Month: February 2021

Upfront, there is no 100% confirmed news about: John Snorri, Ali Sadpara, and Juan Pablo (JP) Mohr Prieto. JP was climbing without supplemental oxygen. There is no conformation if they summited, their current status or plans. I’ll update when I have 100% confident news.

They left Camp 3 for their summit push almost 30 hours earlier. They were last seen over 15 hours ago. It’s 3 am Saturday morning, February 6, 2021. The first rays of dawn will hit the shoulder in about three hours. Note that none of the GPS trackers seem to be working anymore. I assume their batteries have run out, perhaps also for their headlamps and even radios. Computer generated weather forecast have the summit temps at -42F/-41C with a wind chill at -80F/-62C.

And it’s over, but we still don’t know the ending. There is still no news from three climbers assumed to be descending at this point, almost 10 pm Friday night K2 time: John Snorri, Ali Sadpara, and Juan Pablo Mohr. They left Camp 3 almost 24 hours earlier. Sadly, another death on K2, this makes two now.

Looks like none of the Seven Summits Treks members made the K2 summit. Snorri and team remain the only viable team for K2’s winter summit, but it’s very unclear as to their status. Winds moving in 24 hours from now.

The “Fog of Climbing” Sometimes getting precise information is difficult. John Snorri’s wife now tells me John is nearing the summit and is at 8100-meters, only 500-meters from the summit. However, she is going off the data from the tracker. His GPS track is crisscrossing above Camp 3. This happens occasionally with these trackers. We do know for sure several climbers have turned back and other seem to be not moving from Camp 3. The “fog” should clear in a few hours

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.

The few climbers who have made it high on K2 have started their summit push, late Thursday night K2 time. Another medical evacuation from K2 Base Camp, this makes three this season. Climbers are nearing the summit as the winds return on Saturday. 20+ people still on the summit push, more than a usual summer season – the power of commercialization.

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.

This round of 22+ K2 climbers have some at Camp 1, around 20,000-feet, others leaving Wednesday morning, all aiming for a summit attempt on Friday. Long range forecast suggest another window late next week but too early to call.

K2 Sherpas and climbers have left for their summit bid. There is a window emerging centered on February 4 and 5 ending late Saturday.  I’m anticipating 20 to 30 people on this push (members and Sherpas/Pakistanis) with a 40% summit rate if the weather holds.

K2 Sherpas and climbers have left for their summit bid. There is a window emerging centered on February Feb 4 and 5 ending this weekend. This may be the time to go.