Summer 2018: K2 and the Karakorum.

K2 Photo: M. Chmielarski

Akira Oyabe’s North Japan K2 Expedition opened the Karakorum season earlier this month when they started fixing ropes for their attempt on K2. ExWeb takes a broad look at all the teams currently in the Karakorum, and what to expect this year.

K2. Photo: KhRizwani

The Savage Mountain
Although the second highest peak in the world, K2 (8,611m) sees only a fraction of the climbing traffic of Everest. Of course, “second-highest” does not bestow the same prestige to peak baggers wishing to brag about their conquest, but this is only a corner of the picture. In reality, K2 is different from Everest in every respect; in particular, its technical challenge and squirrelly weather.

The 130km trek to the starting point of K2 is double that to Everest Base Camp. But where the hike up the Khumbu is undulating, and dotted with villages, tea houses and helipads, the trail to K2 is deserted and a sharp ascent from the start. Yes, Mount Everest is taller, but K2 is much harder. It is steeper and relentless, with higher risks of rockfall and avalanche.

K2 has more unpredictable weather than Everest: Its imposing solitary stature generates a notoriously unstable microclimate, with temperatures at the summit plummeting as low as -50°C.

All of this contributes to K2’s daunting 20 percent fatality rate, far exceeding Everest’s three percent. High winds and avalanche conditions frequently lead to seasons with no summits: In the nine years from 2009 to 2017, climbers have failed to summit in five of them. Last year, Vanessa O’Brien led the only successful party.

However, more difficulty means a more coveted prize in mountaineering. Increasingly, the alpine world’s attention is turning towards K2, as Mount Everest becomes associated with commercialism and comfort.

The Karakorum
In addition to K2, the Karakorum contains another three of the 14 eight-thousanders: Gasherbrum I (8,080m), Gasherbrum II (8,035m) and Broad Peak (8,047m).  Countless other 6,000 to 7,000m peaks tempt the committed alpinist. The majority of climbing in the Himalaya happens in the short May window before the monsoon brings bad weather for the entire summer. Lying far northwest of the Himalaya, the Karakorum often – though not always – escapes the monsoon, and July–August is the best time to climb.

This year, teams have permits for K2, Gasherbrum I-IV, Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak, Spantic Peak and Urdo Kangri II.

Gasherbrum II. Photo: Scarpa/Cory Richards

Teams
K2
K2 will see the most traffic in the Karakorum, with 44 climbers that we know of. Team leaders on K2 include Akira Oyabe (Japan), Dan Mazur (USA), Sergio Mingote (Spain), Serge Dessureault (Canada), Rodrigo Vial (Chile), Roland Striemitzer (Austria), Garrett Madison (USA) and Hiroshi Kawasaki (Japan). Many of these teams also have permits for Broad Peak, which is often used as an acclimatization climb. Of note, Madison’s group  includes the top Hungarian climber David Klein.

If simply summiting the Savage Mountain is not enough, Polish skier Andrzej Bargiel returns this year for his second attempt at becoming the first to complete a ski descent of K2.

Garrett Madison, leader of one of the US teams. Photo: Karrar Haidri

K7
At the head of the Charakusa Valley, K7 (6,934m) was ascended first by a Japanese team in 1984 and second by Steve House, who soloed a new route 20 years later. This summer, the ace German climbers Alex Huber and Fabian Buhl, who made the first free ascent of ‘Sueños de Invierno’ in Spain in 2016, have turned their formidable talents to K7. The combination of such an iconic mountain and such strong climbers piques curiosity about their exact plans. Raphael Slawinski, one of Canada’s leading alpinists, is also heading to Dansam (6,666m) and K7 with Alik Berg. Will 2018 be the year a new route is opened on K7?

