Climbers on Latok II Progress Slowly in Bad Weather

Miquel Mas and Marc Subirana of Spain have returned to Latok II to finish the new 1,000m route they started last year.

The pair reached base camp on July 21 and seized the short periods of acceptable weather to pitch an advanced base camp at 4,950m at the foot of the face.

They then climbed the lower part of the wall until they reached a gear depot they had left last year, hanging on the face at 5,700m. In 2022, they climbed six more pitches, until 6,000m, and left some ropes. But it seems that some of the ropes may be damaged, the climbers told their home team.

Base Camp near Latok II.

Mas and Subirana are currently waiting out more bad weather in base camp. Once it improves, their plan is to reach their 2022 high point and proceed further from there.

The Biafo Glacier and its surroundings, with the Latok massif and Baintha Brakk in the upper right corner. Map: Caingram.info

 

Latok II’s main summit is 7,108m, but the line that Mas and Subirana are climbing leads to a secondary point, which is 6,400m high.

Close to the Latok group is Baintha Brakk I, also known as The Ogre. Here, the strong team of Francois Cazzanelli, Matteo della Bordella, Silvan Schupbach, and Symon Welfringer called off their expedition last week, because of the same relentless bad weather.