K2 2025: Coverage: Climbing in Peril – Updated

Update July 15:

Ryan Kushner (not young Ryan on K2) on Broad Peak stopped his climb due to high winds. He said the same thing happened on K2, stopping the rope fixing between Camps 2 and 3. Ryan reported:

Aborted my rotation due to 2—extreme wind. Apparently, the forecast was supposed to be good. I went up early yesterday; it was overcast with light snow. When we reached camp one, the winds worsened along with the snow. Conditions above 3 were already bad; winds 50+ mph easily. I aborted and came down this morning. Running out of time. Need to start hiking out on the 31st, and I haven’t even been to camp three yet. Rope fixers on K2 tried to go above Camp 2 to fix, but got stopped by the same bad weather we faced yesterday. Still, no one has been above Camp Two on K2.

 

K2 – Climbing and Collecting Trash

Nepali operators Seven Summits Treks, Elete Expeditions, and 8K Expeditions are climbing K2 again this year. Multiple Pakistani guides, including Summit Karakorum, Karakorum Expeditions and Masherbrum Expeditions, are also involved. Madison Mountaineering and Mountain Professionals may be the only Western teams there, but information is hard to come by. Most K2 summits occur at the end of July.

Masherbrum Expeditions noted the ropes, “Madison K2 Expedition team is fixing ropes from Camp-II to Camp-III today.”

Karakorum Expeditions also updated: “John Dover, Arshad Karim, Doulat Muhammad and Imtiaz Sadpara are at Camp 2; they went directly from ABC to Camp 2.”

Popular US climber Ryan Mitchell is at K2 Base Camp, reporting that all is well, albeit a bit worried about the climbing conditions. Terray Sylvester is leading the Madison Mountaineering trip and checked in with this dispatch from the Karakoram:

Hello again from K2 Advanced Base Camp (5303m/17,400ft)! This morning, we cleaned up 62kg/140lbs of trash from here at ABC and the base of the Abruzzi Spur, where debris that falls from Camps 1 (6065m/19,900ft) and 2 (6700m/21,980ft) often lands. As with our previous high-elevation cleanups, we picked up old tents, clothing items, food packaging, pieces of oxygen systems, and many cooking gas canisters. We were also surprised to find a GoPro 10. This was our third cleanup session, and our staff and climbers did a great job. We’ve now picked up 207kg / 456lbs of waste from here at K2 (8611m/28,251ft). We’re planning at least one more cleanup push before we launch our summit bids on K2 and Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft). We’ll be in touch tomorrow!

Mingma David Sherpa provided this update, which is consistent with all the others:

Quick update from K2 — I’ve reached Camp 1 today, leading the way up. The mountain is dry this season with frequent rockfalls, making the route even more challenging.

Summit Karakorum gave this update on K2 and Broad Peak:

Our 8K Broad Peak & K2 teams await the perfect weather window to push higher. Currently, our K2 team has reached near C2 and is descending to Base Camp.  Meanwhile, our Broad Peak team was forced to retreat from C1 to Base Camp due to harsh weather conditions and high winds.

Popular US climber Ryan Mitchell is at K2 Base Camp, reporting that all is well, save for the lack of snow. They attempted a peak near K2 base camp, turning around at 20,400 feet, thus eliminating at least one rotation on K2. It appears their next push will be for the summit.  He sent me this update today:

I wanted to go up for a small rotation at least, but I guess MM wants to spend the least amount of time as possible on the mountain

Ryan, a Summit Coach client, gained considerable recognition thanks to his impressive video documentation of his 2024 summit of Mt. Everest, which he completed with Madison Mountaineering, and is now attempting K2. I did a Podcast with him before he left home. You can follow him on his social media:

• Ryan Mitchell YouTube
• RyanMitchellUnfiltered
• Instagram
• Website
• GPS Tracker (name shown as Ryan Moore)

And the Other 8000ers

While K2 gets disproportionate attention, the other four deserve equal coverage. The Nepali outfit Seven Summits Treks, aka SST, has commercialized all fourteen of the 8000ers and usually does the route finding and rope fixing. This season, at least on K2, all the teams are participating in the rope fixing given the dangers.

Gasherbrum I/II – Ropes to C2

Broad Peak – Climbing, Ropes to Shoulder

Masherbrum Expeditions noted the ropes, “Alpinist Broad Peak Expedition fixed ropes from camp II to the Shoulder, and everyone is waiting at the base camp for the summit push soon.”

Karakorum Expeditions also updated: “Sabrina Filzmoser and Zaman Karim are at Camp 3.

  My friend Ryan Kushner, who is climbing Broad this season, sent me this update:

We’re going back up around midnight on the 15th. We’re starting stupid early to avoid crowds and people kicking rocks down. We’re not going to get a freeze below Camp 1.

Injury and Rescue on Broad Peak

Seven Summits Treks’ Sherpas were reportedly paid $10,000 to rescue Polish climber Waldemar Kowalewski. With an approaching blizzard, he climbed to Camp 3 on Broad Peak. He was caught in an avalanche, broke his leg, and became stranded at Camp 2 with the help of two climbers. SST made this report:

Recently, on Broad Peak, Polish mountaineer Waldemar Kowalewski was successfully rescued from approximately 6,600 meters following a serious accident. He had been trapped by a snowstorm for two days and had been caught in an avalanche while descending from Camp 3. While his two teammates escaped the released snow slab, Kowalewski suffered a broken leg and could not move. Although he was not part of SST’s expedition, our senior Sherpa guides immediately stepped in to assist. Israfil Ashurli coordinated the rescue, which was carried out by Dawa Sangay Sherpa, Pasang Tenje Sherpa, and Mingtemba Sherpa. They successfully conducted a high-altitude rescue and brought Kowalewski safely back to Base Camp.

This is a summary of several reports from fellow Polish climber Łukasz Supergan:

Avalanche on Broad Peak – Polish climber injured: A recent avalanche on Broad Peak, triggered after heavy snowfall, caught three climbers between Camp Two and Camp Three. Polish climber Waldemar Kowalewski suffered a broken leg and was stranded at 6500 meters with teammate Jarek, while another teammate, Hassan, went for help. Bad weather and avalanche risk complicated rescue efforts, making helicopter evacuation uncertain.

Eventually, three Nepalese Sherpas were recruited for the rescue. They reached Waldemar and Jarek, successfully bringing them down to base camp. Waldemar is now safe and awaiting helicopter evacuation to Skardu. The operation was complex but ultimately successful, thanks to the quick action and expertise of the rescuers.

Nanga Parbat – Over?

Nanga is more southern and western than Pakistan’s four other 8000ers. It’s in the Himalayas, whereas the other Pakistani giants lie in the Karakoram. NP usually sees the first summit yearly; this season was no exception. It appears the season is over and closes on NP with at least 24 summits, including climbers from Russia, Pakistan (5), the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, France, Nepali Sherpas, and unspecified Europeans.

Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything

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