K7 West. Photo: Archives of the expedition Charakusa 2011

Nanga Parbat
Testament to its technical difficulty, Nanga Parbat (8,126m) was first climbed in winter only in 2016, by Simone Moro, Ali Sadpara and Alex Txikon. This January, Nanga Parbat, or “Naked Mountain” in Urdu, shot into the news when Pole Tomasz Mackiewicz and Frenchwoman Elisabeth Revol bagged the second winter ascent but suffered snow blindness and altitude sickness during the way down. A rescue team of Polish climbers — flown in by the Pakistani army from their own attempt to make the first winter climb of K2 — managed to save Revol, but Mackiewicz perished.Since early this month, South African adventurer Mike Horn has been on the Diamir Face, making slow progress because of bad weather. Horn’s high-altitude CV already includes six of the 14 eight-thousanders.

Also on Nanga Parbat, the adventure company Lela has organized a strong team of six, led by Peruvian Richard Leopoldo Hidalgo Jara and including veteran Turk Tunc Findik and Alex Gavan, the Romanian mountaineer who specializes in climbing without O2.

Pavel Korinek returns to Nanga Parbat to lead an all-Czech team of nine to climb the Diamir Face.

Climbing Mummery Rib, Nanga Parbat. Photo: Daniele Nardi

G-IV
Sometimes called the “beautiful mountain”, Gasherbrum IV (7925m) has no easy routes. The legendary West Face, the “Shining Wall”, is recognized as one of the most beautiful and challenging in the world. Despite expeditions throughout the 80s, 90s, and more sporadically this millennium, there remain no established routes on the South or East Faces. At least four teams are on G-IV this summer. Maria Valdimirovna is leading another Lela expedition, which also has permits for G-I and G-II. Valerio Stella heads an all-Italian team of four. Finally, a three-man team of German Climber Felix Berg and Poles Adam Bielecki and Jacek Czech will first acclimatize on G-II, then head to G-IV to open a route on the eastern wall. So Karakorum 2018 may see more than one pioneering route laid down.

G-IV on a “clear-sky-storm-day”. Photo: SummitPost

Latok I
First climbed by the Japanese in 1979, Latok I (7,145m) is notable for its extreme technical difficulty. This year, it has already seen turmoil, as a team of South Korean climbers required rescue from the North Face. There are also two three-man Russian teams on Latok I, led by Konstantin Markevich and 2015 Piolet D’Or winner Aleksandr Gukov. Last but not least, Ales Cesen leads a three-man Slovenian team. Cesen climbed the Northwest Ridge of Gasherbrum IV to reach the North Summit in 2016.

Latok I, North Ridge. Photo: American Alpine Club

Links :

Exclusive Pt. 1: K2 2017 Interview with Vanessa O’Brien

Exclusive Pt. 2: K2 2017 Interview with Vanessa O’Brien

Exclusive Pt. 3: K2 2017 Interview with Vanessa O’Brien

Nanga Parbat happy and unhappy end

Elisabeth Revol Describes Nanga Parbat Rescue

The end of the rescue operation at Nanga Parbat

* source: – https://explorersweb.com/

** see also: – Spring 2018 Himalayan Recap.

– 15 days Nepal Everest Base Camp Trekking .

– Overview of Trekking Routes in Nepal.  Expedition in Nepal with Nepal Trekking Routes (Ama Dablam, Annapurna, Makalu, Manaslu, Pumori)

– Nepal Celebrates 65th Anniversary of First Ascent of Mt. Everest.

– Today is 65th Anniversary of Everest’s First Ascent.

Andrzej Bargiel Aims to Ski K2 – Diary part 1.

I invite you to tracking the fate of expedition

in the Diary : Andrzej Bargiel Aims to Ski K2.

Andrzej Bargiel departured for his next adventure. This time, the aim will not be any of the eight-thousanders. Nevertheless, the goal that the Polish extreme skier set for himself is even more ambitious than the previous ones. “This is definitely the most challenging expedition of my life” – he confirmed.

