Photo subinitted

THE AWESOME size of Gogir Feng — its 8,611-metre peak
makes it the second-highest place in the world — represents
- one of the greatest mountaineering challenges on earth.

_ Telling tales from

summit saga

* BEFORE JIM Haberl left for
the Himalayas last summer, he
had the feeling he would
return a Caanged man,

By A.P. McCredie

News Reporter

The Squamish mountaineer was
» fight. ‘

Haberl and Deep Cove climber
Dan Culver became the first
Canadians to stand atop Qogir Feng
(better known as K2), the world’s
second-highest peak at 8,611
metres.

Two hours later, tragedy struck
“as the duo were descending to the

- high base camp.

As both men free-climbed down

a chute, Culver slid past Haberl and
fell thousands of metres to his
death.

The sole surviving Canadian to
climb K2 without bottled oxygen
will tell his story with slides and
video next Thursday night at
Centennial Theatre in North
Vancouver. .

All proceeds from the presenta-
tion will go to the Youth
Programming in Deep Cove and
The Dan Culver Follow Your
Dream Fund, in memory of the
affable adventurer. The Deep Cove
fund is set up to offer outdoor
recreational programming to the
youth of the area.

Haberl has held presentations in
Vancouver and Whistler, and says
that people come away from the
hour-and-a-half show feeling

. inspired.
“H’s always great to hear a story

about human accomplishment, but 1

think many people are most
inspired by the story leading up to
the summit,” he says of the cama-

raderic and motivation that high- °

lights.every expedition. :
Doing the slide show has also

helped Haber! come to terms with

what happened on what should ¢

have been the most glorious day of
his life.

“In ail my years of climbing, it
was the first time I’ve been around
death,” the professional guide says

of the accident, still shaking his

head about the fall.

“At the base cump 2,000 feet
from the summit, | was really hurt-
ing from altitude sickness. I hadn't
eaten anything in three days.”

Culver and team member Phil
Powers were in better shape than
Haberl, but on the morning of the
planned ascent, he pulled it all
together.

“Pve always considered myself
lucky, and when I got up I felt the
best I had in days,” Haberl said,

Thirteen, ours and 2,000 feet
later, Haberl and Culver stood on
the summit of the second-tallest
mountain in the world.

Haberl's 20 years as an adven-
turer have taken him to the peaks of
Alaska, Patagonia, and. the
Himalayas, along with countless
ranges in North America.

Last month Haberl worked on
his skis 27 days, working as a heli-
guide in the B.C. north.

His summer plans are much like
his plans many. summers before:
some guiding and some climbing.

But, make no mistake — he has
changed. 7

“Pye never liked dealing with
conflict,” the mountaineer says.
“This experience has really taught
me a fot about myself.”

Tickets for Thursday night's
presentation: are available by call-
ing the Centennial Theatre Box
Office af 984-4484. Tickets are also
available at the Sevcove Com-
munity Centre (929-7981). The
Great Outdoors, 20! Lonsdale Ave.
(980-3313), and The Edge
Climbing Centre, 2-1485 Welch St.
(984-9080).

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‘To ensure our water remains safe
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information call 436-6899,
Watch U.TV Sunday, April 10 at
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AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATION

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