K2 2021 Summer Coverage: Karakorum Summits

Karakorum Expeditions Pakistan International joint expedition rope fixing team summit #BroadPeak at 3 PM PST. Superstar fixing team:

Broad Peak Summited members include :

1) Mr.Hongbin Kim

2) Mis. Sofie Lenaerts

3) Mr.Stef Maginelle

4) Mr.Yousuf

5) Mr.Imtiyaz

6) Mr. Mehdi

7) Mr.Hussian (Rope Fixing leader)

Last night the team did the Summit Push! It started at 9:00 p.m. and this morning at 9:00 a.m. local @llcortadellas and @gonzalo_pirineus reached the summit at the GII 🏔, a dream come true. At the same moment, Ignasi and Ferran decided to return to C3, since they were not quite well. The most difficult decision but at the same time the most successful. Albert yesterday returned to CB, as he saw that it was not the time to continue.

The mountain and Himalayanism have this double reality, great projects that can be dreams come true ✨ and at the same time difficult and even unattainable projects.Now the 4 of us rest at C3 and tomorrow we will go down to C1. Thanks for all the support.

K2 – Holding

Pioneer Adventure said their Sherpas have fixed the route to Camp 4, which is also the High Camp where all summit bids from the Abruzzi and Cesen (not climbed this summer) use. They are back at Base Camp to wait out the next weather event. Madison Mountaineering confirmed the weather and said they will begin their summit bid on July 25, a date that has become common over the past several years:

Our sherpa team has finished carrying all of the equipment, oxygen, ropes, tents up to Camp 4 and fixing lines to Camp 4 on K2 and they’re all back in base camp now.  So, we’re resting here in base camp and there is a storm perdicted to develop starting tomorrow.  Big snowfall starting tomorrow over the next few days and then some very high winds up to 100km per hour near the summit.

The West Ridge team of Graham Zimmerman and Ian Welsted are holding at their base camp for the weather to play out. Ian posted:

We got lost in the dark and descended so missed out on this perfect weather window. Good thing we are here for a long time; we will go up again after a few days rest.

With climbers bask at K2 Base Camp, we are getting a few reports on their experience. UK Climber Becks Ferry with guide Jon Gupta is trying to get seven 8000ers in one year. She got Everest and Lhotse earlier this spring. She reflected on her current K2 experience:

First rotation. Thoughts on this mountain ? Well….. indomitable , indefatigable spirit required. This mountain is steep. Very steep. It’s also beyond beautiful in ways I’ve never experienced. There’s a celestial feel which brings a certain tranquility and calm. It feels remote but in a positive way. It’s ineffable I suppose to explain exactly what this mountain is. There’s a certain sonder to the people that pass me by. Now , we wait at base camp watching the weather, whittling time away with books , banter and solitude.

And Ukrainian Irina Galay, who is trying to be the first female from Ukraine to summit both Everest and K2 shared her thoughts:

How is it to be at the foot of your dream? I try very hard to pretend that everything is as usual and that this is not K2 behind me, but just a mountain that I have to climb. Of course, there are a lot of thoughts in your head, you are constantly analyzing all the information received about this dangerous peak and you understand that there is no reason to think, because they only lead to various new fears. We have already held one acclimatization exit, one night at 6100 and two at 6700, we were unlucky with the weather and K2 showed how she can rage. After the descent, I can definitely say that it will be the hardest mountain test in my life. But physically and morally I am ready, I think all the mountains that were before, it was just a workout!