Mountain diary

28th September (1997)
     They climb up to Kagbeni. Álex goes to Kathmandu to take steps to acquire the permit for the Annapurna. Julián goes with him to go back home.

30th September
     They move up to Muktinath, where a crowd of Hinduist pilgrims go to, and they retrace their steps to Marpha.

1st-2nd October
     Rest in Marpha.

3rd October
     Jesús and Toni trek down to Lete (2300m), last village to start out the Annapurna's approach. They greet Pablo and Susana, from Madrid, whom they find there.

4th October
     While looking for porters to climb up to basecamp on Annapurna, Jesús and Toni move up nearby to Thuto Bugin (4200m) and return to Lete.

5th October
     Together with 15 porters and Lakpa, the cook, Jesús and Toni start the approach. It rains in the afternoon.

6th October
     Four porters take delay and they must wait half a day for them. Bad weather continues all the afternoon, so they must spend the night in the pass of Thulo Bugin (4200m).

7th October
     They walk on snow all the day through. The porters strength surprises them. They spend the night at the Nilgiris' basecamp.

8th October
     Down the steep slopes leading to the river Miristhi Khola (3200m), a porter slides and falls down losing the kerosene tank we had for cooking.

9th October
     They arrive at Annapurna's basecamp (4300m). There wasn't any other expedition there.

10th October
     They spend the day pitching down the basecamp.

11th October
     Jesús and Toni climb up to Camp I (5200m) and sleep there.

12th October
     With great effort, caving in to the waist in many stretches, they arrive at Camp II (6200m).

13th October
     So much snow and the avalanches on the route, make them decide to wait some days. They return to basecamp, where is Álex, back from Kathmandu.

14th October
     Rest day.

15th October
     Álex, Jesús and Toni climb up directly to Camp II.

16th October
     Toni and Jesús leave early in the morning to continue the ascent. Álex stays in the tent. When beginning the seracs wall, a huge avalanche takes them by surprise, and it compels them to call the summit attempt off. The wall is under very bad conditions.

17th October
     They return to basecamp with all the equipment. They were right: some days later the aerodrome in Jomsom was closed because of heavy snowfalls. Thus, expeditions on Mt Dhaulagiri were stuck for long time, without being able to come back to Marpha.