Summer Climbs 2015: ExWeb Posts Summit Round-Up From Pakistan

The summer climbing season is all but over in Pakistan, with just one team remaining to attempt a late summit bid. Most of the squads have already departed their respective Base Camps for home, with only a minimum amount of success this year. In fact, it was one of the more difficult climbing seasons in the Karakoram that we've seen in recent years, with most of the climbers not even getting a sniff of the summit. Poor weather and dangerous conditions made it difficult for anyone to get very high on Broad Peak and K2 in particular, although there was some success on the Gasherbrums. 

As the season winds down, ExWeb has posted a complete round-up of the summits from the past few weeks, and as expected there aren't very many of them. Just one on Broad Peak, three on Gasherbrum I, and 13 on GII. Here's the full list according to ExWeb's sources.

Broad Peak
1. Andrzej Bargiel (Poland) : July 25th, 2015 

Gasherbrum I
1. Ferran Latorre (Spain) : July 24th, 2015
2. Yannick Graziani (France) : July 24th, 2015
3. Tom Seidensticker (Germany) : July 24th, 2015 

Gasherbrum II
1. Laura González del Castillo (Mexico) : July 16th, 2015
2. Yuri Contreras Cedi (Mexico) : July 16th, 2015
3. Ernst Felix : July 16th, 2015
4. Christof Bartmann : July 16th, 2015
5. Sophie Lavaud (France/Switzerland) : July 16th, 2015
6. Ngima Chhiring Lama (Nepal) : July 16th, 2015
7. Muhammad (Pakistan) : July 16th, 2015
8. Kinga Baranowska (Poland) : July 17th, 2015
9. Kinga’s HAP (Pakistan) : July 17th, 2015
10. Richard Hidalgo (Peru) : July 24th, 2015
11. Martin Gildemeister (Chile) : July 24th, 2015
12. Czech Climber 1 : July 24th, 2015
13. Czech Climber 2 : July 24th, 2015

As you can see, two Czech climbers on GII remain unidentified, although they did manage to top out on July 24. The Explorers Web staff promises to update their list once those individuals are identified.


The most impressive climb of the season definitely goes to Polish mountaineer Andrezej Bargiel, who was able to complete a solo summit of BP, and make a ski descent, in under 8 hours. I've seen his summit listed elsewhere as "unofficial," but unless he can't produce summit photos – which sometimes happens on solo climbs – his expedition will go down as one of the most daring in recent years, especially considering the conditions from this season and lack of summits over all.

ExWeb also indicates that there are two Czech climbers who remain in Base Camp on the Gasherbrum Massif. They are reportedly acclimatized and ready to go, but are waiting for good weather before beginning their summit push. According to the report, they have completed acclimatization efforts on GII, and will now attempt to go up the Southwest Face in Alpine Style.

Hopefully they'll have more luck than most of the other squads this season. I'll report more on their efforts as the news breaks.

Summer Climbs 2015: More Teams Depart the Karakoram, Success Elsewhere

The long and difficult summer climbing season in Pakistan looks like it may be truly finished now. Earlier in the week numerous teams announced their intentions to leave Base Camp on K2 and Broad Peak, but there were still a few holdouts who were hoping to summit those mountains. Now, it seems that those teams have packed and left as well, bringing the curtain down on the season at last.

A few days back we noted that Nick Cienski's 6 Summits Challenge team was still in BC and hoping to have another crack at Broad Peak before calling an end to the expedition. But yesterday, Nick and his squad succumbed to the inevitable, calling off their plans to attempt one more summit bid. In a dispatch posted to the 6 Summits Facebook page it was revealed that conditions remain incredibly bad above 25,000 feet (7620 meters), with deep snow making it impossible to reach the summit.

While on Broad Peak this summer, Nick made three separate attempts to top out, but he and his teammates were turned back each time. Heavy snows up top and unseasonably warm temperatures at lower altitudes have simply made the mountain too dangerous to climb, and with time running out on the summer season, it is time to head home at last.

