K2: Here We Go!

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By: Kraig Becker
Updated:
2


K2Climb.net has posted an update from Pakistan with news of summit pushes getting underway on K2. The weather reports indicate that a weather window will open at the end of the week and may last through the weekend, so teams have started to move up and into position.

The Shared Summits Team has moved up to C2, but report that high winds and avalanches are still making the mountain a dangerous place to be right now. They described the conditions at C2 as “brutal” but hope to move up one camp per day until Thursday when they hope to make their summit bid. They aren’t the only team moving up however, as word has it that two Korean teams and a Portuguese team are moving up the Abruzzi Spur, while an Italian team is attempting the Cesen route. If the weather window opens as expected, we should see some serious attempts at the summit in a few days time, but K2 is notoriously dangerous at the top, with avalanches being common place, so even though the weather may cooperate, it will still be plenty dangerous up there.

On Broad Peak, climber Dirk Grunnert was separated from his team and they feared for his safety, but thankfully he arrived in Base Camp yesterday, much to the relief of his friends, who were afraid that they would have to organize a search party once the weather improved. On Gasherbrum, Japanese climber Hiro Takeuchi has moved up to C2 and hopes to make his bid on GII tomorrow. And finally, the Chilean team already at C4 on Nanga Parbat have decided to wait for their countrymen from the other Chilean team on the mountain, to join them so they can all summit together. They hope to go up on Wednesday.

Seems like the rest of the week should be a busy one in the Karakorum. Lots of summits ahead. I just hope everyone climbs safely and gets back down in one piece. Especially the teams on K2 where things can get dicey in a hurry.

Kraig Becker
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