Pakistan 2003 for Simone Moro: the goals of the next expedition and the used materials.

Twelve months after the last visit to Pakistan, and after having made travels to USA (Yosemite Valley); to Antarctic (Vinson Massif 4895 m); to Spain, for one month long climbing tour, and to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Simone Moro leaves again.
In order to avoid the chaos in the valley of Everest, consequence of the 50th Anniversary of the first ascent, Simone has decided to concentrate on a project in Pakistan, in the region of Kashmir and Karakorum. It is going to be an international expedition, with mountaineers coming from Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain, France and USA, among them his friend Denis Urubko (KAZ) and the Spanish Inaki Ochoa (ESP).
Nanga Parbat (8125 m, the last big summit in the west part of the Himalayan range), K2 (8611 m) and Broad Peak (8047 m) – the last two summits are in Karakorum – are the targets of the project “Pakistan 2003”.
Three in one is the phrase that the Kazaks guys have written on the logo of the expedition, that reproduces the flag of their country and synthesizes ideally the ambitious project that the team, led by the mountaineer of Bergamo, is going to achieve. And remaining in the theme of the historical recurrence, we must remind that also Nanga Parbat celebrates this year the half century of the first ascent, accomplished, with an extraordinary solo performance, by Hermann Buhl, on the 3rd July 1953.
2004 instead will be the year of K2. For the occasion it is expected an important migration of the “celebrating people”, who as of today are hanging around in the base camp of Everest. No problems of overcrowding, therefore, for the group of Moro, who will try, in alpine style, the famous “Abruzzi Spur” on K2.
Broad Peak is the third goal of the expedition. Also this one will be climbed in alpine style, with the remaining psychophysical energies that Simone and partners hope to still have available after two months spent on the slopes of Nanga Parbat and K2.
It is difficult to make previsions about the possibility to achieve the ambitious project. There are too many factors that can intervene to modify the regular course of the strategies planned sitting around a table. It remains the strong determination and the enthusiasm of a group composed by very experienced mountaineers, who, all together, have climbed more than seventy times summits higher than 8000 meters. They will try to take advantage of all their experience and achieve the maximum satisfaction.

The boots: special tools and materials.
The quality of the materials used in such a project has a determining role, as it’s easy to imagine. It is especially important the choice of the used footwear, because on it is depending the safety of legs and feet and the consequent survival in extreme usage conditions.
Simone Moro and his equip wear only La Sportiva boots: Olympus Mons for high altitude, Trango Ice Comp for approach in high elevation and setting of high camps, and Colorado Trail for the hikes to base camps and in the leisure time.
The model Olympus Mons, developed in collaboration with the mountaineer of Bergamo, is the most performing and technical model on the market. The remarkable success it has got on the market demonstrates it and also the fact that the best specialists in the world wear it.
The feet are the part of the human body that is further from the heart and, like the hands, are more subject to pathologies caused by low temperature, commonly known as frost-bite. To have a warm boot, lightweight (2900 gr. per pair) and at the same time technically performing while climbing rock and ice, has always been the dream of mountaineers and footwear manufacturers in the last 50 years.
La Sportiva has worked hard to give an answer to these requirements. At last, after long testing on the highest and coldest mountain of the world, the Olympus Mons has been born, La Sportiva proposal for Himalayan technical climbing and for extreme use in cold environment.
Simone Moro and Denis Urubko have been the first to believe in this product and have brought it to the 8850 meters of Everest before, and to the 8516 meters of Lhotse later.
The Italian mountaineer has brought in the expedition also the model Jannu, an insulating, technical and lightweight boot (2350 gr. per pair), with an insulating gaiter. The model, long tested during the winter in the Alps, has performed in such a good way that he wanted to verify the results also in not too extreme high altitude conditions.
The reason for wearing the model Trango Ice Comp is to have a technical mountaineering boot that is extremely lightweight (1250 gr. per pair), sturdy, water repellent and with a very flexible ankle. Designed to satisfy the modern requirements of mixed ice and rock climbing, the Trango Ice Comp is more and more appreciated also for these kinds of usage. The model Comp features a special midsole in carbon fiber, suitable for crampons, that reduces the weight by up to 25%, compared with the model Trango Ice (1550 gr).
The model Colorado Trail is a trail running shoe designed to support the foot in optimal way while mountain running, but also suitable for approach march to base camp. Very lightweight (700 gr.), it has been chosen for the optimum proportion weight-performance-reliability and because it features a special very sticky outsole, very functional also in particular usage conditions.
Oscar Durbiano

The advantages of the chosen models.

Olympus Mons: insulation, breathability, easy to put on, reasonable weight, very comfortable, refined details, technicity and performance.
The extraordinary characteristic of the boot is that it is possible to put it on easily also while sitting on the ground or in very small places, like in a high altitude tent. At the elevation of 8000 meters every effort is very strenuous and each second is precious, to avoid frostbite and consequent complications (amputations, etc).
Also after 48 hours of continuous wearing of the Olympus Mons you can be sure to have still dry socks and no condensation inside the boot. And this is a fact of fundamental importance, because it is exactly condensation one of the main reasons of serious frostbite. Further, the boot holds very well step-in crampons, thanks to the performance of La Sportiva MPE sole. This is a very important aspect, because it improves considerably the safety of use in particular technical conditions and in mixed climbing, that by now represents more and more the new frontier of difficulty in Himalaya. Last but not least, also the weight of the boot sets a record: 2900 gr. per pair. By far the lightest boot in its category.

Jannu: lightweight, reduced external volumes, technicity and performances. It is a lightweight alternative to the Olympus Mons, for not too extreme usage in high altitude. Ideal for setting the advanced camps or for short acclimatization ascents on lower summits. It has reduced external volumes, an important fact for technical use in mixed ice and rock climbing.

 

Trango Ice Comp: technicity, lightweight, insulation and flexibility of the ankle. The performance boot for fast ascents, where lightness is important. Very technical and performing, it gives great satisfaction, because it is projected to the result without compromise. Used by Simone and his friends for record speed ascents from camp to camp, for speed in total safety.


Colorado Trail: multi-purpose, lightweight, durable, reliable with a high friction sole. Trail running shoe ideal for approach and life in base camp. Perfect on the trail, it can be used also for scrambling and exploratory hiking.