Winter K2 Update: Climbers Retreating, others Proceeding Higher

K2 Climbers 2014. © www.alanarnette.com

This round of almost 30 K2 climbers are split between Camps 1, 2 and 3 all aiming for a summit attempt on Friday but 7 climbers returned to BC leaving 21 still on the push. Winds are staying under 20 mph. Rockfall is taking it’s toll. Winds are forecasted to return around noon on Saturday.


Big Picture

Here’s the K2 summit schedule for the SST team: (all dates and times K2 time)

  • Tuesday, 2 Feb: BC – C1 (winds over 20 mph)
  • Wednesday, 3 Feb: C1 – C3 (winds drop under 20 mph morning)
  • Thursday, 4 Feb: C3 – Begin Summit Push before midnight (winds under 20 mph)
  • Friday, 5 Feb: Summit – C2 (winds under 20 mph)
  • Saturday, 6 Feb: C2 – BC (wind increase over 20 mph by noon)

Snorri and team plan to take 2 days from BC to C3, then the summit and back to C2. So three days up and one back. Again, incredibly aggressive. They plan to summit on Friday. This is the wind forecast from windy.com (red is bad, green is good):

K2 February Forecast. Courtesy of windy.com
K2 February Forecast. Courtesy of windy.com

As this heat map shows, the winds are off K2 proper … for now

K2 winds February 3, 2021. Courtesy of Meteoblue.com
K2 winds February 3, 2021. Courtesy of Meteoblue.com

Who’s There?

We have solid reports of these people on the summit push, with a few* already turning back day one of the push:

No O’s, No Sherpa Support:

  1. Mattia Conte*
  2. Tamara Lunger
  3. Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto

No O’s with Sherpa Support

  1. Magdalena Gorzkowska*
  2. Oswald Rodrigo Pereia*

With O’s

  1. Noel Hanna
  2. Bernhard Lippert
  3. Tomasz Rotar

With Os and Sherpa Support

  1. Colin O’Brady
  2. Jon Kedrowski*
  3. Peter Moerman*
  4. Atanas Georgiev Skatov
  5. Antonios Sykaris
  6. Bernhard Lippert
  7. Tomasz Rota

Iceland/Pakistan Team: (oxygen use unclear)

  1. John Snorri Sigurjonsson
  2. Muhammad Ali Sadpara
  3. Sajid Ali Sadpara
SST Rope Team. Courtesy of Dawa Sherpa
SST Rope Team. Courtesy of Dawa Sherpa

 

Sherpas:

  1. Lhakpa Temba Sherpa
  2. Mingma Temba Sherpa
  3. Pemba Sherpa*
  4. Pechhumbe Sherpa*
  5. Lakpa Dendi Sherpa
  6. Phurbu Kusang Sherpa
  7. Lakpa Nurb Sherpa
  8. Pasang Dukpa Sherpa
  9. Pastemba Sherpa
  10. Temba Bhote Sherpa

 

 


Snorri & Team – At C2, Targeting Friday, February 5th for Summit, Hit by Rock

John Snorri Sigurjonsson with Muhammad Ali Sadpara and Muhammad’s 20-year-old son Sajid Ali at at C3 at 6500m aiming for a Friday summit. John’s home team gave this update:

I just spoke to John Snorri, they have arrived to their camp 2, that is located under House of chimney. They where feeling good and have appetite and positive thoughts to the summit push. Tomorrow on the 4th at 08.00 PKT they will climb up the Black Pyramid to regular camp 3 and rest there over the day.
When John Snorri was on his way up today, a rock dropped on his head luckily his helmet saved him. Another climber from Seven summit wasn’t so lucky, a rock dropped on his shoulder, he is estimating his situation in camp 2. This is one of the dangers in the mountains, rock drooping down on high speed. Some of the climbers from Seven summit have decided to retreat from the summit push.
John Snorri also noticed small frostbite on one of his finger, but he says it will be fine, he has medicine to help him control it. But Ali and his son Sajid are feeling good. There are lot of avalanches on Broad Peak today, they can hear them and see them coming down the valley.

Seven Summits Treks – At C1, 18 or more from SST on the Mountain

Seven Summits Trek’s has sent eight Sherpas up to fix the route, and stock the camps for their members. By my count, there are 15 members (perhaps fewer) and about 20 Sherpas still left. Perhaps nine or more members along with two or more climbing Sherpas are with them in addition to the eight already on the mountain. This puts 19 people from SST on this summit push, leaving six or so members hoping for another window.

Dawa gave this update on climber’s status. 18 are still on the mountain while 7 have retreated to Base Camp for unknown reasons.