Nick's original plan for the year was to climb six different 8000-meter peaks, but bad luck has prevented him from claiming any at all. His spring climbing season in Nepal was cut short by the massive April 25 earthquake, and now extremely poor weather in the Karakoram has killed his chances of nabbing any summits this summer too. Where he'll go with his project remains to be seen.


The 6 Summits Challenge crew aren't the only ones who have decided to pull the plug on their expeditions. Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke has also left BC for home. She said that her team was living in denial the past few days, waiting beyond home for a chance to summit. But it simply isn't in the cards this year, so she has already begun the journey back to Skardu as well.

This summer season stands in stark contrast to last year, when more than 40 people were able to summit the mighty K2. This year there were no summits it all on that mountain, and just one on Broad Peak. It was certainly a reminder of just how difficult it typically is to climb on those mountains.

The season hasn't been a complete loss however. ExWeb is reporting that Jon Griffith and Andy Houseman achieved the first ascent of the West Summit of Link Sar, a 6938 meter (22,762 ft) peak in the Karakoram range. The climb took seven days to complete, and the initial objective was the main summit, but when conditions proved too dangerous to complete that plan, they switched to the West Summit instead. Climbing.com has details on the expedition, and what it was like for them on this remote mountain where the weather was just as bad as elsewhere, but they had a few more variables go their way.

Congrats to Jon and Andy on completing a great climb. It is good to see that the mountains didn't turn everyone back this year. The rest of the teams are now making their way home, and our attention will start to turn to the fall climbing season back in Nepal and Tibet.

Summer Climbs 2015: Controversy Brewing in the Mountains

There isn't much new to report in terms of the movements of the teams in Pakistan. Most have either left Base Camp for the return home, or are preparing to do so in the next few days. A few remain behind, holding out hope that they'l still get a crack at the summit on Broad Peak or possibly even K2, although the chances of either happening seem remote. But even as the summer season winds down, there is now controversy brewing in the mountains with the ethics of some climbers being called into question.

ExWeb has posted a disturbing article today that I'm sure will leave some members of the mountaineering community very disappointed. Apparently, in a video posted to Mike Horn's Facebook page the body of a fallen climber can be seen, which goes against the code of conduct that most climbers will abide by while documenting their expeditions.

According to the ExWeb story, the warm weather on K2 this year has melted a lot of the snow and ice there, possibly revealing the body in question. The fact that it appears in one of Horn's video has upset some other mountaineers, including Louis Rousseau, who wrote the Swiss climber an impassioned letter about the inclusion of the dead body in a video promoting his K2 climb. ExWeb has a copy of that letter, and has posted it in the article that I linked to above.

I have to say that while I haven't seen the video that Rousseau is referring to, so I don't know what context the body was shown. It could have been an inadvertent shot, or it could have been done on purpose. Either way, Rousseau is right that it is disrespectful to the climber, and his friends and family, to show images of the body, and I'm sure that the Swiss climbers would agree with that sentiment. I have no doubt that Horn will take the video down when given the opportunity. I don't know him at all, but he doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would try to capitalize on the misfortune of others.


Unfortunately, this isn't the only story that is brewing up controversy in the mountains of Pakistan at the moment. In the same article, ExWeb says that there are accusations coming from climber Andrzej Bargiel of climbers failing to assist in the search for Olek Ostrowski, who went missing on GII last weekend after attempting a summit bid and ski descent. Apparently just there high altitude porters went up to look for the missing man, with none of the other teams in BC offering to lend a hand.

Bargiel says that he had just descended from Broad Peak when he heard that Ostrowski had gone missing, and immediately left for the Gasherbrum Massif. In an interview with a Polish climbing magazine, Andrezej says the he feels ashamed for those who did not lend a hand, adding that they felt a summit bid was more important than trying to locate a missing compatriot. Worse yet, he says that there were climbers not just in BC, but in Camps 1 and 2 as well. None came to their aid.

