Interwiew with Christopher Lafaille ( 36 ) - he successfully climbed K2

When did you decide to climb K2?

Five years ago, when I was climbing Gasherbumms here in Karacorum. That mountain charmed me even from a distance. I could not get here immediately, because I work a lot as a mountain guide. I am also a teacher in the national climbing school in Chaminix.

How many eight thousanders have you climbed so far?

This one was mine seventh one...

What was going on during the final attack?

I did not sleep at all. Our last tent was at 7900 m and we arrived there quite tired. Four of us arrived to the camp, but only two went to the summit. We departed for the summit at 5 am, very late. The Koreans, whose tent was about 40 m from ours left for the summit already at 1 am. I was ascending fine. I didn’t have elevation problems and I felt strong. Sometimes we were going in such a deep snow, that I more often felt like I was swimming, rather than walking. At 7 o’clock we reached a bottleneck- a very dangerous part, which is a sheer ice lobby. I felt such danger, that I climbed as fast as I could. Ice was falling there a lot. Phew! I was standing on the summit at 14:30.

Who was treading the track?

I was alternating the most with the Sherpas. sometimes it took us an hour to go 50 m.

Was the bottleneck the only dangerous place?

We passed under a huge overhang of snow and ice that was dangerously leaning. This one will fall sometime soon. I know it from the pictures from past years, but it is definitely going to fall soon. Very intimidating.

Your feelings at the summit?

Nothing. The wind was so strong there, that I stayed about 15 minutes. We were not even hungry. There were a lot of clouds around 7000 m. I did not let anything distract me too much though. I knew that the descent would be very dangerous and so I wanted to stay concentrated.

Did you see the fall of the Korean climber?

No they were going after us, but today when we were descending from our C4 we passed his body.

Your feelings?

You can feel the soul there...

What are your next plans?

I will eat, be with my wife and I will sit in the garden. Then will follow the sun and the rocks. No ice or stones.

How would you classify your seventh eight thoudsander?

This was the most difficult one. There were a lot of opportunities to make mistakes.

Jean Christophe Lafaille
1993 - Cho-Oyu
1994 - Shishapangma (North Face)
1996 - Gasherbrum 1 + Gasherbrum 2
1997 - Lhotse
2000 - Manaslu(New Route)
2001 - K2
Of the seven 8000ers he has made three new routes and climbed four peaks solo.