Strong winds have swept away the clouds on Manaslu, leaving gorgeous blue skies but no state for climbing. “We are talking about winds between 90 and 170 kph,” Simone Moro wrote.
The team’s weather wizard, Karl Gabl, says that tomorrow or Saturday will be slightly better (with “only” a 60kph wind, Moro wryly notes). Nevertheless, the climbers might grab this important chance to fix the route to Camp 2. With a night at that altitude, they will finish their acclimatization and be ready for a summit push.
A windy Manaslu under blue skies. Photo: Phelipe Eizaguirre
Currently, Alex Txikon is in Base Camp, while Moro has hiked back to the village of Samagaon, along with Vinayat Jay Malla and Tenji Sherpa.
In Pakistan, the K2 summit team, accompanied by Adriana Brownlee and Purja’s photographer, with his indescribable fake-leopard coat (which, according to rumors, was passed on to everyone in BC for glamorous selfies), spent the day in Islamabad.
K2 summiters in Islamabad with Pakistan’s President Arifi Alvi and Tourism Minister Nasir Ali Khan. The fake-leopard coat stands fourth from right, back row. Photo: Alpine Adventure Guides
The climbers will remain in Pakistan for a few days. During this time, they will presumably release more summit pictures and detailed reports of their climb. Meanwhile, Seven Summit Treks leader Chhang Dawa Sherpa remains in Base Camp, along with nearly 30 people.
Today, Dawa shared a video showing what he describes as the “backbone” of the Winter K2 expedition: the porters carrying loads to Base Camp through the winter Karakorum.
Meanwhile, the four Pakistani climbers trying to recover the body of Alex Goldfarb left a cache at Pastori Peak’s Advanced Base Camp today. They then returned to Broad Peak Base Camp for the night. They are supposed to return to the mountain tomorrow to try to retrieve the body, despite bad weather forecasts.
Pastori Peak rescue team before leaving Skardu yesterday. Photo: A. Ali Porik/Jasmine Tours
