Amin Brakk Expedition: Well the Russians, God bless ’em, are at it again. It’s not enough that two Russian climbing teams just pulled off two of the hairiest climbs ever (Jannu North Face and Everest North Central Face). Now a team of four climbers, a video cameraman, a photographer, and a doctor (the Russians always need to have a good doctor with them) are on their way to the Karakorum. They constitute the “Russian Extreme Team” (“Extreme” after “Russian is a bit redundant, I think), and their plan is to pioneer a new route on the 5850 meter Amin Brakk tower. Amin Brakk features a 1200 meter granite face, and is considered to be the most technically difficult rock tower on the planet (more difficult than the better known Trango Tower near K2). Amin Brakk (which means “Great Tower”) was first attempted in 1996. But the bastard wasn’t climbed until 1999, by a Spanish team which took 34 days to get to the top and had to haul up its own water because the sheer face doesn’t hold any snow to melt. The Russians will attempt a new route up the West face, but they’ve added a twist. There’s always a twist, and that’s why you have to love the Russians. When (if) they get to the top, climber Valery Rozov will descend the fast way. In other words, he plans to jump off. Yes, jump. Okay, he will have a parachute (they are Russians–insane but not suicidal). But it will be one of the most absurd, extreme BASE jumps ever attempted, and a potential Wetass Video of The Decade. Stay tuned…



Amin Brakk, the Great Tower: “Holy sh*t! Rozov plans to do WHAT?!