Both of these stories are hard to read, and generally not indicative of the mountaineering community as a whole. Still, the latter story does give an indication of the attitude that climbers had on the Gasherbrums this year, and it is very sad that they wouldn't help search for Olek.

Hopefully this is just an anomaly and not a trend in attitudes.

Summer Climbs 2015: 6 Summits Challenge Team Awaits Opportunity on Broad Peak

I've written about Nick Cienski and his 6 Summits Challenge a couple of times in recent months. In case you're not familiar with the expedition, Nick has set a goal of reaching the top of no less than six 8000-meter peaks in a single year – a difficult proposition to say the least. But he hasn't exactly had a lot of luck go his way so far, as his original plans were to summit Everest, Lhotse, and Makalu this past spring. That didn't happen due to the horrendous earthquake that took place in Nepal, and the plan had to be quickly altered to deal with the situation.

In recent weeks, Nick has been in Pakistan, where he has been preparing to climb Broad Peak and K2 in an effort to keep the 6 Summits Challenge on track. But if you've been following the season there, you already know that it has been a difficult one. Poor weather and unstable conditions on both of those mountains have limited access to the higher portions of those peaks, and to date there has been only a single summit on BP, and none at all on K2.

But Nick is a patient man, and despite the fact that most teams have now abandoned Base Camp on K2 and Broad Peak, he seems as determined as ever to reach the top of one, if not both, of those mountains. There has been no indication from his Facebook page, Twitter feed, or journal entries that he is preparing to depart with the rest of the teams, and the latest update on FB says that he and his climbing partners are waiting for better weather to launch a summit bid on Broad Peak.

If a weather window does open, the push to the top will not be easy. You might recall that earlier in the week, the Himex squad made an attempt on the summit of BP but were turned back due to incredibly deep snow near the top. Those conditions aren't likely to have improved much, and breaking trail at such high altitudes is never easy. Still, Nick and his team are committed to the 6 Summits Challenge, and are hoping to at least get a legitimate shot at topping out.


Meanwhile, there are other climbers who have yet to indicate just what their plans are for the days ahead. For instance, Chris Jensen Burke hasn't updated her blog in a few days, but in her last dispatch she indicated that she and her teammates were in a holding pattern on Broad Peak and were waiting for better weather. There hasn't been a word out of Canadian climber Al Hancock all season, so it is unclear exactly where he is on the mountain. Presumably there are a few smaller teams still on BP awaiting their opportunity as well.

Traditionally, the climbing season in Pakistan runs through the first week of August or so, which indicates that there is still some time for conditions to improve and climbs to be completed. While the majority of teams have now left their respective Base Camps, there is a chance that we could still see some summits on Broad Peak in particular. K2 wouldn't be completely out of the question, but judging from reports, it seems highly unlikely.

Stay tuned. I'll continue to keep an eye on the situation, and post updates as warranted.

Summer Climbs 2015: More Teams Depart K2, Summit Push on Broad Peak Thwarted, Tragedy on Gasherbrum II

The summer climbing season in Pakistan is quickly coming to an end as numerous teams prepare to depart their Base Camps for the long trek home. It has been a frustrating year in the Karakoram, where deep snow and generally poor weather have prevented most climbers from achieving their goals. But it isn't over just yet, and there are still a few teams in holding patterns, although their chances of success don't look great at this point. 

We'll start today back on K2, where more teams have called it quits. Yesterday I noted that some of the big commercial squads had elected to pull the plug on their expeditions due to safety concerns high on the mountain, and today we learn that others have decided it is time to go home as well. They include the Swiss team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen, who were the first squad to arrive in BC this year. They made two attempts at the summit, and were turned back by heavy snow both times. They now feel that their best opportunity is behind them, and have begun preparing to start the trek back to Askoli. 

The Swiss team isn't the only ones who are leaving. The Seven Summits Treks commercial team is also preparing to depart as well, as is Philippe Gatta who announced on his Facebook page that he'll hit the trail starting tomorrow. Essentially, just about everyone is now abandoning K2 Base Camp, which means there will likely be no summits on the mountain at all this year. That stands in stark contrast to the amazing summer of 2014 when more than 40 climbers stood on top of the "Savage Mountain." 

