{"id":38268,"date":"2021-01-30T08:35:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-30T15:35:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=38268"},"modified":"2021-01-30T08:35:00","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T15:35:00","slug":"winter-k2-update-chat-with-snorri-manaslu-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/30\/winter-k2-update-chat-with-snorri-manaslu-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter K2 Update: Chat with Snorri & Manaslu Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"

K2 climbers continue to stay at Base Camp stalled by the weather but Feb 4 and 5 are looking better. I chat with John Snorri at K2 BC and route progress on Manaslu.<\/p>\n

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Big Picture<\/h3>\n

It’s all about the weather and snow conditions. K2 continues to play tough. John Snorri tells me he expects the weather to turn ugly after February 15. I think most people left on K2 would like to summit before the end of February, and not March 20, 2021, the Spring\u00a0Equinox.<\/p>\n

The Manaslu teams are seeing how winter conditions can be vastly different from spring. They ran into a huge gaping crevasse forcing them to spend precious time and energy to find a new route. But this one is so big, it will probably greet climbers for the next year, thus redefining the route from C1 to C2, which has been considered the crux on Manaslu.<\/p>\n

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Snorri & Team – At BC<\/h3>\n

John Snorri Sigurjonsson<\/a> with Muhammad Ali Sadpara<\/a> and Muhammad’s 20-year-old son Sajid Ali<\/a>\u00a0are in Base Camp looking at the next weather window in early February 4 and 5. I chatted with John from Base Camp:<\/p>\n

Q: Hi John, any thoughts on the next summit window?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JS: Hi Alan Yes we see window 4 or 5 Feb. I make decisions Sunday or Monday We will try without oxygen but all 3 will have safety [ED: extra oxygen bottle] in our backpacks. I believe when it comes to it I will use. My priorities is to summit.<\/p>\n

Q: Understand. Feeling confident? Did you replace your masks lost in the wind?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JS: Yes I’m really ready and going to give all for this s push. We went yesterday to source [ED: base of snow slope under where they found dome of the gar] and found one set of mask and regulator.<\/p>\n

Q: I\u00a0read where you said a 4 day round trip is possible given how fast you got the C3 last time. John, that\u2019s aggressive.<\/strong><\/p>\n

JS: We 3 are pretty sure if there will be any chance to reach the summit in this window we will. And we are looking forward to stand on the summit with the Pakistani flag and Icelandic flag Want to make our nations proud \"🇮🇸\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Q: Will you need to fix new lines?<\/strong><\/p>\n

JS: I believe we can use 3 days to summit and 1 day to go back to bc. All I know is there are line missing on the way.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

OK, if they go in a few days, I fully expect a few from SST to join them including Tamara Lunger with Juan Pablo (J.P.) Mohr Prieto and perhaps\u00a0Antonios Sykaris with\u00a0Dr. Atanas Skatov.<\/p>\n

Seven Summits Treks – Climbing will continue if there is good weather<\/h3>\n

Seven Summits Trek’s<\/a> has their team at base camp. By my count, there are 17 members (perhaps fewer) and about 20 Sherpas still left. However, with this large of a team and the wide range of experience, I’ll never be surprised to see a few climbers get ahead of the pack.<\/p>\n

Tamara Lunger<\/a> gave this optimistic update:<\/p>\n

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Still difficult days for me! I have not been well, in the last days: stomach ache, diarrhea, pains all over my body, I feel down and I don’t know how long this physical discomfort will last because the altitude – 5000 m. – doesn’t allow you to recover so easily.<\/p>\n

Until two days ago I thought that my dream of climbing to the top was to be put aside, but yesterday morning I woke up with a smile and a light breeze and the sun kissing my face. And all of this brought me back into the right energy, at least mentally!<\/p>\n

I’m so grateful in any case for this space, also for the spiritual space here, and for @jp.mohr, who I’m getting to know and already admire, and who gives me strength to look forward with courage and passion.Another challenge that I will try to face with love, acceptance and positivity, patience…<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Manaslu: Route to 6350m<\/h2>\n

Simone Moro<\/a>, Alex Txikon<\/a>, and I\u00f1aki Alvarez are at Manaslu Base Camp.\u00a0Tenji Sherpa<\/a> and Vinayak Jaya Malla<\/a>\u00a0are also at Manaslu Base Camp ready to move higher when winds allow.\u00a0Simone gave this update:<\/p>\n

Work in progress towards Camp 2, I watch my climber partners from Base Camp. The altitude reached today is 6350 mt. Tomorrow there is the changeover and it is our turn to find and close the route to Camp 2. Inaki, Tenji, Vinayak and the photographer Abiral will go with me. We expect to be in the higher camps for 2\/3 days.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Alex added:<\/p>\n

Hello from BC! After 4 long and hard days of work, we are back to recover. Today we have equipped up to 6,350m ⛏⛏Simone, I\u00f1aki and company will take over tomorrow. Let’s go!! I feel great good vibes💥Although I’m sad due to departure of Fernando J. P\u00e9rez, journalist from El Correo who went here with us and had now to return to Bilbao, I send him a hug<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

K2 PostScript<\/h3>\n

MIngma G posted a video of him climbing House Chimney during their winter 2020\/21 K2 summit:<\/p>\n

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1,616 views<\/div>
Mingma climbing House Chimney winter 2020:21<\/div><\/div>\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\tMingma climbing House Chimney winter 2020:21<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n

Compare that to my climb up the Chimney in July 2014. Note the total lack of snow. The video was taken by Matt DuPuru:<\/p>\n

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