The aim of the expedition is to conquer five highest peaks of the former Soviet Union, which is a prestigious mountaineering award called “Snow Leopard”. This is also the title name of the expedition. Previously some hundreds of climbers won the trophy but Bargiel wants to achieve this goal in his own style. By using skis on his way up as well as during the descents, he aims to break few speed records. The uniqueness of this project is greatly enlarged by the fact that the expedition involves the presence of the CANAL + DISCOVERY crew – a strategic partner of the project – that will create a documentary series illustrating Andrzej’s struggles with an ambitious and dangerous challenge. The premiere of the series “Andrzej Bargiel – Snow Leopard” will take place in autumn on CANAL + DISCOVERY channel.

The Snow Leopard Award includes five peaks reaching over 7000 meters. The first one, which Andrzej will face, after landing in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek and transfer to the city of Osh, is situated in the Pamir range – Lenin Peak (7134 m). On the easiest of the five peaks the polish skier will probably spend the most time, passing the monotonous process of acclimatization. After a succesful summit, the crew will fly to Tajikistan to challenge the last two peaks on the list: Korzeniewski Peak (7105 m) and the highest peak of the country and the Pamir mountains – Communism Peak (7495 m). It is still commonly known under its former Soviet name, although since 1998 its name has been officially changed to Ismoil Somoni Peak.

As fourth in line comes Pobeda Peak situated on the boarder between Kyrgyzstan and China, the highest peak in the mountains of Tien Shan, which is also considered to be the most dangerous one. Last, but not least, is Kazakhstan’s highest Khan Tengri (7010 m) with its capricious weather.

Andrzej Bargiel – 25 June at 21:06

We finally made it to Gasherbrum II basecamp. Weather is good and cold (-10C) so we are getting ready for going up. On the pics few more shots from trekking. Stay tuned for more updates ✌🏻

Dotarliśmy do bazy pod Gasherbrum II, gdzie przeprowadzimy aklimatyzację 😎 wysokość ~ 5000m. Ciepło nie jest, bo termometr wskazuje -10 stopni Celsjusza. Pogoda sprzyja, więc szykujemy się do akcji górskiej ✊🏻

Fot: Marek Ogień Photographer

Andrzej Bargiel – 22 June at 21:06

We have reached Urdukas Camp, which is situated near by stunning Trango Towers….

Dotarliśmy do Urdukas, obozu położonego w otoczeniu przepięknej grupy wież Trango.

Andrzej Bargiel Aims to Ski K2.

Andrzej Bargiel shredding up the slopes in La Grave, France.
Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel is again heading to the Karakorum to try to become the first person to complete a ski descent of K2.

Ski-mountaineers have tried to descend K2 in the past, sometimes with fatal consequences. Italian Hans Kammerlander had planned an attempt in 2001, only to turn around 400 meters from the summit after watching a Korean climber fall past him to his death. Nearly a decade later, in 2010, Swedish ski-mountaineer Fredrik Ericsson died after a fall near the infamous bottleneck section. Kammerlander has said that “somebody will do it, but he’ll need a lot of ability and a whole lot of luck”.

Andrzej Bargiel climing in La Grave, France.
Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

This is Bargiel’s second attempt. Last season he abandoned due to high avalanche and rockfall risks. The video below shows some teaser footage from the build-up to the 2017 expedition.

Bargiel is a seasoned extreme athlete who has previously skied Shisapangma and Broad Peak. This year, before attempting K2, he intends to acclimatize by climbing and skiing down Gasherbrum II, the lowest and most accessible of the 8000m peaks in the Karakorum.

16/06/2018, Bargiel landed in Skardu, the last stop in Pakistan before the Karakorum.

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* source: – https://explorersweb.com/

** see also: – Spring 2018 Himalayan Recap.

– 15 days Nepal Everest Base Camp Trekking .

– Overview of Trekking Routes in Nepal.  Expedition in Nepal with Nepal Trekking Routes (Ama Dablam, Annapurna, Makalu, Manaslu, Pumori)

– Nepal Celebrates 65th Anniversary of First Ascent of Mt. Everest.

– Today is 65th Anniversary of Everest’s First Ascent.

First Pakistani Woman Winter Expedition 2010.

