Media Stunt – Basecamp TV at Trango

by Jack Geldard – Editor – UKC Earlier this month we received a press release from a Trango expedition in which they informed us, amongst other things, of their basecamp TV. We used the press release to comment on the commercialisation ofclimbing and how it affects the climbing media (see UKC news item).In fact thepress release was a hoaxand the image they supplied was a Photoshop montage of the basecamp tent with a TV super-imposed.They had us fooled. Hours of sitting watching the snow at base-camp gave them plenty of time tocook up that particular spoof, which was topped off with a incredulous yarn about a lone porter carrying more fuel for their generator. Classic. Unfortunately the team were unable to climb any routes due to bad weather, icy ropes and general Karakoram conditions. They are now currently in transit back to the UK. We will be double checking with the team members to confirm whether they have actually been to Trango at all before believing anything else they email to us! For historical info on the route Eternal Flame, and for commentary on the commercialisation of climbing, see this earlier UKC news item.

QuelleUKClimbing