Veikka’s target is to finish his 8K project this July and become 9th person in the world to climb all mountains over 8000m (without the aid of bottled oxygene). (Photo and the story, “Veikka Gustafsson’s last conquest awaits”, Helsingin Sanomat)

Veikka Gustafsson is going for the last of his eight-thousander in July, 2009 (Helsingin Sanomat) with recent Piolets d’Or winner Japanese Kazuya Hiraide. Gasherbrum I in Pakistan would be Veikka Gustafsson’s last of the big ones, he has reached 13 of the 14 over 8 000 metre mountains, – and  all of them without the use of bottled extra oxygene.

If Veikka will ascent the last one, at the moment he does not believe that he would ever return to the  big, over 8000m mountains again. “The risks are undeniable and they should not be under estimated. But I am very excited to get back to Himalayas again” (16.5.2009, HS).

Veikka’s climbing partner Japanese Kazuya Hiraide is highly skilled technical climber on ice and in steep mountain routes. Kazuya Hiraide and Kei Taniguchi have completed the first ascent of the 6,000-foot southeast face of Kamet (7,756m/25,446′) in northern India.

Kazuya Hiraide will fly to Pakistan on June 16th (k2climb.net). So the G1 climb might start more in the end of July, around the same time as last year. The speed of the climb and the final push depends on the acclimatation. Is it done some where else before Pakistan? That would speed things up.

Photo: Courtesy of Vekka Gustafsson