Americans, Steve House and Vince Anderson have climbed an historical new line on Nanga Parbat's Rupal Face, to the right of the Messner route. In 2004, House, together with Bruce Miller, reached 7560m before turning round, because they were moving too slowly and House was suffering from Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms. House later tried the line again, solo, before giving up due to mental exhaustion. An account of his climbs in the Charakusa Valley (which included a solo of K7), was published in Alpinist magazine , issue 10. Of the Rupal Face attempt, House said it would have been the most important ascent in the Greater Ranges by an American team since Hornbein and Unsoeld's ascent of the West Ridge of Everest in 1963. Earlier this summer, the Slovenian, Thomas Humar was dramtically rescued from the face by helicopter, after a week trapped in dangerously warm weather. This year, House and Anderson climbed in early September and took 6 days to reach the summit, climbing in a lightweight, alpine style. Due to heavy snow, they steered clear of some of the snow slopes House ascended in 2004 and instead climbed a more difficult and aesthetic mixed line. The style of their ascent contrasts dramtically from some of the recent first ascents in the Himalayas. The multi-day siege tactics and fixed ropes used by the Russians on Jannu's North Face in 2004 (they won the Piolet D'Or for their efforts), were recently described as "gang rape" by the outspoken British Alpinist, Stevie Haston.
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