We now have more details about today’s K2 summits. Summit Karakoram says that Grace Tseng of Taiwan topped out without supplementary oxygen. It’s the second confirmed no-O2 summit of K2 this summer.
Tseng climbed with Nima Gyalzen Sherpa and Ningma Dorje Tamang, who as guides, did use bottled O2. Tseng reached the summit at 7:30 am, her outfitter reported. That is sensibly earlier than Stefi Troguet, who reached it at nearly 11 am, which is quite late. Madison Mountaineering summited at 3 am Pakistan time. Meanwhile, 8K Expeditions, including Kristin Harila, made the top of K2 between 2:30 and 4 am.
Now the climbers have to get down safely. Stefi Troguet, who also summited without O2, had eached Camp 4 at 4:30 am Pakistan time. You can follow her progress here. At last word, she is now in Camp 3.
He Jing at her day job.
Finally, the women are crushing it this year on K2, as 34-year-old He Jing of China, climbing with Seven Summit Treks, also summited without O2. He Jing’s first 8,000m summit was Cho Oyu, in 2016. Then, she needed only one bottle of oxygen, and has climbed without it ever since.
No one has shared summit pictures so far. Above, last year atop K2. Photo: Garrett Madison
Most descending teams are trying to reach at least Camp 3. It may be too late to venture lower, down the steep Black Pyramid between C3 and C2. It is also not advisable to attempt the ramps between Camps 2 and 1 in the dark because that area is prone to rockfall. But no-O2 climbers will want to descend as low as possible in order to get richer air.
Ali Akbar Sakhi, the Afghan climber who perished earlier today, apparently died of high-altitude sickness at Camp 3, Sajid Sadpara’s home team reports.
Ali Akbar Sakhi died on K2 today. Photo: Sajid Sadpara’s team
Finally, on Gasherbrum II, 360 Expeditions reports that two clients and the Sherpa team have summited.
