Anxiety gnaws at climbers on K2 and Broad Peak; conditions are still bad, rope-fixing work is seriously delayed, and the season is approaching its end.
This means that, for another year, there will be little or no chance to space out summit pushes. Instead, everyone on the mountain will probably go up at the same time. Fortunately, there are not that many climbers this year.
No-oxygen climbers may need to make some hard choices, particularly if the summit push timing finds them short of acclimatization.
Why the delay?
These days, the normal Abruzzi Spur route on K2 is climbed in commercial style, and Nepalese Sherpas complete the rope-fixing work, hired by international expeditions. The Sherpas are usually supported by Pakistani climbers. This year, bad conditions — rain, snow, high winds, and rockfall — have delayed the work.
Fixed ropes on K2. Photo: Serge Hardy
Mingma David Sherpa, leader of the Elite Exped team, reported that he was stuck in Camp 1 for three days last week. He had stopped there because, contrary to the weather forecasts, there were storms and high winds on the mountain every afternoon. He reached as far as Camp 2 before retreating to Base Camp.
Last weekend, Mingma G and his Imagine Nepal team linked up with Madison Mountaineering’s Sherpa staff and managed to get a little higher. “We fixed the rope to 7,200m, crossing the rocky section below Camp 3. Next will be the summit push on K2, depending on weather conditions.”
Summit push or return home
The question is whether a summit push is a sensible option for those climbers who need more acclimatization.
“We could discuss why the damned ropes have not been fixed yet, but that is not going to solve the problem,” wrote Serge Hardy of France, one of those who planned to climb without oxygen, but using the ropes and trails.
Hardy reported that he has done two trips to 7,000m (probably to the end of the ropes) across the Black Pyramid. “The fact remains that without at least one night at Camp 3 (7,300m) and a descent to recover, it’s going to be pretty tough to even consider an ascent without oxygen,” Hardy concluded.
Late July push
“Base Camp has split into two: those who leave and those who stay,” Hardy said.
Madison Mountaineering reported a warm, sunny day in K2 Base Camp on Tuesday, but clouds are gathering again, and the forecasts show more bad weather coming. Lukasz Supergan (currently on neighboring Broad Peak) recently wrote that the next possible weather window is not expected until July 27-30.
Serge Hardy at K2 Base Camp. Photo: Serge Hardy
As for Hardy, he’s among those ready to stay. “If the prospect of a last-ditch push looms, while treading carefully on loose rocks and putting my brain into ‘avalanche detector’ mode, I’ll give it a try,” he said. “It’s a question of principles…because that’s what we’re here for.”
We are waiting for news about other K2 climbers planning no-oxygen ascents, such as Israfil Ashurli of Azerbaijan and Csaba Varga of Hungary.
