Summer 2015 | GI and GII Summit-Bids, K2 & Broad Peak Teams Mourn the Loss of HAP
It has been hard work in Karakoram this season. Excessive snow and warm temperatures tested the strength of climbers on all mountains. Summit pushes are currently underway on GI and GII, whereas Broad Peak and K2 climbers mourn the loss of Pakistani HAP on Broad Peak.
GI Summit Push
Climbing conditions on GI are quite challenging and not many climbers seem positive about success on the mountain. Currently the four member team of Ferran Latorre, Yannick Graziani, Tom Seidensticker and Muhammad Sadik are on the summit-push, whereas Nick Rice, Taiwanese and Italian climbers have decided to abandon the climb. Czech new route team started Base Camp trek last week and is expected to reach there soon.
Ferran, Yannick and team climbed to C2 yesterday. Ferran Latorre messaged from C2, this morning, “nobody else has climbed to C2. The weather is very fair again but all the ropes to the C3 are buried. See if the snow is stable.”
GI remained unclimbed in 2014.
GII Summit Push
Despite grueling 15hrs+ summit-bid, climbers were successful on GII last week. Second wave of summit push is currently underway. “This evening we are going to start the summit push on Gasherbrum II. Friday is planned as possible Summit day,” Polish climber Michal Ruszkowski wrote on July 20th. Polish Ski team of Olek Ostrowski and Piotr Śnigorski also had a similar summit-push plan.
Chilean climbers arrived at C2, yesterday. The team messaged that the climb from BC to C2 was “grueling” and future course of action would be decided “according to weather.”
K2 and Broad Peak BCs drenched by Sadness
Broad Peak and K2 climbers have been mourning the loss of Pakistani HAP Qamber Jangjupa, who went missing after Monday’s avalanche. Aerial evacuation of injured climbers has been the focus of climbers and summit-push, which was expected to start on July 21st, has been put on hold for now.
Helicopter couldn’t fly from Skardu to Base Camp on Monday and Tuesday. However, weather improved today and Japanese lady Sumiyo Tsuzuki was evacuated in the afternoon. Three doctors including Spaniard Anna Pujol have been taking care of Sumiyo since the avalanche. A special camp was established between BC and Crampon Point to avoid the glacial river. Apparently, other climbers were in better shape and didn’t need heli-evacuation.
Considering ongoing bad weather, yesterday Tunc Findik’s team said that the spirits (at BC) were not very high. However, this morning’s update showed some hope. “Today, morale is better! Last night, there were light rain and drizzles again. Weather is expected to become stable for 2 days, for planned summit attempt. If going for summit, they should reach the top on 25th.”
K2 Summit-Plans Undecided
Following update from Philippe Gatta summarizes the situation of K2 climbers, this season. “Each team has its weather report, strategy, constraints and they are often contradictory. Unfortunately the result is a lack of enthusiasm and collaboration on a mountain where both are mandatory for a success. It seems that there is/was a window for the 23-26th but it is short with important snow falls behind. Most teams do not want to take the risk or feel that they are not ready. We were ready to give it a try but without any support from other teams to break trail and fix the route above C3, the task seems too risky. So we hope that the bad weather coming in the 27-30 won’t drop too much snow on the mountain – which could jeopardise the expedition – and that high pressure will get back afterwards to allow for a summit push.”
GI Summit Push
Climbing conditions on GI are quite challenging and not many climbers seem positive about success on the mountain. Currently the four member team of Ferran Latorre, Yannick Graziani, Tom Seidensticker and Muhammad Sadik are on the summit-push, whereas Nick Rice, Taiwanese and Italian climbers have decided to abandon the climb. Czech new route team started Base Camp trek last week and is expected to reach there soon.
Ferran, Yannick and team climbed to C2 yesterday. Ferran Latorre messaged from C2, this morning, “nobody else has climbed to C2. The weather is very fair again but all the ropes to the C3 are buried. See if the snow is stable.”
GI remained unclimbed in 2014.
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| Climbers arrive at GI C2; Source |
GII Summit Push
Despite grueling 15hrs+ summit-bid, climbers were successful on GII last week. Second wave of summit push is currently underway. “This evening we are going to start the summit push on Gasherbrum II. Friday is planned as possible Summit day,” Polish climber Michal Ruszkowski wrote on July 20th. Polish Ski team of Olek Ostrowski and Piotr Śnigorski also had a similar summit-push plan.
Chilean climbers arrived at C2, yesterday. The team messaged that the climb from BC to C2 was “grueling” and future course of action would be decided “according to weather.”
K2 and Broad Peak BCs drenched by Sadness
Broad Peak and K2 climbers have been mourning the loss of Pakistani HAP Qamber Jangjupa, who went missing after Monday’s avalanche. Aerial evacuation of injured climbers has been the focus of climbers and summit-push, which was expected to start on July 21st, has been put on hold for now.
Helicopter couldn’t fly from Skardu to Base Camp on Monday and Tuesday. However, weather improved today and Japanese lady Sumiyo Tsuzuki was evacuated in the afternoon. Three doctors including Spaniard Anna Pujol have been taking care of Sumiyo since the avalanche. A special camp was established between BC and Crampon Point to avoid the glacial river. Apparently, other climbers were in better shape and didn’t need heli-evacuation.
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| Rescuing Japanese lady from Broad Peak; Source |
Considering ongoing bad weather, yesterday Tunc Findik’s team said that the spirits (at BC) were not very high. However, this morning’s update showed some hope. “Today, morale is better! Last night, there were light rain and drizzles again. Weather is expected to become stable for 2 days, for planned summit attempt. If going for summit, they should reach the top on 25th.”
K2 Summit-Plans Undecided
Following update from Philippe Gatta summarizes the situation of K2 climbers, this season. “Each team has its weather report, strategy, constraints and they are often contradictory. Unfortunately the result is a lack of enthusiasm and collaboration on a mountain where both are mandatory for a success. It seems that there is/was a window for the 23-26th but it is short with important snow falls behind. Most teams do not want to take the risk or feel that they are not ready. We were ready to give it a try but without any support from other teams to break trail and fix the route above C3, the task seems too risky. So we hope that the bad weather coming in the 27-30 won’t drop too much snow on the mountain – which could jeopardise the expedition – and that high pressure will get back afterwards to allow for a summit push.”
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| K2 this morning, as seen from BC; Source |
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