Over on Broad Peak, one day after abandoning their attempt to climb K2, the Himex team launched a summit bid early today, setting out for Camp 3 in light snowfall. Later that would turn into a full-blown storm, with heavy snow falling on the upper slopes of the mountain. The climbers attempted to wait out the storm, but as they pressed forward they found deep, unstable snow that convinced them it was time to turn back. Everyone is back in BC now, and the Himex expedition is over on Broad Peak too. The entire team is now preparing to leave.

There are still a few teams in Base Camp on BP that are waiting to see if they'll get a chance to summit. The weather forecast into next week is not promising, but there is a chance that things will improve after that. The remaining squads are just holding on for a glimmer of hope, but at the moment it appears that there just might be only one summit on Broad Peak for the entire season. 

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that efforts to locate a missing climber on Gasherbrum II has been called off. Polish mountaineer/skier Olek Ostrowski went missing this past weekend when he was descending from Camp 2 to Camp 1. He had been attempting to summit the mountain, and then make a ski descent, but bad weather forced him to turn back. It is believed that he fell into a crevasse on the descent, but all attempts to find him came up empty. Continued bad weather and deteriorating conditions have hampered any further efforts to find Olek, who is now believed to have lost his life on the mountain. My condolences to his friends and family. 

That's all for today. It is now safe to say that there won't be many more updates from Pakistan this summer. The season is almost at an end, and it has been a difficult one to say the least. I'll continue to monitor the situation on the ground there, but for the most part there will be few teams left to report on as of tomorrow. 

Summer Climbs 2015: Teams Pull the Plug on K2 Expeditions

It has been a busy and eventful week on the big mountains in Pakistan. When I last posted an update a number of teams were getting ready to make summit pushes on Broad Peak and K2 in anticipation of a weather window opening up this past weekend. Now, the situation has changed dramatically, with a number of major teams calling it quits for the season amidst potentially dangerous conditions on both mountains.

When last we checked in, the Swiss team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen were high on K2 and preparing to push towards the summit. The team had gone up to Camp 3 at 6800 meters (22,309 ft) and were expecting good weather. But as they climbed higher, the team ran into unstable conditions and deep snow, which convinced them to decide to turn around and return to Base Camp. At the moment, it is unclear whether or not they'll make another attempt, although there have been rumblings that the team is preparing to leave the mountain.

What is clear however is that the major commercial teams on K2 are calling it quits for the season. ExWeb is reporting that both Himex and Madison Mountaineering have decided that conditions are too unsafe to proceed up the mountain, and so both squads are preparing to head home. There are reports of deteriorating conditions, with rock falls, avalanches, and deep snow all making it difficult to climb up. Considering the reputation K2 has for being incredibly dangerous under the best of conditions, it seems wise to move on without endangering any more climbers.

To make matters worse for some teams, there was an avalanche a few days back in ABC that wiped out several camps there, and buried gear and supplies. Some of the teams have gone up to see if they can locate their equipment, while others have seen this as a sign to head home. That avalanche was another reminder just how unstable things are on the mountain this season, which could result in zero summits. Considering the level of success last year, the 2015 season is a stark reminder of why K2 is considered the most difficult mountain in the world to climb.


Over on Broad Peak, a smilier story is being told. A major summit push was launched late last week, with some teams hoping to reach the top this past weekend. Unfortunately, as they neared heights of 7800 meters (25,590 ft) the teams discovered extremely deep snow that made it impossible to continue climbing. The squads were forced to break trail at an excruciatingly slow pace, which ended up leaving them exhausted. Most turned back without ever getting close to the top.

There are some teams that preparing to go up in the next day or two, depending on weather. Amongst them is the Himex team, which is now on a deadline. Their porters are scheduled to arrive back in BC  on Friday of this week, which means that climbing operations must be wrapped up by then. Right now, the team gives itself a "50/50" chance of summiting, with weather conditions and the heavy snow on the slopes ultimately determine their fate.

