Winds over 100 mph are expected at K2 Base Camp on Friday night. Time to batten down the hatches! Another climber leaves the expedition
Big Picture
With a huge wind event in the forecast, the 40 some-odd climbers and support are at Base Camp double checking tent guy lines and making sure everything is tied down. I’ve been in a tent with winds like this and it’s not fun. You put your hands and feet against the tent walls to keep it from imploding, perhaps for hours. In this case, the temps are low creating windchills nearing -60F. A few inches of snow is expected on Friday.
Meanwhile it appears that most of the K2 summits team took a helicopter back to civilization and will hold a massive press conference in Islamabad where, supposedly, they will detail their experience. Pakistani government officials, including the military, are jumping in front of this parade to share the spotlight. Again, I’m very happy for this team and they deserve all the attention they get. Reports have eight of the ten have some form of frostbite. Not surprising in the least.
Snorri – Tagged C3, Back at BC
John Snorri Sigurjonsson with Muhammad Ali Sadpara and his son Sajid Ali have signaled they will stay as long as it takes. He told an Icelandic newspaper:
As long as I have the support of my family, I will continue. I trust myself to be in the mountains and I trust myself to take care of myself. I am now so that when I am in the mountain I feel like I am part of the mountain. I do not feel bad and I do not feel in great danger, even though conditions are very demanding,
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Seven Summits Treks – Members Waiting on Weather, Gavin Leaves
Seven Summits Trek’s has their team at base camp. By my count there are 18 members and about 20 Sherpas still left.
Alex Gavin has decided to leave the expedition. The 38-year-old Romanian was one of the most experienced members with eight summits of 8000ers. He posted:
Humbly listening to the signs and getting the message when it is all around written with capital letters has always kept me safe and on the right path in this life. Therefore, for the moment, my time here is up. I cherished and I am grateful for every second while on the steep slopes of the mighty K2 in winter. Returning now with priceless gifts as personal insights and lessons from Above. What a blessing and a privilege indeed. Heartbroken for Sergi’s passing away. Did everything within our powers and beyond. Happy for the all Nepali team to have reached the summit. Historically and morally they were entitled to it. Beyond any controversy.
Manaslu – Bad Weather at Base Camp
Simone Moro, Alex Txikon, and Iñaki Alvarez are back to Manaslu Base Camp after making a carry to Camp 1. Tenji Sherpa and Vinayak Jaya Malla, both Nepali internationally certified mountain guides (IFMGA) are at Manaslu Base Camp ready to move higher.
Alex Txikon posted:
Terrible weather. Today was one of those days meant to stay in your sleeping bag and don’t go out. I’ve been in the kitchen since I got up at 8, with my feet getting colder … We can’t stop thinking about Sergi and about the sorrow his family will feel. Be strong. While on the other hand we found out today that Nirmal Purja Purja Purja summited K2 without supplemental oxygen, congratulations!
And Tenji noted the high winds coming:
High winds are in the forecast for the days’ ahead so, with motivation still high, we will rest and wait patiently for a safe weather window.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
Resources:
- Share your opinion on the reader polls
- A 30-minute documentary of Alan’s 2014 K2 Summit
- Known GPS Trackers:
- The traditional Camp locations are:
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- Base Camp: 17,500ft/5334m
- Advanced Base Camp: 18,650ft/5650m
- Camp 1: 19,965’/6050m
- Camp 2: 22,110’/6700m
- Camp 3: 23,760’/7200m
- Camp 4: 25,080’/7600m
- Summit: 28,251”/8611
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3 thoughts on “Winter K2 Update: Calm at Base Camp for a Day, Then ….”
Hey Alan-
How come you aren’t mentioning your fellow Americans Colin O’Brady and Jon Kedrowski? I’ve been reading Jon’s blog a bunch- he has some excellent and well thought out posts- he’s such a nice young man there- have you checked them out? Seems strange you wouldn’t mention someone who is from your state of Colorado.
Thanks Paul, I’ve mentioned them when appropriate.
Colin O’Brady and Jon Kedrowski are part of a 50 person team, There team has been covered extensively in Alan’s posts. There has been little reason to mention them individually, as they haven’t done anything separate from the team.
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