Year: 2022

Climbing News, K2, K2 2022 Coverage

K2 Summer 2022: Weekend Update July 30, 2022 – A Summer of Summits

K2 Summit View into Pakistan. © www.alanarnette.com

And the summits keep going with many firsts, records, and races to the top thanks to this summer’s, and for that fact, this spring’s, unusually stable weather across the Himalayas. It’s not uncommon for climbers to have three, four, or even five, or more 8000er summits this year. Let’s run a few down with more to come before it’s all over.

Big Picture

The season is winding down. I think the action is over on Nanga Parbat. The snow conditions were getting too dangerous a couple of weeks ago, and several highly skilled and experienced climbers abandoned their efforts. On Gasherbrum II, there are a few climbers, mostly the record seekers, still to make attempts, the same for Gasherbrum I.

Several K2 climbers are moving to Broad Peak to attempt their double. And on K2, you never know for sure, but I think it will be quiet until winter when someone will try. Well over 90% of the K2 summits occur in July. Still, some seep into mid-August, and there have been a couple in October, but that was decades ago when the weather was much different.

Note, expect the same for Everest – a winter, no O’s, perhaps with a “solo” label even though attached to a commercial team for logistics. Life has become interesting, and I’m not sure in a good way.

This year, 2022, the weather has been good overall. Occasionally, heavy snow storms have offered challenges to teams, but on the whole, most people will not claim they didn’t summit because of bad weather. As of July 30, I estimate 190 K2 summits and three deaths or 1.6%. I have reached out to Pakistani Officials for an official count.

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K2 Summer 2022: Deaths on Broad Peak and K2

Down Climbing K2 Alan

After what had been a relatively safe season in this summer’s Karakorum region, we see more deaths on K2 and Broad Peak.

CTV News Channel out of Montreal, Canada, reports that Canadian Richard Cartier, 60, and Australian Matt Eakin of Australia died on K2. They were part of a small team using Adventure Pakistan Treks and Expedition logistics.

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K2 Summer 2022: Weekend Update July 24, 2022 – Summiting Like Never Before

K2 Traverse

Well, the K2 climbers pulled it off. Congratulations to the 150++ who summited and especially to the Sherpas who fixed the lines to the summit. The weather cooperated, and there were limited problems, albeit with one death and one K2 climber is currently missing. We are approaching 200 K2 summits.

Big Picture Summits Continue, Missing K2 Climber

Several media outlets report that Canadian Richard Cartier, 61, is missing while descending from a rotation to lower Camp 4. He was last seen between C2 and C1 by teammates. A search is underway. They had mentioned using the Cesen route but were on the Abruzzi when he disappeared.

At least 10 more K2 summits brought the total ever closer to 200. Summit Karakorum reports that Abid Asad Sadpara, the nephew of the late Ali Sadpara, who died on K2 last year, made the top with no O’s. Also, Paul Etherdge, Peter ? and Muhammad Hussain Pakista. Makalu Extreme team reports summits from French alpinists Pascal Claude France and Christophe Jean France with Pasang Lama and Pasang Dorjee Sherpa.

This has been a great year across all the 8000ers for female climbers. Adding to the K2 list is Spanish (Andalusian) climber Lina Quesada. She is joined by these female summiteers this season: Andorian Stefi Troguet, Taiwanese Grace Tseng, Chinese He Jing, Pakistanis Naila Kiani and Samina Baig, plus Iranian Afsaneh Hesamifard and UAE’s Saeed Almemari. Also, American Sarah Stratton made the top.

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Video Interview Adventure Consultants Guy Cotter

Guy Cotter

If you follow mountaineering, Adventure Consultants is one of the names that evoke almost three decades of memories. Guy Cotter, who began running the company in the mid-1990s, has deftly led his team through years of climbs worldwide. But in 2010, COVID was too much, and Guy made the difficult decision to put AC into ‘hibernation.’ Now, in 2022, he is ready to resume operations, smaller, leaner, and with an increased focus on running high-quality expeditions with discerning clients.

In this interview, I talk with Guy about his decisions with AC over the past few years and where he wants to take the company. We also delve into this new world of climbers’ linking multiple 8000-meter peaks in a single season, the record crowds on K2, and the discussion in the mountaineering community around the validity of claiming summits, especially on the fourteen 8000-meter peaks.

Guy is uniquely qualified to discuss these topics. I hope you enjoy our chat.

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K2 Summer 2022: K2 Summit Sonic Boom!

The K2 season summit record was smashed with at least 118 summits over the past day, with more to come. What else was smacked was the level of support, an astonishing 73 Sherpa or Pakastani support for only 42 clients or a 1:1.7 ratio. The Everest model is now official on K2.

Big Picture – The Summit Push

The first summit of K2 was in 1954. There were few or no summits for years until the damn broke in 1986 with 26. However, K2’s history is sporadic at best for double-digit summit years. There have been 32 years since 1954 with no summits compared to only nine for Everest since 1953. There have been 15 double-digit summit years on K2, with 2018 holding the previous record with 62 summits:

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K2 Summer 2022: K2 Summits and One Death

View from Traditional Camp 4 on K2.

The rope team reached K2’s summit opening the door for the first team from Madison Mountaineering to summit supported by Mashabrum Expeditions for logistics. Over 100 others are in various high camps for their respective summit bids as of 4:00 am on Friday, July 22, 2022.

Big Picture – The Summit Push and A Death

It looks like the winds picked back up across the four 8000ers over the last 24 hours, but teams remained focused and summited GII, and K2. It will be a big next 24 to 48 hours across the 8000ers as the weather is predicted to ease. Look for multiple summits from many teams. We will see a record on K2, to be sure.

Jenn Drummond reported death but no names or details. There was a death near C3 of an Afghanistan climber with Mirza Ali team Karakorum expedition team, but Ali has not mentioned it in his communications.

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K2 Summer 2022: K2 Rope Progress, Broad peak Summits

View from Traditional Camp 4 on K2.

Broad Peak saw more summits, including some mind-boggling fast times. The ropes are nearing the summit on K2, and progress continues on Gasherbrum II. The spike in the winds came and went, and conditions are good for now. Look for K2 summits anytime now, first by the rope team.

Big Picture – The Summit Push

So far, so good despite the rope teams on K2 fighting off the predicted spike in the winds. There are reports of over 100 people spread across the various camps on K2. Also, they are using the so-called “Japanese” camps, which are a bit lower than traditional camps. This is a low snow year on K2, and the rock fall has been significant, so teams are seeking safer locations for the high camps.

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K2 Summer 2022: Weekend Update July 16: K2 Summer 2022: Summit Push Drama

View from Traditional Camp 4 on K2.

This has been a ‘lay-low’ week with storms hitting the higher elevations of Pakistan’s 8000ers. Yet, there were thwarted attempts. Many teams are finalizing preparations for their summit pushes beginning soon in what could be very short weather windows, but the predicted conflict with so many people has begun.

Big Picture – The Summit Rush

With this odd statement, “We are not ready for summit push but we will give our best as always.” teams are leaving base camp for their summit pushes at least a week, if not two, earlier than in previous seasons. The leaders must think the gamble is justified.

I’m estimating that around 125 people who had K2 permits are no longer going to the summit, and most have already given up. So that leaves 250-350 people left to attempt. I hear of serious disagreements among the teams led by egos pushing to go and some pushing to wait or just jostling for a slot that they feel is less crowded and gives their team a better chance.

As I said before, with so many people, it will take communication, cooperation, and comprise to avoid, or at least minimize, tragedy this season. Currently, it appears none of those three are in play.