BY MIRZA ALI

The Pakistan Youth Outreach Second Climbing Expedition in winter to Mingligh sar 6050m was indeed amazing, Samina Baig being the first woman from Pakistan to go on a winter attempt in the Karakorum was a great mile stone in Pakistani women’s adventure history.Samina Baig who had topped Chashkin Sar Peak in August-Septermber 2010.This expedition was dedicated to all those who have been affected by the floods in Pakistan this year The team along with Samina set High Camp at nearly 5525m which was new for any girl from Pakistan in winter and pushed for the summit the next day. Due to extreme cold and insufficient clothing for Samina (due to financial constraints) mainly down jacket and pants, the team decided to return approximately 150m short of the summit. Samina reached the height of approximately 5900m. Later the weather turned to hell and we called off the Expedition however the PYO first basic mountaineering training camp for young school boys and girls was very successful.

Since Karakorum has different weather conditions, the winter arrives late November in the high mountains of Karakorum, according to the calendar year it has been said that December climbing expeditions are not a full calendar year expedition. However a few years back the Alpine club of Pakistan organized a climbing expedition to Peer Peak in the Karakorum which was named “Winter Expedition”. Similarly there was another expedition in November by locals which was also named Winter Expedition. Looking at the extreme weather situation in the high mountains, December and January is normally considered winter in the Karakorum, Pamir area hence the expedition is also Winter Expedition.

The expedition kicked off on the 8th of December 2010 after three days acclimatization in Shimshal Valley. We hired 12 porters, two cooks and Mr Yausaf Khan, former army climber as our expedition advisor. The first day was spent at Korband. During the winter days are short and most streams at different summer camp sites get frozen therefore the first night spent at Korband was pretty chilly and there was a lot of frost in the tents. After a steep climb of Ghar Sar the next day the team managed to reach Uch Forzeen in 9 hours, the chill was great though the day was sunny. Uch Forzeen provided us with good shelter for cooking in the hut but sleeping in the tent was pretty hard, at midnight I found my sleeping bag frosty and frozen half due to my breathing but a great adventure all the same! Uch Forzeen to Arbon Purian was a nice journey, the frozen slopes of Arbon Purian were nice for practice and play adventure in the cold climate.

It was longer in the winter from Arbob Purian to Shujrave where we set our base camp, the cold was great, it took us four days to reach Shujrave which is normally three days walking in summer. After two days of acclimatization and practice in Shujrave, Samina and Jennifer Rawlings (guest climber from Atlanta, Georgia, US) made it to the pass, the previous day, unfortunately Jennifer Rawlins got sick. Jennifer came to take part in this historical adventure and she believed it was a wonderful experience but truly cold! We marched up to high camp, Samina, Yausaf and Mr Tafat Shah, PYO Trainer, also Mr Yahya Baig and myself Mirza Ali, Expedition leader and Wazir Baig were the climbers in the team.

The high camp was settled at approximately 5520m, the night was terribly cold and Yahya and Wazir got sick in the night, however Samina was the first woman from Pakistan to experience such extreme and freezing temperatures at High Camp. The sleeping bag was icy in the morning, the weather was very pleasant but again very cold. Next morning we started our summit push at 8am, the stones were frozen and frosty, the chill factor was high but the sun did come out to favor us at the beginning. After three hours walk we reached below the glacier, changed our climbing shoes and dressed up for the next stage of the expedition. The snow was drifting and the upper layers were pretty frozen but it was complete sugar type beneath the upper layer. The climb was pretty tough going from the beginning, the layers start breaking and it was hard for all of us. Wazir was ill and returned half way, we climbed for another two hours when the wind and weather became very cold. Samina had a down jacket with no hood and this was not suitable protection for the extreme cold weather, the pants were not even down so that made it difficult to continue to the summit. We reached approximately 5900m, just 150m short of the summit, the time was running out so we decided to return since it was a step forward in progress and we naturally wanted to return home safely!

During the climb I noticed my video camera battery got dislodgedi was unable to make more video of the climb and i was not adapted with still setting of ISO,which also make bad pictures in the bright light, later jennifer helped me to set ISO setting on the way back to base camp.

