K2 2022 Summer Coverage: First Karakorum Summits

We have the first summits of the 2022 Summer Karakorum seasons reported to me by Pemba Sherpa with 8K Expeditions. He says Norwegian Kristin Harila supported by Sherpas Dawa Ongju Sherpa and Pasadawa Sherpa topped out on Nanga Parbat This is a continuation of their project for all three to summit all of the 8000ers in record time. Next up are K2 and Broad Peak.

Also on NP are British climber Adriana Brownlee hoping to set an age record for the 14 and Taiwanese Tseng Ko-Erh (Grace Tseng), Pakistani Shehroze Kashif, and Nepalis Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita and Dawa Yangzum Sherpa.

Climbers using the ‘old-school’ style of limited support with no supplemental O’s include my friend Tunc Findic, and Argentinian climber Juan Pablo Toro

K2

Over on K2, Garrett Maddison gave me this update:

Hi Alan, good morning from K2 base camp. Nice weather here at the moment..SCOM cell tower not working well this season, we have the Thuraya modem as well but that’s not working much either… Regarding crowds, it’s a lot busier here than last season, so we will have to be strategic about when we go up on the route. Our Sherpas reached camp 2 yesterday and reserved some tent places for our team. We’re planning to begin our first rotation tomorrow or day after. Fingers crossed for good weather and route conditions!

Broad Peak

And a member of Furtenbach’s team told me that it was hot on Broad peak, with steep, slushy snow to C2 as he is now back in BC.

Of note, there is a shortage of porters to support the massive, record-setting number of climbers in the Karakorum this summer, so many teams are delayed.

Opinion

This is going to be a different year in Pakistan’s Karakorum Range. Over 1,000 people climbing (clients plus support) across 10+ peaks with the five 8000ers taking center stage.  On K2 there will be 400+ people trying for the summit, way too many! On Nanga, almost 100. We’ll see how it turns out with respect to summits, deaths, and rescues. But I fear that guides have commercialized the Karakorum like they have Nepal, and that’s not good as the K peaks are much more difficult, deadly, and dangerous. Safe climbing to all.
Climb On!

Alan
Memories are Everything


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