This is the tale of Horrell’s not-so-nearly ascents of Gasherbrum I and II (2009) in Pakistan, of how one man’s boredom and frustration was conquered by a gutsy combination of exhaustion, cowardice, and sheer mountaineering incompetence. He made not one, not two, but three intrepid assaults, some of which got quite a distance beyond Base Camp, and overcame many perilous circumstances along the way.
But that’s enough about Mark’s attempt; there were some talented climbers on the mountain as well (Veikka Gustafsson and Ueli Steck, among others), and this story is also about them. How did they get on? Heroes, villains, oddballs and madmen – 8,000m peaks attract them all, and drama, intrigue and cock-ups aplenty were inevitable.
Horrell has been on numerous expeditions around the world including Mount Kenya (2002), Kilimanjaro (2002, 2016), Ras Dashen & Bwahit (2004), Stok Kangri (2005), Cerro Bonete (2005), Mount Stanley (2006), Mount Speke and Mount Baker (2006), Lhakpa Ri (2007), Muztag Ata (2007), Yangchan Kangri (2007), Chulu Far East (2008), Iztaccihuatl (2008), Pico de Orizaba (2008), Nevado de Toluca (2008), Mera Peak (2004, 2009), Rucu Pichincha & Ruminahui Central (2009), Gokyo Ri (2009), Island Peak (2009), Gasherbrum I & II (2009), Antisana (2009), Cotopaxi (2010), Cho Oyu (2010), Baruntse (2010), Aconcagua (2006, 2010), Ritacuba Blanco (2011), Manaslu (2011), Denali (2013), Everest (2007, 2012, 2014), Elbrus (2012), Volcan Tajumulco (2013), Ishinca (2014), Jebel Toubkai (2003, 2014), Ouanoukrim (2014), Urus Este (2014), Cholatse (2014), Pumori (2014), Peak Lenin (2015), Iliniza Norte (2015), Pasochoa Norte (2015), Corazon (2015), Cayambe (2016), Chimborazo (2016), Mount Meru (2016), and Yala Peak (2017).
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