Australian climber Chris Jensen Burke is taking a "wait and see" approach to continuing her climb on Broad Peak. She says that the difficult conditions there have turned back all summit pushes thus far, and that she is uncertain of whether or not her team will have an opportunity to go up. At the moment, the squad is waiting for an appropriate weather window and will assess the situation should one open up.

Curiously, Burke says that there has been a lack of cooperation and teamwork on BP this summer, which has led to general disorganization amongst the teams. As a result, it has been more difficult for anyone to launch a summit bid since there has been no organized approach to fixing ropes or planning for shared trail breaking efforts.

After reading all of these reports, the bottom line is that it isn't looking good for the K2 and Broad Peak expeditions this season. From the sounds of things, this isn't just about waiting for good weather, as conditions on the upper slopes of both mountains are incredibly treacherous right now. The summer season will rapidly come to an end in the next week or two, with little chance of anyone reaching the top after that. Patient teams are trying to give themselves the best opportunity they can, but it simply might not be in the cards for anyone to top out this year. Like those climbers, we'll have to be patient too, and hope for the best. At this point, lets hope everyone gets off the mountain safely.

Summer Climbs 2015: Summit Push Begins on K2!

It has been a long, and difficult, week in the big mountains of Pakistan, but it appears that the patience and persistence of the climbers may be about to pay off. After weeks of acclimatizing and waiting for a weather window, a summit push has started on K2 at long last.

The Swiss team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen have been on the mountain longer than any other team. As a result, they have wrapped up their acclimatization rotation days ago, and have been waiting for a weather window to open. In fact, the trio tried to summit last week, but were turned back when conditions took a turn for the worse. Now, they have started up once again, and the forecast calls for good weather over the next few days.

According to their most recent dispatch, Horn, Roux, and Reichen have reached Camp 3 at 6800 meters (22,309 ft). That means that they are almost within striking distance of the summit, and if all goes well they could complete the climb within the next couple of days.

At the moment, the Swiss team appears to be the only one in motion, as the other squads seem content to stay in Base Camp and wait for a longer, and safer, weather window. Some are still recovering from their latest acclimatization rotations, while others are still getting their bodies accustomed to the thin air. For them, there could be a chance at another summit bid next week, but it all depends on how things play out.

For now though, I'll be keeping a close eye on three men who are currently moving upwards. Hopefully they'll have a bit of luck go their way, and they'll manage to get up and down the mountain safely.

Summer Climbs 2015: Avalanche on Broad Peak Leaves One Climber Missing, Two Injured

There is a breaking story coming out of Pakistan this morning that indicates that there has been an avalanche on Broad Peak that has left one climber missing and two others seriously injured. The incident reportedly occurred at Camp 1 on the mountain a short time ago, but details of what has happened remain sketchy at this time.

The first-hand account of the avalanche comes from British climber David Tait, who witnessed it from Base Camp on K2. Tait described the scene as "sobering," and said as far as he knew, the number of people that were caught up in the avalanche are the three mentioned thus far. No names were given as of yet, although he does say that reports of the injured and dead fluctuated wildly in the immediate aftermath of the avalanche.

Meanwhile, the latest dispatch from the Himex team also mentions the avalanche, but offers few other details either. That post confirms that the avalanche took place at C1 on Broad Peak, and that climbers, Sherpas, and even a high altitude porter may have been caught in the slide. Himex support crew were standing by to lend a hand if needed, but otherwise there wan't much else to report at this time.

For now, we'll just have to wait for more information to be revealed. Hopefully the death toll doesn't rise any further, and the majority of climbers in Camp 1 are safe.


As the season has progressed, it seems that the teams on both BP and K2 are now ready to make their summit bids. The acclimatization rotations are now nearing an end, and most climbers appear to be ready. Of course, it will be the weather that determines when they can ultimately go up, but Chris Jensen Burke says that the route fixers are scheduled to leave BC tomorrow and go to work on installing the ropes to the summit. That means that we could have climbers standing on top as early as this coming weekend.

