Great Trango new route by Kopold and Cmarik

In mid-August Dodo Kopold and Gabo Cmarik from Slovakia made the first ascent of "Assalam Alaikum" UIAA VIII A2, ABO on Great Trango, Pakistan.

PlanetMountain.com

September 2005

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Not much information for the moment, but what we've got seems plenty: in mid-August Dodo Kopold (25) and Gabo Cmarik (23) from Slovakia made a mammoth 90 pitch first ascent on Great Trango (6286m), Pakistan, climbing a line up the south face, to the right of the Azeem Ridge. The duo ended their line at approximately 6150m along the summit ridge.

The young Slovaks started up on 4 August and climbed in alpine style, without sleeping bags or mattresses, with food for only four days and just 10 bolts for the abseils. During their 7 day ordeal they encountered bad weather conditions (rain, snow and sub-zero nighttime temperatures) before commencing their 16 hour descent via the west face of Great Trango, as the normal route was dangerously laden with snow. Despite precautions they were swept down by an avalanche for 150m, but luckily survived unharmed. Kopold and Cmarik have graded their +3000m line 8 A2, ABO and called it "Assalam Alaikum".

This is not Dodo Kopold and Gabo Cmarik's first expedition to the greater ranges: in 2004 they were part of a successful Slovakian 2004 to Shipton Spire, where Kopold repeated "The Khanadan Buttress" (VI 5.11 C1, 1300m, McMahon-Wharton, 2002). In 2003 Kopold and teammate Stefansky made the first ascent of "Last Minute Journey" (ED: 90Âº, 900m, Kopold- Stefansky, 2003) on Mount Mahindra, Miyar Valley. Kopold's statement on that occasion is far-reaching: "To make an alpine-style ascent in the Himalaya is a dream for young climbers. We were lucky to fulfill our dreams."