K2 2024 Coverage: A Few More Summits
The weather window held for another wave of summits on Monday morning, July 29, 2024. The body of a Pakistani porter was recovered. #K2024
Tag: K2
K2 2024 Coverage: Summits and Deaths
Several teams banded together to summit K2 on the morning of July 28, 2024, while on the other side of the mountain, two Japanese climbers apparently died in a fall. There were also many summits on nearby Broad Peak. Of note this season was the large number of Pakistanis who summited or served as High-Altitude Workers (HAW) for the commercial teams.
Most teams noted the number of clients with support who summited while others did not. I’ll try to update this post when we get more information. #k2024
This summer has been Karakorum’s most variable weather season, with mostly high winds delaying or stopping many summit efforts and, in some cases, even acclimatization rotations. However, as become the custom these days, teams will band together at the last possible moment to follow the rope team, hoping to summit and descend before the winds return. It’s always a gamble. #k2024
K2 2024 Coverage: Summit Pushes Underway
Summit pushes are underway for K2 based on hope than science. The weather has been fairly unstable this season. Meanwhile, the nearby 8000ers have already seen a few summits.
This summer has been Karakorum’s most variable weather season, with mostly high winds delaying or stopping many summit efforts and, in some cases, even acclimatization rotations. However, as become the custom these days, teams will band together at the last possible moment to follow the rope team, hoping to summit and descend before the winds return. It’s always a gamble. #k2024
K2 2024 Coverage: Weather Delays, Increased Risks
Bad weather is damping activity in Pakistan, but for some, it’s the worst case with access to limited Internet! Climbing team updates are sparse. Most are doing the time-honored Base Camp Wait, while others demonstrate the classic “summit fever” mistake by going on their summit push in marginal weather. #k2024
K2 2024 Coverage: Climbing Begins
Climbing across the Karakorum is underway with the first summits of this 2024 summer season on Nanga Parbat. Ropes are nearing the high camps on K2.
The Pakistani Newspaper Dawn reports that the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department has issued over 1,700 permits to foreign climbers, of which 175 permits have been issued to scale K2.
A notable person in the Karakorum this season is Sajid Ali Sadpara, the son of Mohammad Ali Sadpara, who perished on K2 a few years ago and will attempt a no Os climb of K2 in addition to Broad Peak. #k2024
The Best Guides for an 8000-Meter Mountain
We continue to see preventable deaths on the 8000-meter mountains. In this article, I’ll explore how they can be safely climbed, minimizing but never eliminating the risk of injury or death. To be clear, mountain climbing is dangerous whether you climb alone, with friends, are a sponsored professional or a client on a commercial team. If you don’t think you could die, you shouldn’t go.
It comes down to five basic principles: experience, leadership, judgment, risk management and personal responsibility. Let’s break them down.
Podcast Interview with Kristin Harila
Norwegian Kristin Harila, 37, Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa summited all fourteen 8000ers in three months and 1 day (92 days.) The first was Shishapangma on April 26, 2023, and the last K2 on July 27, 2023. In 2022, Harila summited twelve of the fourteen, but China refused them entry into Tibet to attempt Shishapangma and Cho Oyu thus, she returned this year to complete her project.
Harila’s journey was not with controversy. They included switching teams and Sherpas from 2022 to 2023, using helicopters to fly Sherpas to Camp 2 on Manaslu, and the one that caught global attention when a High Altitude Porter, Muhammad Hassan, not climbing with her team died on K2. Her team gave aid, but he died. A video taken hours later showed other climbers, not Harila’s team stepping over the dead body on the way to the summit. Harila was widely criticized for his death, yet her team did everything to save his life.
The Pakistani government investigated the incident and posted a detailed report clearing Harila’s team of any wrongdoing and gave her photographer, Gabriel Tarso, an “appreciation letter” for his effort to save a life that night. We explore all of these controversies in detail in this podcast. #k2023
K2 2023 Coverage: Harila and Tenjen Cleared on Muhammad Hassan’s Death
The Pakistani government has issued an exhaustive report on the July 27, 2023, death of Pakistani High Altitude Porter, Mr. Muhammad Hassan. While no one team or individual was found culpable, it exposed deep issues across the mountaineering industry that must be fixed.
It is sad and interesting reading that didn’t find any one person or team solely responsible for his death but haphazard coordination among the operators, ignoring long-established Pakistani climbing rules, and a lack of training and resources. All complicated by a sudden storm at the steepest and most dangerous terrain of the mountain. #k2023
K2 2023 Coverage: Sherpas Dominate K2
The K2 season appears to be over, with an estimated 112+ summits by at least six teams. Multiple teams turned back on their summit push due to unstable conditions. Each of Pakistan’s five 8000ers saw summits this summer in what could be called a “difficult weather” season. On K2, it felt like there was only one suitable weather window, July 27, and it was mixed. All of the K2 summits used the Abruzzi (SE Ridge) route. At least one team is still planning on a Broad Peak attempt.. #k2023
K2 2023 Coverage: 1 death, Many Turned Back, Many Summited
It was a difficult night and day on July 27, 2023, on K2. There is at least one reported death. Several teams pushed through, while others felt it was a death trap to summit, and some turned back. A few will try again as the inventory of aspirants clears out. K2 lived up to her reputation. Around seventy people summited. #k2023