{"id":39809,"date":"2021-07-13T17:25:53","date_gmt":"2021-07-13T23:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/?p=39809"},"modified":"2021-07-14T21:19:38","modified_gmt":"2021-07-15T03:19:38","slug":"k2-2021-summer-coverage-heavy-snow-stops-climbing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alanarnette.com\/blog\/2021\/07\/13\/k2-2021-summer-coverage-heavy-snow-stops-climbing\/","title":{"rendered":"K2 2021 Summer Coverage: Heavy Snow Stops Climbing"},"content":{"rendered":"

A big snowstorm has stalled climbing on K2 and Broad Peak. Meanwhile, the Nanga effort has ended. Some climbers are biding their time at C2 on K2 in difficult conditions. A quick look at today’s news.<\/p>\n

Everest 2021 Spring Results<\/h2>\n

In Everest news from this past spring season, Nepal’s Department of Tourism said a total of 457 people summited from the Nepal side, made up of 182 foreigners and 275 Sherpas.. The Ministry had issued 408 foreigner permits making this one of the lowest summits to permit ratios in years at 44%. In 2019 they issued 382 permits and 292 summited for a ratio of 76%. Cleary COVID took a toll on the foreigners and Sherpas. In 2021. In 2019, 94% of the Sherpas summited this spring only 67% topped out.<\/p>\n

Karakorum Big Picture<\/h2>\n

Most teams are back in their respective Base Camps waiting out a few days of big weather hoping to return to their business once the snow settles. However, a few climbers went into the teeth of the storm and now are waiting it out at Camp 2 on K2. This is not a very hospitable place with exposure to the winds and more snowfall. The largest issue in my mind is that they need to give the fresh snow time to settle to minimize avalanche danger.<\/p>\n

In speaking with Irina Galay<\/a>‘s home team, she hopes to wait it out then “tag” Camp 3 before returning to Base Camp. They expect her to do this towards this week’s end. She is there with one teammate and at least two Sherpas as part of the Ukrainian-Nepalese K2 Expedition 2021<\/a>. She hopes to be the first Ukrainian female to summit both Everest and k2.<\/p>\n

This update from Marc De Keyser<\/a> on the anticipated weather:<\/p>\n

Hey Alan, \u00a0today and especially tomorrow are not so good, showers and possibly thunderstorm. But then improving again on the 14th. The jet stream has come closer so tomorrow and the following days will probably get very windy at +8000 meter levels. So a clear-cut window for the first summits is not there yet.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I’m not expecting a lot of fresh info over the next 36 hours as heavy snow will hamper the new 4G cell tower recently installed in Concordia.<\/p>\n

West Ridge – Ready for the Summit Push<\/strong><\/p>\n

American\u00a0Graham Zimmerman<\/a>\u00a0with Candian\u00a0Ian Welsted<\/a>\u00a0on their K2 West Ridge attempt. Graham posted on IG:<\/p>\n

It seems prudent to share that I am able to get the odd post out from a location not too distant from basecamp. From there I can hit a 4g tower that the Pakistani Military has installed.\u00a0Not surprisingly, being a weeks walk from the nearest town and in one of the largest mountain ranges on the planet, this tower has been heavily effected by storms and has subsequently been quite inconsistent. So please don’t worry if you don’t hear from us for long stretches. Know that we’re out here doing what we love and taking all the precautions necessary to come home in one piece me this update:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nanga Parbat –\u00a0Over<\/h3>\n

The Spanish team led by\u00a0Manuel Gonzalez<\/a>\u00a0of Enrique Osiel, I\u00f1igo Delgado, Sergio Carrascoso, and Carlos Santafe\u00a0canceled the expedition due to weather and slow progress after reaching C1 at 5500-meters<\/p>\n

Broad Peak – Targeting July 16\/17<\/h3>\n

Karakorum Expeditions<\/a>‘\u00a0team said the fixed ropes reached C3 on K2. They\u00a0gave this update proudly (rightfully so!) listing the names of the Pakistani climbers who are fixing the ropes.:<\/p>\n

\n

fixed ropes till camp 3 on 9th July, established camp 3, the fixing team consist of
\nThe lead climbers
\n1.Jalal Uddin (team leader)
\n2.Eid Muhammad (deputy lead)
\n3.Ahmed Baig (budding beast of Karakorum)
\n4.Faryad Karim
\nWhile supported by
\n5. Inayat Ali
\n6.Ghulam Abbass
\n7. Basharat Hussain
\n8.Younis Ali
\n9.Saeed Karim<\/p>\n

In the video, one of the strongest lead climbers #EidMuhammad<\/a> is breaking the trail to camp 3.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n
Yesterday 10th July #karakorumexpeditions established camp 3 on K2.div class=”o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q”>
\n1.Akber Hussain
\n2.Ahmed Hussain
\n3.Basharat
\n4.Ghulam Abbass<\/p>\n
While four clients are acclimatisation on broad peak camp 3 and some are resting at base camp.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n
\n

We are aiming for the 16th July broad peak summit if the weather permits!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mirza Ali<\/a>\u00a0shared some unsettling news:<\/p>\n

In my second rotation at broad peak camp II,Stephen and I had a rough night! The bad thing I noticed that my team fixed lines up to camp 3 on the broad peak, all the new carabiners have been stolen! Sad!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Lotta Hintsa<\/a> \u00a0gave a very nice update on the status at Broad Peak:<\/p>\n

I guess it\u2019s time for an update. The last time we went up (no idea what day it was… let\u2019s call it first day of the weather window) we climbed straight back to camp 2 with crazy heavy packs, with enough food and gas to last us five days and some more rope. We also wanted to bring up all our summit gear, like bigger down garments, etc.<\/p>\n

In camp 2 we stayed for three nights, while working up towards camp 3, braking trail, carrying ropes and fixing some of the way. It was a pleasure to work alongside a Shimshali fixing team at one point, awesome guys! The snow was at times up to my chest and above, crazy…<\/p>\n

Third morning we made our way to camp 3, slept a night, hung out a day as other climbers came up behind us. The next night @donbowie<\/a> and I decided to see how high we could push, maybe even to the summit. But the snow was very deeeep and honestly we were tired from working five days on the mountain, pushing the route to camp 3 with the HAPs, so we turned around near the first seracs, took a nap in C3 and came all the way down to basecamp.<\/p>\n

Now waiting out a storm and resting and eating… looks like we\u2019re gonna get more (🥁) snow!!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Teams and Trackers (partial list)<\/h2>\n