The descent was arduous, the long ridge descent was tiring but we finally made to the High Camp. The wind was extremely strong and was to blow our tents off from the ridge, after preparing tea Samina and Yausaf left straight for Base Camp. We packed our belongings and tents to follow. Jennifer and Gul were down at the pass, we had planned to fix another high camp at Quz Sar after a successful attempt of Mingligh however it was not really achievable since other members were tired. We met them down in the evening it was then decided to have some rest and then move back to Quz Sar approximately 5900m and climbed an unnamed peak.

We reached base camp as the dusk was all around, Imran our “cook” welcomed us and served the meal. The night was cold and chills were looming, in the morning it was very cloudy and started snowing. We consulted Yausaf and Tafat the experienced climbers who then decided to call off the expedition, hence all packed, we left for Shimshal.

This expedition was an initiative for the youth and women of Pakistan to enter into extreme sports such as mountaineering, it was a myth breaking expedition for Pakistani women and youths whatever the outcome. Reaching the summit is the exception in the mountains; most renowned mountaineers find that the “fail summit ratio” is higher than success. When I took the decision to return 150m short of the summit, the Sir Edmund Hillary quote was the basis that he used for Everest mostly to avoid any chance of accidents. It was the right decision to go home safely since mountains never go away!

Right after the expedition, Pakistan Youth Outreach conducted a Basic Mountaineering School for boys and girls in Shimshal at Malangutti Glacier, the participants were from different schools. Among the participants there were Bibi Numa (10th Grade), Shumaila Biag (10th Grade), Mudasir Pannah (9th Grade) , Nargis Murtaza (9th Grade), Shah Dualat (5th Grade) ,Afsana Tafat (6th Grade), Muhammad Habib (4th Grade), Arshad Karim and Samina Baig.

The training was overseen by Mr Yausaf Khan former Pakistan Army climber and Mr Tafat Shah the best technical and experienced mountaineer, myself as PYO Founding President also supervised the training. Jennifer Rawlins Youth Outreaches main supporter was also on the training. The kids enjoyed the outdoor and the basics of mountaineering and wanted similar training for them in the future. The PYO’s objective is to encourage youth and women’s outdoor and adventure activities and spread this across Pakistan and world to bring a peaceful and healthy environment for youths and also encourage nature studies and research work on high mountain settlements and glaciers as well as study tours as part of recreation for fresh mind for studies!

The expedition was organized with help of individual donations, apart from individuals the Danish Embassy also donated for the expedition. The Danish support is to convey a different and positive side of Pakistan than you would normally see in the media and thereby to support development in Gilgit-Baltistan

We are very grateful to the Danish Embassy, Eloise Fox Peyman for donations. We thank Jennifer Rawlins “for coming to Pakistan in the extreme weather condition and becoming part of the team and giving a positive image to other women around the world showing that Pakistan is safe and secure as well as welcoming every folk to enjoy a Karakorum adventure”. We also thank Carol Anne Grayson for her support and article and hope to share much more in the near future about our projects. We also appreciate those individuals who sent their personal donations! We are here just because of you people and your support and hope to have your support in the future as well to make PYO objectives possible! Thank you ALL! Interested people can join us on our future trainings on mixed or purely female expeditions to virgin and other mountains in the Karakorum!

* Source : –  http://karakorumclimb.wordpress.com/

* Previous story :

– First Pakistani Women Expedition – you can help.

– Joint Pakistan-Danish Spantik Expedition 2009.

– Pakistan’s 2010 season finale wrap-up: ACP’s summit list, new route on Spires, needed humanitarian efforts are still on.

* Related Links :

..on FB – http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=100138206730481

– http://www.asiadespatch.com/2011/01/account-of-first-pakistani-womens-winter-climbing-expedition/

– http://ketpakistan.blogspot.com/

* Polish Himalayas – Become a Fan

** zapraszam na relacje z wypraw polskich himalaistów.