K2 & Broad Peak 2009 Team

 

Field Touring Alpine Broad Peak & K2 2009 Expedition

In 2009 Field Touring Alpine returned for our 2nd trip to the Broad Peak and K2 double-header with a very experienced team led by Chris Szymiec and Fabrizio Zangrilli. We had an amazing adventure that summer on the mountain and while we did not summit our members reached very high on both peaks and returned home with memories and photos for a lifetime.

On this page you can see the following:

• team members
• sponsors

Our Sponsors

The following companies have been gracious enough to help support this expedition:

Team Members

Fabrizio Zangrilli (USA) K2 Expedition Leader, Broad Peak Climber

Fabrizio Zangrilli, 36 years old, lives in Boulder, Colorado and has been climbing for 22 years. His climbing has taken him around the world, attempting and putting up new routes or speed ascents in the Himalaya, Alaska, Patagonia and Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. He has guided and or led expeditions to Everest, K2 (3 times) Makalu, Cho Oyu and the Gasherbrums, Nuptse South Face, Ama Dablam (5 times), Pumori and Cerro Torre. Fabrizio is one of the few climbers to go from K2 base Camp, 5000m, to camp 4, 7900m, and back to base camp in a day (36 Hours). His main belief is speed is safety in the mountains, and really enjoys helping clients reach their goals! Leads WI 6, M8 and 5.11 in the mountains.

 

 

 

Chris Szymiec (Canada) Broad Peak Expedition Leader & K2 Climber

Living full time in the Canadian Rockies Chris’s typical weekends include quick trips up snow and ice climbs and skiing back down to the car! Originally from the Alberta, Canada, Chris has climbed in personal and commercial expeditions throughout the Rockies & the Himalayas. Chris has many alpine climbs to his name including summits of Ama Dablam (2006, 2007 & 2008), Island Peak (2007 & twice in 2008), Aconcagua (2009) and Spantik (2007). Chris has also guided expeditions to Cho Oyu (2007), Gasherbrum 2(2008) & many other peaks in Nepal, India & Kashmir. Chris is currently leading our Gasherbrum II, Broad Peak, Spantik, Island Peak, Ama Dablam, Aconcagua climbs and Everest Base Camp treks as well as working on several new trips including Satopanth and Nanda Devi East.

 

 

 

 

Ben Kane (Australlia) Broad Peak Assistant leader

Ben studied Popular Music at the Queensland Conservatorium and since finishing has taken a more physical approach to his recreation, spending extensive time trekking throughout Australia, South America and New Zealand. Ben completed a mountaineering course in Australia, climbed in New Zealand and is participated in an advanced mountaineering and ice climbing course in August 2007. Since then Ben was a guide-in-training with FTA on Ama Dablam 2007 and guided on Aconcagua in January 2008- safely summiting both peaks and receiving rave reviews from members of the trips. Ben assisted Stu on Cho Oyu in 2008 reaching 7500m and guided his second trip on Aconcagua in January 20009. In the years ahead Ben will be leading new treks to the Annapurna Sanctuary, guiding on Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, Nepal trekking peaks, Aconcagua and more! When not planning his next trip overseas, Ben can be found spending his time surfing, scuba diving, indoor climbing, hiking and playing indoor cricket. Ben is a qualified Wilderness First Responder and working towards his Wilderness-EMT.

 

 

Isaiah Janzen (USA), Broad Peak climber

After trying to climb the two highest mountains in Colorado alone at age 16 he's been hooked on trying to get up taller and steeper mountains. Seven 14ers in Colorado, 13 13ers in Colorado and New Mexico, over 100 nights of backpacking in New Mexico and Colorado, somewhere over 100 pitches of traditional lead climbing, 14 summits over 5000' in winter in New Hampshire, a few pitches of ice climbing led and soloed, more recently aid climbing, running 70-100 miles per week, and the record for the 10,000 meter at his college. Broad Peak will be his first expedition outside of North America.

 

 

 

 

Paul Rowntree (UK) Broad Peak Climber, K2 Climber

47 years old from Sunderland in the UK, a graduate of Sheffield University (electronic eng.) currently working for the Royal Mail as a postman. Interests include cycling , swimming , keeping fit, playing chess and the great outdoors. Over the years been fortunate to have enjoyed several extended trips away, highlights include 3 trips to Nepal taking in Mera and Island peaks (1998), Ama Dablam (2004) and Kangchenjunga (2002) spending a night at camp 6 (7950m). Had a month in the Tien Shan mountains (1999) including an ascent of Khan Tengri. Then Denali (2006) where we got stuck in high camp for 4 days, the weather was awful but the company was good. Closer to home i enjoy trips to Scotland especially for winter mountaineering and climbing, Grade 3/4 stuff on a good day ! On this trip i think my main objective will be to do well on Broad Peak and then see how it goes on K2.

 

 

 

Wim Smets (Belgum), K2 Climber

Wim Smets started climbing his first big peaks in 1998 in Ecuador. He liked it so much that most of his holidays since then have taken place at high altitude. Wim has completed the 7 summits in 2008 and if successful, K2 will be his third 8000 meter peak. Wim is a Belgian and at this moment, he lives in the centre of Antwerp. When he is not climbing, he is a program manager for a large IT company. Because of this job, he has traveled around the world in lived in many interesting places such as Ireland, Spain, the UK and Germany.

