Mingma G’s international team arrived in Pakistan yesterday on their way to winter K2. The question was, would they use supplemental oxygen for their attempt or not?
Nepali members of the Winter K2 expedition, ready to leave Kathmandu. Photo: Imagine Nepal
The previous 8,000m experiences of the group led one to speculate that this expedition too will use gas, but Mingma Gyalje Sherpa has confirmed the opposite. “Let’s do it without,” he stated on Facebook. He further confirmed it in an interview with Stefan Nestler of Adventure Mountain.
Mingma G would especially like to see this last unclimbed winter 8,000’er done by a Nepali. “I feel ashamed that Nepal hosts eight 8,000m peaks, and none of them was first climbed in winter by a local,” he said.
Denis Urubko. Photo: Denis Urubko
Meanwhile, on Broad Peak, Denis Urubko is back in Base Camp after spending the night in Camp 1. Strong winds and bad weather should now force the climbers to stay put for about three days.
In equally bad weather on Gasherbrum 2, Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger are exploring the route through the broken Gasherbrum Glacier. “There’s so much snow, we need to use snowshoes and carefully check every step we take,” Moro said.
Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger scouting a possible route through the Gasherbrum Glacier. Photo: Simone Moro
Related stories:
Winter 8,000’ers: Teams on the Move
Winter K2: It’s a Go for Mingma’s Team
