Video about climbing Island Peak

Diary of the assault on Island peak in April 2018.

Before the ascent, we actively acclimatized - we walked through the Himalayas for 10 days, reached the Everest base camp and mentally drank tea at an altitude of 5600 meters. After that, we descended to Dingboche, where we said goodbye to the more sensible participants in the hike (they continued their descent) and began to prepare for Island (height 6189 m).

90% of the preparation consisted of fitting and fitting rental equipment - high-altitude boots, crampons, ice axes, helmets, gazebos and all sorts of hardware. For example, we used about 6 kg of junk per brother. Fortunately, we had Sherpa porters with us who helped us carry all this equipment (as well as tents) to the Island Peak base camp.

At base camp we did a short training session on a steep moraine slope. We tried climbing the railings with a jumar, and also rappelling down. We ate a hearty meal and went to bed just after sunset. The alarm clock was set for 23:30...

After having breakfast at midnight, we packed ourselves into powder coats (it was -10 outside) and set out to storm the summit. For the first 5 hours we walked along crumbly rocks, and by dawn we reached ice and snow. At the so-called Crampon point we changed into plastic boots, put on crampons and harnesses. We left our trekking poles and shoes at the “point”.

We walked along the glacier in a team and crossed cracks several times. One of them was very wide (probably 8 meters) and we crossed it along a flimsy aluminum ladder. This is such an attraction and everyone of course enjoyed it :)

The sun caught us on a snowy plateau and we had to urgently put on dark glasses and re-smear ourselves with protective cream. Soon it got warmer and we had to take off some of our jackets.

Around 8 a.m. the long climb up the railings began. We walked more than 200 meters and spent almost an hour and a half doing it.

We stepped onto the top of Island Peak at 9:53, solemnly stood there for almost an hour and moved down. At noon the mountains were covered with clouds, and a little later it started snowing.

At about 15:30 it was not us who arrived at the base camp, but our transparent shadows. Fatigue was overwhelming and we decided not to go anywhere, but to stay one more night in tents. Next was the descent to Chukung and the long-awaited meeting with a hot shower.

To show off my clothes, I took a short review of the clothes and equipment used during the climb. But as you probably understand, you don’t have to watch it :)

Kirill Yasko, September 2019.