE, NOTING IN THIS CASE YOUR TRIP COST NOW INCLUDES THE DOMESTIC FLIGHTS INTO XINJIANG.

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THE TIME LINE

WE GET THAT 8000m TRIPS TAKE A BIG CHUNK OF TIME, AND THAT ONE REASON THE NORTH SIDE OF K2 SEES SO LITTLE TRAFFIC IS IT TAKES LONGER THAN MOST. WE GET THAT IN MOST CASES THE TIME IT TAKES IS THE FIRST PRICE OF ENTRY, BUT WE ALSO REALIZE THAT SHORTENING THINGS BY A LITTLE CHANGES IT FROM A MAYBE TO A ‘HELL YEAH’.

THE HIGH ALTITUDE EXPERIENCE

NO OTHER EXPEDITION HAS TIBET & THE KARAKORAM IN A SINGLE ITINERARY. THIS IS BOTH A TRIP THROUGH A RARELY VISITED PART OF TIBET PACKED WITH UNCLIMBED PEAKS TO 6000m & TO THE HIGHEST ALTITUDE WILDERNESS SURROUNDING K2. IF ‘MOUNTAIN TIME’ IS THE GOAL THEN THIS IS THE WAY TO ACHEIVE IT. IN THE COURSE OF THIS TRIP 95% OF THE PEAKS YOU WILL SEE HAVE NOT BEEN NAMED OR CLIMBED – MOST OF THEM WILL NEVER HAD ANYONE TO THE BASE OF THEM LET ALONG THE SUMMIT.

THE ALPINE ADVANTAGES

USING THIS PRE-ACCLIMATION METHOD LETS YOU GET ONTO K2’S NORTH RIDGE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE PHYSICAL CONDITION WE KNOW HOW. THE PHASE IN TIBET IS ALMOST LAZY, FUNCTIONING UNIQUELY AS BOTH A TRAINING TAPER & AS ACCLIMATION. ALL THE REST TIME ALLOWS THE BODY THE +5000m OF GENUINE ADAPTION YOU WILL ARRIVE AT K2 WITH WHICH IS FAR AHEAD OF THE CONDITION MOST PEOPLE START CLIMBING WITH, TRANSLATING INTO THE BEST ADVANTAGE YOU CAN BRING TO THE OBJECTIVE. IF YOU’VE SPENT A YEAR OR MORE TRAINING FOR THE NORTH RIDGE ROUTE THIS IS THE ULTIMATE WAY TO APPROACH IT.

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COULD AN INDEPENDANT ACCLIMATION PROCESS ELSEWHERE BE SUBSTITUTED THEN JOIN THE SHORTENED SCHEDULE?

THERE’S MULTIPLE ISSUES WITH THIS

• DOES THE EFFICACY OF OTHER PROCESSES MATCH UP? WE HAVE OUR DOUBTS ANY OTHER PROCESS SHORT OF COMING DIRECTLY FROM TIME ON ANOTHER +6000m WILL, AND THERE WILL STILL BE EXPENSES WITH THE ADAPTED LOGISTICS FOR YOUR EQUIPMENT. BUT CONTACT US TO DISCUSS, IF IT WORKS WE WILL DO IT.
• REGARDLESS OF ALTERNATIVE PROCESS, WE NEED TO HAVE YOUR GEAR PRE-ARRANGED. IT’S NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT LEAVING IT UP TO THE MECHANATIONS OF A SEPERATE DELIVERY SERVICE IS ASKING FOR TROUBLE.
• THE SCHEDULES NEED TO SYNCH. OUR ITINERARY IS BASED AROUND REGULAR FLIGHTS FROM CHENGDU WE BOOK IN BULK THROUGH OUR PARTNERS IN CHINA. WE ARRIVE IN KASHGAR TOGETHER AND LEAVE DIRECT FROM THE AIRPORT. ALTERATIONS TO THIS QUICKLY BEGIN TO COMPROMISE THE ACCLIMATION GAINS WE – OR YOU – MAY HAVE MADE.
• IT’S STILL NOT WITHOUT COSTS. THIS WOULDN’T BE A WAY TO MAKE THINGS CHEAPER AS YOU STILL NEED TO ACCLIMATE SOMEWHERE WITHIN A DAYS FLIGHT, GET YOUR GEAR SENT TO GO OUT, BE ON ALL THE SPECIFIC PERMITS & COVER COSTS FOR THE APPROACH LOGISTICS

BUT TRY US. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A PROCESS THAT WILL WORK, LIKE IF YOU’VE JUST COME OFF A HIGH TRIP IN NEPAL AND HAVE THE WINDOW TO WORK WITH, WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO. WE VALUE THE INITIATIVE.

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CAN I DO A FULL BLOWN 6000m ASCENT IN TIBET INSTEAD OF THE ACCLIMATION ITINERARY?

• THIS SOUNDS GREAT BUT THE PROBLEMS HERE ARE THE RECOVERY PERIOD WILL COMPROMISE WITH LOSS OF ACCLIMATION – REMEMBER THE PRIORITY WILL BE K2,

• WE CAN’T SCHEDULE YOUR GEAR TO KASHGAR FOR PRE PACKING FOR THE CARAVAN.

IF RESOLVED, IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE POSSIBLE TO DO A 3 – 4 WEEK ASCENT (PROBABLY USING SOMETHING NEARLY IDENTICAL TO THE ACCLIMATION SCHEDULE PRESENTED HERE) OF A ‘WARM UP PEAK’ THAT WOULD BE EXCELLENT FOR STARTING OFF THE K2 PROCESS. TIME SPENT AT 6000m WOULD EVER FURTHER ENHANCE THE AFFECT IF DONE EFFECTIVELY.

*NOTE THAT THE HOME-BASED SYSTEMS DON’T ACTUALLY PREPARE THE BODY FOR ALTITUDE GAIN BECAUSE THEY DON’T ACTUALLY SIMULATE THE EFFECTS OF ALTITUDE. THESE SYSTEM CLAIM ADAPTIONS BY REDUCING THE OXYGEN CONTENT OF AIR, WHERE ADAPTIONS FROM ACTUAL ALTITUDE RESULT FROM REDUCED AIR PRESSURE. THE MAJORITY OF ADVANTAGES FAST-TRACKED ASCENT PROGRAMS HAVE COME FROM OTHER FACTORS LIKE ULTRA-HIGH FLOW SUPPLEMNTARY OXYGEN & VERY HIGH ASSISTANT-CLIENT RATIOS

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YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN K2 WITHOUT OXYGEN; HOW DIFFICULT IS IT?