 

 

 

 

David Chiew (Australlia), Broad Peak & K2 Climber

31 year old from Sydney, Australia. Previously climbed in New Zealand, Nepal and Tibet. When not mountaineering I also like to rock climb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tunc Findik (Turkey), K2 Climber

Born in 1972 in Turkish capital city Ankara, Tunc Findik is a professional climber, mountain guide and climbing instructor. Having climbed more than 600 summits worldwide, he has opened more than 150 new routes on Turkish mountains, these being first ascents and first winter ascents, as well as many short traditional rock climbs. As a writer he has his own books about climbing in 8000 m. summits such Everest and Broad Peak and some guidebooks to the Turkish mountains, along with mountaineering skills books. He is a member of AKUT, the Turkish Search & Rescue Society and specializes in mountain rescue. Tunc Findik travels worldwide for guiding and climbing and has climbed in the mountains of Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgzistan, Tajikistan, Russian Federation, France, Georgia, Switzerland, Bulgaria, England, İran, Argentina, Tanzania and Kenya. Some of these ascents and his photographs can be seen at his web site, www.tuncfindik.com Tunc has summitted Mt. Everest (2 times, different routes) Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Pumori, Mt. Communism, Baruntse, Ama Dablam, Khan Tengri etc. and climbs rock and ice extensively. He is married and lives in Ankara and İstanbul, Turkey.

 

Fabrice imparato (France), K2 Climber

37 years old from Grenoble in France, Fabrice has visited the Alps extensively first skiing and then climbing. He now lives in London and recently, he has been spending a lot of time in fascinating countries such as Russia and Brazil, as part of his job for Mars&Co consulting. His first trip to the Himalayas took him to the Annapurnas in 2000 and since then he has visited the high mountains regularly, the highlights being Ama Dablam (2004) and Everest (2006) where he met Paul R. and Tunc, also on this expedition. Each trip was an opportunity to make new friends and to have a lot of fun and this climb will be no exception!

 

 

 

 

Matthew Gardiner (UK), K2 & Broad Peak Climber

Started rock and ice climbing in 1990 climbing mostly in Scotland. Have also climbed in Alaska, Russia and the Alps. He was part of the FTA K2 and Broad Peak expedition in 2006. In 1999 moved from Dunfermline in Scotland to work in London. Currently working for HCL-Axon supporting the Transport for London SAP environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ales Ponec (Canada), Broad Peak Climber

I grew up in mountain village Spindleruv Mlyn - Czech Republic, where I skied and climbed mountains since my childhood. Last twenty three years I live in North Vancouver - Canada

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dagmar Wenzlova (Czech Republic), Broad Peak Climber

I was born and grew up in town of Vrchlabi in Czech Republic. I love to ski in winter, ride a bike in summer, and climb mountains year around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry Dawe (Canada), Broad Peak Climber

Last expedition climb was 1986 to Aconcagua then came kids. Rust is setting in and now is the time to to fulfill that abmition. My favourite activity, which is tough to do in Malaysia, is waterfall ice-climbing. After that it is anything that gets me outdoors; caving, scuba diving, white water canoeing, rock climbing and hashing. I round that out with a great family life and a passion for unusual travel and experiencing other cultures.

 

Rauno Hoglin (Canada), K2 Climber

Climbing since 1989 Ron has found a unique call to climb anything high. In Ron's brief climbing career he has summited 100 peaks.Most notably Everest[the first Canadian to summit both the north and south sides 2004/2007] Ron has also summited Lhotse in 2008,he has climbed in South America,Africa,France,Japan and extensively in North America with 7 solo summits on Mt McKinley.Ron a true outdoor enthusiast has also cycled Japan numerous times.. Ron currently makes his home in Hope, British Columbia.

 

 

 

 

 

Sean Wisedale (South Africa), K2 Climber

Sean Wisedale lives on the east coast of South Africa in Durban and was born on the 2nd of April 1966. He is a cameraman and completed the ‘Seven Summits’ as a climber/cameraman. Sean’s climbed the Matterhorn, Mt Kenya’s Batian, Carstensz Pyramid. As a guide Sean has been up Mt Kilimanjaro nine times and Mt Aconcagua twice, Mt Kenya twice. He surfs, paddles surf-ski’s and sails keelboats. He loves expeditions, the people who go on them and has been involved with many mountain missions and sea voyages over the last 14 years.

 

 

 

 

 

Jake Meyer (UK), K2 Climber

Jake started climbing aged only 12, and at 14 set himself the challenge of attempting to climb the 7 Summits, the highest mountain on every continent. On the 4th June 2005, aged only 21, he stood on the summit of Mt Everest, his 7th continental highpoint. At the time he was the youngest Briton to climb Everest and the youngest man in the world to climb the 7 Summits. In 2006, he broke the world record for climbing the highest mountain in every State in the Continental USA. 48 States, over 100,000ft of climbing, 350 miles of trekking and 15,000 miles of driving in 23 days, 19 hours and 31 minutes. He's also climbed in Venezuela, Ecuador, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco and all over the UK and the Alps. As long as the climbing manages to keep him away from getting a 'proper' job - he'll be continuing to find new and exciting adventures to challenge himself on. www.jakemeyer.co.uk

• James Freeman (USA), Broad Peak Climber & Expedition Doctor

• Paul Crowlsey (UK), Broad Peak & K2 Climber

• David Ohlson (USA), K2 climber

• Andrew Wilkinson (UK), K2 climber

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