Winter K2 Update: Summit Push Update #1

K2 Climbers 2014. © www.alanarnette.com

Climbers have left Camp 3 for their summit bid, half have already turned back due to the cold and fear of frostbite. The weather window has narrowed, now higher winds moving to K2 early Saturday morning, around dawn, basically 30 hours from the time of this post. They need to get up and down now, or turn back. The wind chill near the summit is -70F/-57C. There are 10 or less still pushing for the summit.

 


Latest Status: 2:45 am K2 Time – Turning Back

Snorri’s team has turned back without the summit. UPDATE: Conflicting information on the Iceland/Pakistan team status.

Multiple Sherpas are reporting frostbite. Not sure of the reason (other than the obvious cold) but in this day with the technology available, frostbite is generally rare assuming the proper gear, but these are incredibly harsh conditions. Nine of the ten who summited on January 16, reported some form of frostbite.

Thus far these climbers have turned back:

  • Colin O’Brady
  • Antonios Sykaris

Conflicting information on the Iceland/Pakistan team

  • John Snorri Sigurjonsson
  • Muhammad Ali Sadpara
  • Sajid Ali Sadpara

Now confirmed that there was a tent shortage at C3. I was afraid this might happen with so many people, some very independent, attempting the summit at the same time. Seems like a problem that could have been avoided with a bit of communication and planning.

Update from Dr. Atanas Skatov‘s home team:

Nasko safely arrived at Camp 3 around 18:30 local time. We hope the window, which is quite short to keep. Forecast tomorrow at 10:00 pm the wind is expected to increase, which is why the summit attack will start tonight probably around 23:00 pm. (20:00 pm) Bulgarian time). Unfortunately, we have found out that there is a problem with camp 3 tents that are insufficient as a number, but so far everything is fine. In case Nasko contacts us, we will try to update the information we have.

Antonios Sykaris provided this update:

Antonis decided not to continue his effort for the top as he is currently experiencing frostbite, possibly grade 3 on his toes, as well as he was informed that the weather is changing and making his effort prohibitive. Specifically he told us: “” I got here with a lot of mental and physical effort. Most sherpas have frostbite and we all try to repair the damage. Unfortunately my sleeping bag is at C2 and I will have to stay at 7440m all night at -38 C. “4 people from the whole team have started but 2 have returned due to the cold.” We will inform you about anything new.

This was the summit push schedule:

  • 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)

This is the latest wind forecast from windy.com (red is bad, green is good):

Weather through this weekend. Courtesy of Windy.com
Weather through this weekend. Courtesy of Windy.com

K2 Abruzzi Route Map
K2 Abruzzi Route Map

It appears these are the remaining climbers attempting to summit as of 2:45 am K2 time:

No O’s (last reported holding at C3)

  1. Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto
  2. Tamara Lunger

With O’s

  1. Noel Hanna
  2. Bernhard Lippert with Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa
  3. Tomasz Rotar
  4. Bernhard Lippert
  5. Josette Valloton with Temba Bhote Sherpa

Sherpas

  1. Lhakpa Temba Sherpa
  2. Mingma Temba Sherpa
  3. Lakpa Dendi Sherpa
  4. Phurbu Kusang Sherpa
  5. Lakpa Nurbu Sherpa
  6. Pasang Dukpa Sherpa
  7. Pastemba Sherpa
  8. Temba Bhote Sherpa

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

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10 thoughts on “Winter K2 Update: Summit Push Update #1

  1. Mountaineer Sajid Sadpara, son of renowned climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara, says that chances of survival of the three missing climbers at K-2 is low.
    He was talking to media-persons after arriving in Skardu from K-2 base camp.
    Sajid was with the three missing climbers till Bottle Neck (8211 m) of K-2. He returned to Camp 3 on 5th February due to the problem with his oxygen regulator.
    Meanwhile, the search and rescue team has failed to locate the renowned Pakistani climber Muhammad Ali Sadpara, John Snorri from Iceland, Juan Pablo Mohr from Chile who were missing since 5th February during the final push to scale K-2.

  2. I always wondered about the logistics of the tents. Do they have assigned tents or do they just grab an open one even if it’s not part of their groups expedition?

    1. It’s generally not acceptable to use another team’s tent without prior permission. They carry them up, dig platforms (a ton of work at altitude) set them up, leave gear inside (sleeping bag, pads, food, stoves, fuel, etc.) and expect them to be there whenever they return. People have been known to leave all sorts of stuff, including s*^t in tent or trash it out so people have become a bit testy about this. All that said, in an environment like K2 with extremely limited space, or C3 on the Lhotse Face on Everest, sharing is not uncommon … with permission.

        1. But this situation is different. Nobody from that climbers was at C3 before. We know that Snorri x 3 and JP with Tamara have own tents but the rest was expecting to use what was set up by previous team that summited on 16th Jan. Unfortunately (but something that they should expected) the tents was damaged or blown out. It was very silly to expect that the Camp 3 will be in good conditions… maybe they was counting on Sherpa that they will bring some tents/gear up but that is other problem if you not work as a team but just count on others to do the hard job :/

  3. It would be great if some more can summit tomorrow and get down intact. This is the last chance for this winter. I bet they all leave BC over the next few days.

  4. I think Tamara also abandoned and not feeling well.
    Meanwhile just got to know Snorri and team continuing with summit push with some ammendment in formal track, update around 3am K2 time.
    Pls check if u can authenticate this news.
    Thanks.

  5. These conditions sound horrendous. I’m watching with great interest and hoping they all make it safely.

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