In 2001, Simon More and Denis tried but postponed their mission for future after summiting Lhotse so as to rescue a young British climber;
The dairy notes from South col is as below (courtesy: Google, their expedition)
Denis Urubko.
Lhotse expedition diary fragments. Year 2001.
21 May, 2001 Me and Simone left camp 2 at 6 a.m. Following him. At the beginning of the fixed lines on the Lhotse ridge he felt himself alright, this is why I began to break away. By 3 p.m. having drunk tea on our way in camp 3 we reached the fourth. There were four Spaniards.
While Simone was coming up I managed to cut clean the space for a tent in the ridge. Pitched it. Sitting in there, I say for the sake of a joke: "Now kind of rescue work will begin". And in 10 minutes we hear the voice: "Help! Help!" Darek (Pole) behind the snowbank falls out from underneath. Somewhere aside there is a young man is sitting alone. And somewhere higher there is Anna Chervinska (Pole). I go up the footsteps, Simone - down Darek's way. The Spaniards didn.t go. Why?
Ascended the at 8100 couloir met Anna with Pasang. They walk like the dead. The only thing Pasang is able to do is to fasten the rope 30 m. to the ice-axe, using it the Pole slides down with the stops at every 5-6 m. Stuffed her with 3 glucosed vitamin C tablets (thanks
to Vinogradskij). Placed her at 50 m., letting her down, she only hangs on my rope and strikes out. The sun goes down, cold, the rope pinches my arm. Curse her up hill and down dale, so that she becomes angry a little and walks faster. And sometimes with the trembling voice: "Anna, dear, here is a good girl, please!"
Well, in general, we did it. At 7:30 p.m. in the darkness we came to camp 4 at 7900. The Spaniards, bustards, video taping and taking photos of us. They could have helped! The Pole was helped with her crampoon! I ask where Simone is . no one knows. Ok, he.s got a walkie-talkie. In case, he will contact the Spaniards. I am quaking with cold. Got into the tent thinking the fingers are good for nothing, but in the fire of burner warmed them. Howling with pain. 15
minutes later put on my boots, clothes and went to look for Simone. Then I notice the Spaniards who made their way to somewhere with the lights. Thank God, I think! Again fell into the tent and 5 minutes later Simone came and panned out too. Then the Spaniards planked Tom to us. We warmed his fingers, rubbed so heartily, that became exhausted. I gave him trental.
Looks like we.ll save his phalanges. There might be something cut off from his legs. Again trental (thanks to Vinogradskij). Pasang, whom I gave the burner to
warm Anna, gave 100 grams of water for Tom.
***On Sunday we already knew that our efforts were not in vain . all were saved, though as a lesson for future . I wish he wouldn.t get off that cheap. Who knows, he might leave longer.***
22 may, 2002 The next day after our rescuing. Simone and me helped others to go down and spent the whole day in camp 4. Ann with Pasang felt themselves alright, and there came two guys after Tom sent by the head of camp 3 expedition. So our conscience is clear. I pity Tom
couldn.t go up the next morning. Well, here again, I will cite from my diary.
.. Tom was put into a single sleeping-bag, we slept as we were.Strange as it may seem, we fell asleep. But as for Tom who was nervous. Several times he vomited. Jumping and rushing around the tent: "Oxygen. oxygen.nothing to breathe.." Hardly able to hold him so that he won.t crash the tent down the ridge. Where can we get it for you at midnight!?
Cold, nestled up to one another. Sleep off and on.
In the morning Simone got out, found some oxygen and from Tom.s abandoned rucksack the mask with reducer. Again I rub Tom.s fingers and he having breathed for 15 minutes says, enough, that.s it. Half a day I have been waiting for øåðïîâ, Ann crawled away on her own, hardly able but still kept walking, Pasang made her spend the whole night with the oxygen. It.s hot in the daytime. Me and Simone ate canned fish with rusks. Fell down to sleep, but because of tiredness and height couldn.t do that properly. At 3 a.m. Pita, Dzhoby and Yuri went up with sherpa. With the oxygen. At 4 a.m. the Spaniards began to gather, set out at 5, Simone at 5:30. I kept myself gathering ropes and hooks. Started off at 6:00. Left Simone behind me immediately forwarding a little ahead of him. Right after 300 meters after the start he turned back. Just asked: "Can you go on alone?" Well, I have been probably ready long ago for such kind of question. Besides the height slowed my mind, so I took it for granted. There was only the rage of stubborn fate, again there won't be traverse.
That's it. Time to go up..
