K2 2021 Summer Coverage: Teams Climbing!

June 28, 2021July 14, 2021Climbing News, K2, K2 2021 Coverage

K2 2021 Summer Coverage: Teams Climbing!

Teams have arrived at K2 Base Camp and climbing has already begun with the fixed ropes to C1 on K2’s Abruzzi route and climbers at C1 on GI and reached C2 on Broad Peak.

Manzoor Ahmad of Adventure Tours Pakistan who has a team on K2 and BP this season tells me of the exact numbers of permits issued in the Karakorum this summer with 75 support climbers for 128 foreigners. Note that many of the BP climbers are also on K2 so there are duplicates thus the total is less than 203, probably around 185.

June 26, 2021July 14, 2021Climbing News, K2, K2 2021 Coverage

K2 2021 Summer Season Coverage Begins

Welcome to my annual coverage of the K2 summer climbing season. I will be reporting from my home in Colorado this year based on my personal experience of our successful 2014 K2 summit and covering the action the last six years. 2021 will see a less crowded Karakorum compared to pre-pandemic times. I estimate around 100 climbers on the large 8000ers this summer.

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021Climbing News, Denali Coverage

Denali 2021: Season RoundUp

The 2021 climbing season on North America’s highest peak, Denali, is nearing the end. I take a look at some “fun facts” and how this season has progressed.

June 16, 2021June 16, 2021Climbing News, Everest, Everest 2021 Coverage, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts, Interview

Everest 2021: Video Interview with Art Muir – Oldest American Summiter

Art Muir at age 75 became the oldest American to summit Mt. Everest on May 12, 2021, with Maddison Mountaineering. He surpassed Bill Burke who held the American Everest age record for 11 years. Burke summited at age 67 on the Nepal side and again from the Tibet side in 2014 at 72. Japanese mountaineer Yoichiro Miura is the oldest person to summit in 2013 at age 80.

I spoke with Art about his motivation, how his family felt about his plans, his 2019 attempt, prior climbing experience then we got into his training, diet, and experience on the climb. We wrapped up with Art’s thoughts on seniors climbing and staying active.

June 10, 2021June 10, 2021Climbing News, Interview, K2 2021 Coverage

K2 2021: Interview with Graham Zimmerman – West Ridge

This summer K2 will see a rare event, an attempt on the fully unclimbed West Ridge. Canadian Ian Welsted and American Graham Zimmerman will make an alpine attempt with no oxygen. While the route has been partially climbed three times, the final few hundred meters have never been completed for various reasons. They leave for Pakistan on June 17. After an extensive acclimatization program which may include climbing the 8000er Broad Peak, they hope to summit near the end of July.

June 3, 2021Climbing News, Everest, Everest 2021 Coverage, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts

Everest 2021 Season Summary: The Year Nepal Broke Everest

Everest and Lhotse from the Khumbu TrekEverest and Lhotse from the Khumbu Trek

Satire sprinkled with a few annoying facts.

As I sat down to write a recap of the 2021 spring season on Everest, these words came to mind: COVID, coverup, lies, misdirection, personal attacks, denials. Oh, and cyclones, wind, waiting, risk, and yes, summits. But, oh my, at what a cost? If 2019 was the year Everest broke, 2021 was the year Nepal broke Everest.

June 2, 2021Climbing News, Everest, Everest 2021 Coverage, Everest News, Everest Popular Posts

Everest 2021: Wave 6 Recap. And the Season is a Wrap!

A reported 41 people (22 members with 19 Sherpa) summited on Tuesday, June 1 ending the season. Others canceled for various reasons from health to conditions. Heavy snow stopped additional Lhotse summits. By my count: 195 members with 339 Sheras thus far, for a total of 534 summits. The season should be over now with the Icefall Doctors closing the route on June 3.