It isn’t enough that a 19-year-old woman with minimal experience is heading to Winter K2, guided by Nirmal Purja. Now it seems that Colin O’Brady is, too.
Of course, he had to hype it as The Impossible Summit. But unlike his “unassisted unsupported solo crossing of Antarctica” — largely discredited because it was neither unassisted nor a crossing — climbing K2 in winter has stymied some of the world’s best mountaineers. Even a client, who is not fixing rope or breaking trail, would earn some bragging rights on this one.
Colin O’Brady. Photo: Stewart Cook/Daily Mail
A source close to O’Brady told ExWeb that Purja will be his guide, although this is still unconfirmed. In addition, O’Brady will also be joined by his “long-time climbing partner”, Jon Kedrowski of Colorado.
This year’s K2 Zoo has just become even more interesting.
About the Author
Jerry Kobalenko
Jerry Kobalenko is the editor of ExplorersWeb. Canada's premier arctic traveler, he is the author of The Horizontal Everest and Arctic Eden, and is currently working on a book about adventures in Labrador. In 2018, he was awarded the Polar Medal by the Governor General of Canada.
The show must go on hahahaha. K2 is going to be a real circus this winter. Poor mountain.
Who is Colin Ohhh’Brady?
But anyway, good luck! Nims, also to your great friend Geljen!
Damien, where are you? Email us! Happy Christmas! Sian and Bob
Give us your email.
Hmm… this was not me!
I’ll email you, Sian!
Sathi, I have emailed you many times, but no response… I am back in Belgistan (was in Nepal from Oct 17th until Nov 27th). Ohhh… You have not congratulated me!
https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/because-we-are-there/
https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/overkill-on-everest/
https://www.louis-philippe-loncke.com/2011/01/eupen-walk-and-cho-oyu-project.html
Are you the Damien François I met here almost 10 years ago? We have to meet again!
But anyway the world needs to really credit this man NIRMAL PURJA. He is such a wonder !!! All fourteen 8000 ers conquered in just 6 months, something which we can’t even imagine in the wildest of dreams. He is no doubt the best ever of human beings to challenge nature at its furiest and ugliest form. Let’s see this battle of Man vs. Nature at its highest intensity as is going to unfold in this winter K2 drama. Also with this man daring to challenge the hitherto untamable winter K2, this is the first time that there is a… Read more »
Why the hell the disklikes? Nims is an übermensch, for sure!
I think people did it (not me, neutral) because of a bit of too much “best ever of human beings to challenge nature at its furiest and ugliest form”. Great achievement but I’d rather prefer seeing a solo climb no O2 (no fixed ropes) alone on all 14ers even if it takes 20 years.
Salut, Phil ou ;-)) even Messner has respect for Nims’ feat (Project Possible). Have you ever climbed at 8.000 m? YOu know what it takes to climb ALL of them in 6 months? Just the focus needed is übermenschly! Ever been in the icefall? You know how much time it takes to just climb that part, without rope? Just check how long the Icefall Docs take… I guess, non… Sure, Jost Kobusch, a German friend, tried hard, last winter, on Everest, but didn’t that far, despite him being a super strong climber. I find this “no ropes, no O2” boring.… Read more »
Two more proofs (if that is needed…) that climbing Everest, the Third Pole, is STIll a unique experience for EVERYONE: Many, if not all, Nepalese are always very fond to climb the Big, no matter how often they already have – not just for the money, no. My climbing partner, Temba Bhote, cried on the summit… And, for you ou-Phi, and all who speak french, read Elisabeth Revol’s (yes, THAT Eli, who climbed Nanga Parbat in winter) account of her Everest 2019 (she summited an hour before me) in her book „Vivre“ (2019) and her account in Montagnes Magazine/Vertical titled… Read more »
Easy, Easy 🙂 I love Nimsdai. What I dislike is the “best ever” part of the comment “best ever of human beings to challenge nature at its furiest and ugliest form.” There is no human being stronger or best ever in the “adventure world”. Not Messner, not M. Horn, not Nimsdai, not Hoffmeister. They are all in the top league of different disciplines. If the comment was “one of the best high altitude mountaineer of the recent times” that is a statement I would support. Regarding climbing an 8000m or climbing EV. Of course it is always an extreme feat.… Read more »
I also was a bit stunned by the übermensch comment, but I since it was written by a Nepalese or Indian, you need to to view the use of these superlatives from it from a different cultural angle, and also appreciate the “pride factor”…
Will be happy to hear about your project when we meet!