Returned to BC:

  1. Jon Kedrowski
  2. Magdalena Gorzkowska
  3. Oswaldrp Rodrigo Pereia
  4. Peter Moerman
  5. Pemba Sherpa
  6. Pechhumbe Sherpa
  7. Mattia
At Lower C2, 6780m (under House’s Chimney)
  1. Atanas Georgiev Skatov
  2. Antonios Sykaris
  3. Josette Valloton
  4. Bernhard Lippert
  5. Lakpa Dendi Sherpa
  6. Phurbu Kusang Sherpa
  7. Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa
  8. Pasang Dukpa Sherpa
  9. Pastemba Sherpa
At High Camp 2 (above House Chimney, under Black Pyramid)
  1. Tomaz Rotar 
  2. Pasang
  3. Noel Hanna
  4. Temba Bhote Sherpa
  5. Colin O’Brady
  6. Lhakpa Temba Sherpa
  7. Mingma Temba Sherpa
At Low Camp 3, 6970
  1. Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto
  2. Tamara Lunger

Manaslu: More Progress, Summit Prep

Simone Moro, Alex Txikon, and Iñaki Alvarez along with the separate team of Tenji Sherpa and Vinayak Jaya Malla are making good progress fixing the route and have begun thinking bout the summit. Alex’s update:

Third rotation at altitude (in 4 days) passed with excellent sensations. We are working on a new very good and super alpine route! We reached 6,650m, surpassing the 6,450m reached yesterday by Simone, Vinayak and Tenzing. Puffaaa I’m dead but sooo happy !!! Now we have to rest at BC. The next few days, if the weather continues like this, could be crucial!!

New Manaslu route. Courtesy of Alex Txikon
New Manaslu route. Courtesy of Alex Txikon

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

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19 thoughts on “Winter K2 Update: Climbers Retreating, others Proceeding Higher

  1. As per Txikon information, the following sherpa are in his team, I believe: Chhepal Sherpa, Kalden Phura Sherpa, Gelum, Namja and Ringi.

  2. On Manaslu it lists Simone, Alex, Inaki and Tenji, Vinayak. But in Alex’s post he mentions Tenzing. Are there more in those groups?

    1. Tenji Sherpa and Vinayak Jaya Malla have abandoned their effort saying they couldn’t climb in the style they wanted (~alpine). Unlcear who is with ALex and Simone other than a photographer,Iñaki Alvarez. Vinayak suggested some of the K2-Ten would join them but they refuted that.

  3. Hi Alan,
    Below is the link of Pasang Norbu Sherpa’s tracker who is currently attempting the fastest winter K2 ascend – 24h from BC.
    Tracker link: https://share.garmin.com/PasangNorbusherpak2
    Chhang Dawa Sherpa – the leader of SST posted this and more info on his facebook account.
    I thought this could be interesting for your readers.

  4. Hi Alan. Thanks for providing all these details, it makes your article a bit more visual on where everyone is at..

    I recall your last response to my question that most didn’t attempt summit with the Nepalese team because of lack of acclimatisation, wouldn’t that be the same even in the 5 day push, let alone Snorri, Ali and Sajids 3 day push?

    Looks like it is tough up there with some returning.. eagerly waiting for your next blog..
    Cheers. Abbas

    1. The Snorri team has already been to ~ C3 so they have been higher than anyone on this effort. They’re good to go but their schedule is aggressive. II think JOhn felt this was the last window for the season. We’ll know in a few weeks if he was right.

      1. JP have been higher, he spend one night in Camp 3 at 7000m, John Snorri with his team only got to 6800m during previous summit attempt and before never slept above Camp 2.

  5. I am a total novice when it comes to mountain climbing/extreme sports of any sort. I am so grateful to have found your website and blog after learning about this winter’s K2 summit attempt on TV. I was intrigued, did some Internet research and found your very comprehensive site. I’ve told others about it. I look forward to each day’s entry and am learning so much. Thank you!

    1. Glad it’s useful Nancy. I do this for Everest also. I’ll start Everest in ealry March. I do all of this to raise money for Alzheimer’s research. It took my mom Ida.

      1. I will check out Everest 2021. Following that and the Iditarod will keep me busy. Glad to donate to your cause to end Alzheimer’s. Very sad to lose close family. I have friends caring for loved ones or being diagnosed.

  6. Jon Kedrowski as in Colorado’s Jon Kedrowski?
    Is anyone on the Cesen Route?
    It’s getting interesting again!
    Gavin

      1. Hi Alan, joining the chorus to say thank you for the updates and for your work to further Alzheimer’s research. In a previous post I think you mentioned that Jon Kedrowski had a notorious reputation. Would you elaborate on what you meant? Thanks!

        1. I don’t know of Jon’s reputation but his climbing partner Colin O’Brady has caused controversy in the adventure world recently. A Google search of Colin O’Brady + Antarctica will soon bring you to the National Geographic article that summarises things. I see Jon has turned back so I hope he is down safely.

  7. Hi Alan,
    I have question: what with Sona Sherpa who summited K2 on 16th Jan?
    Did he returned to Kathmandu? (he not appear on any photos with officials in Pakistan or Nepal)
    And who is the Sherpa, third from left on the group photo of 8 Sherpas before going up? Looks like Sona…
    have you any info about him? it will be very interesting if he will be still in action 🙂

    1. I believe he returned to KTM but Im not 100% sure. Some reports said there were 10 in KTM, others 9 so Sona may have stayed. He did suffer some frostbite so he might not want to go back up.

  8. Hi, Alan. Love to read all your updates and analysis with ref to K2 winter Exped.
    What do u think why all climbers spreaded to 3 camp points mainly lower,upper C2 and lower C3? Is this due to space issue? Why not all climbers at C3 ? Or atleast upper C2? I heard K2 has limited space for camps on available points? You think this is the reason or they r just too tired ?
    Thanks

    1. Could be space, but traditional C2 requires climbing House Chimney, while not terribly difficult (or should’t be for the best climbers up there now) so if on an acclimatization rotation, the effort to reach High C3 is perhaps not worth the energy required, also, lower C2 in more sheltered, but not much. All the camps are limited except for C4, which is not being used this winter.

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