Height: 6440 m.
Location: Nepal, Asia
Overview: Introduction By Uli Steck's While Climbing Cholatse-Twache
On what should have been the third ascent of the Ama Dablan’s (6814m) north-east face -1700m vertical metres, Ueli Steck wisely decided to retreat at 5900m as the conditions were dangerous due to heavy snowfalls. Similarly on the Tawoche, as he made an initial attempt on the east face’s rocky ramparts, he realised that only a kamikaze would consider it. He alternatively chose the ice on the left of the wall which was a relatively easy (for him), regular line that took four and half hours to climb overnight on the 24th April. In the morning, following 1500 metres of ice (up and down) varying between 50 and 60 degrees with a few vertical pitches judged as M5, he got back to base camp in time for breakfast …… It was the first time in seven years that someone reached this incredible mountain’s summit.....More on Request.
The 14th April, three o’clock in the morning, Ueli Steck extracts himself from his cosy sleeping bag at base camp and reaches the pile of equipment lying at the foot of the wall. As he gets into the swing of the climb he falls into a state of meditation. A state in which the climb becomes central to his existence: “I’m totally concentrated on the climb and don’t even consider what might follow.” Everyday life, his partner waiting at base camp are all on another planet. As Ueli admits "as soon as I’m on the wall I become a total egoist. But that’s also why I can enjoy myself with my girlfriend following the climb, impossible if I haven’t played out my wilder side hooked on actions.” It’s impossible to describe the fear one has for a loved one who’s climbing solo. It’s perfectly understandable that the girlfriend is as exhausted afterwards – at least psychologically - as the climber himself.
A magic word: psyche
The psyche. The magic word for these achievements: climbing solo at this level would be impossible without the ability to concentrate one’s whole body and mind on the climb and the next step. “I’ve always had good insight”, says Ueli. So he’s never needed to study meditation techniques …. It just comes naturally. “If you can concentrate totally on something then it remains completely focussed. I knew, based on personal experience, that I could climb Cholatse.