Pour en finir avec « O2, no ropes, no Sherpa support »… For a non-professional, an amateur (but experienced, since I have now 21 xp under my belt in Nepal, from Mera Peak to Everest – 2005 to 2020), it is not easy to climb at high or extreme altitudes. We have to lcimb ourselves, nobody carries us. I have seen people short-roped, as low as in the Khumbu Icefall (2019), yes, but that is not the rule, these are exceptions. And often, these people often quit early or… die. The debate on whether it is ok to use O2,… Read more »
Time and time again K2 has shut down the best of the best. I have no problem with professional high quality climbers, giving K2 their best shot, but climbers with limited experience is SUICIDAL. WINTER K2 is a raging monster out control. I hope the least experienced come to their senses and get more experience before undertaking such a monumental savage mountain. K2 doesn’t play games,she will attack at any moment bringing death and chaos and destruction to it’s visitors. Also with my humble opinion if your after a winter K2 summit attempt because your just seeking fame your walking… Read more »
Darwinism.
Wow…hating on Colin O’Brady much? They always say the only ones who criticize you are the ones that have done less than you…so.
Colin literally lied about an “unsupported” crossing on Antarctica. Fuck that guy.
No, did he? What about Pemba G? Why is he not there?
‘They’ were most likely the press agents for Frederick Cook, Robert Peary and Donald Crowhurst.
Why would Colin get the credit for climbing k2 during winter first when he will literally be carried up the mountain by Nirmal Purja? No one is hating but Colin has a knack for taking credit for things he had a minimal part in contributing.
obrady lied about the impossible row too
how?
A person with no real Karakoram experience trying to climb K2 in the Winter is like a 10 year old fighting Mike Tyson in his prime without gloves. Good luck—but foolish.
Good grief………I can only wonder what Denis Urubko thinks about all of this. It’s too bad that he didn’t knock off Winter K2 when he had the chance. Like most folks who have been following this struggle for years, I doubt that any of this years participants will even get near the summit. I just hope none of them die trying……It’s not worth it!
He is not doubt the legend of climbing world, he is made for same by the creator. Very much impressed by his summits and writings.
Maybe Colin makes it, but from reading extensively about his experience he should not be on that mountain in winter and probably not even in summer. I agree he is a strong endurance athlete with mountaineering experience and a determined mindset. However, his mountaineering experience is largely in speed, not technique. While a fast ascent in the right weather window in winter on K2 could be the recipe to finally reaching the summit, I don’t think his experience matches the task. In regards to his Antarctic experience, it’s much easier to stay warm while on skies. On K2 he will… Read more »
Dylan, Their saying the Antarctic thing was a lie though.
If Reinhold Messner couldn’t do this I don’t think an inexperienced mountaineer is gonna make the first winter ascent of the Savage Mountain
Nims has already done what NOBODY thought was possible. I didn’t and was upset when I first read about Project Possible. But I started changing my mind right when he want back up Annapurna to save Dr Chin. I was at EBC with Dr Chin’s training partner in Singapore, one of the four clients im my team. And he performed more rescues. Just read his book (I just finished it and loved reading it). His climbing partner, Geljen, whom I met on Lobuche last November is a hell of a guy, too! Come on, people, show some respect: What Nirmal… Read more »
Some better and lighter technology exist since Messner times. Sure traning, technique, luck etc… are important. But hey, we might have a K2 winter summit soon and perhaps 20 more in the coming 20 years.
Who has any more right to be on a mountain than others? Really disliking the disrespect of O’Brady and the SST team.. I love all of the comments about how only the “pros” should be on the mountain now and so forth.. Lest we forget that so many of the corpses in crevasses and on the high passes are of “pros” Best of luck to ALL on the mountain, regardless of nationality or experience 🙂