The weather on Broad Peak and K2 is currently being uncooperative. A slow moving system has descended on the region, dropping rain and snow on both mountains, although winds are reportedly quite low. It's not clear yet how that weather patter will impact the coming summit push, but it could delay things a bit, particularly on K2.

Finally, it is being reported by a number of sources that Pakistani climber Samina Baig has left K2 after suffering an injury. The young woman has become a shining light for female climbers in her home country, where few are actually allowed to go to the mountains. In her short career, she has already conquered the Seven Summits, becoming the youngest person from Pakistan to climb Mt. Everest in the process. She had hoped to follow that up with a successful climb of K2 at home, but will now have to put off those ambitions.

That's all for now. I'll share more information on the avalanche when it is released.

Summer Climbs 2015: Summits on Gasherbrum II, More to Come

The first summits of the summer season have occurred on the Gasherbrum Massif in Pakistan, with potentially more to come today. According to a report from Explorers Web, members of the Kobler & Partner squad managed to top out on Gasherbrum II yesterday despite very challenging conditions. Meanwhile, a second wave of summiteers is ready to follow, as other climbers move up on GI as well.

ExWeb says that the summit team included the following mountaineers: Laura González del Castillo, Yuri Contreras Cedi, Ernst Felix, Christof Bartmann, Sophie Lavaud, Ngima Chhiring Lama, Nga Dorchi Sherpa. Of those, Sophie Lavaud has managed to complete the climb without the use of supplemental oxygen.

Reportedly the group spent 16 hours on their summit push, battling heavy snow all the way to the top.  Team leaders Peter Schatzl, Sherpa Ngima and Dorchi and high-altitude porter Muhammad did most of the route fixing, leading the way from BC to the summit according to ExWeb's sources.

The success on GII from yesterday is likely to be duplicated today. A second wave of climbers was already in Camp 3 and preparing to make a move up to the summit today. That group reportedly has a good weather window, and with the trail already broken, they should have a better time moving up and down the mountain than the previous summiteers.


Nearby, summit bids are already underway on Gasherbrum I as well. A team of four climbers had moved up to 7100 meters (23,293 ft) yesterday, and should be making their push today too. Apparently, they are also facing heavy snows near the top, and are having to break trail on their way to the summit. If all goes according to plan, they should complete the ascent today, and return to C3 before descending to Base Camp tomorrow.

Meanwhile, over on K2 the acclimatization efforts from teams like Himex and Madison Mountaineering continues as usual. Those teams are making slow, but steady progress towards preparing their bodies for an eventual summit push of their own. That is probably still a couple of weeks off, depending on the weather. But so far, things are progressing as you would expect.

The Swiss trio of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen had climbed up to C3 on K2 a few days back, and were hoping to make a summit bid this weekend. There has been no word from the team since they set off from Base Camp, but according to Horn's GPS tracking, it appears that they have abandoned their summit push and have returned to BC as well. We'll have to wait for the team's next dispatch to know exactly what is happening, but it seems for now they are not ready to proceed up above 7500 meters (24,606 ft).

That's all for now. We'll continue to keep an eye on the teams climbing in Pakistan and bring updates as warranted.

Summer Climbs 2015: Summit Bids Begin in Pakistan

It has been a busy week in the Himalaya and Karakoram of Pakistan, where a number of teams are now wrapping up their acclimatization rotations on Broad Peak, which will allow them to launch summit bids in the very near future. But while those climbers wait for a proper weather window to open, other are already starting for their own summits on K2 and the Gasherbrums. 

The Swiss team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen have been on K2 longer than anyone else, and they wrapped up their final acclimatization round last week. After returning to Base Camp, the trio had to wait for poor weather to pass before launching their summit bid, which began two days ago. The plan is to reach 7500 meters (24,606 ft) today with the hopes of pressing on to the top in another day or two, provided the weather remains good.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that summit bids are also underway on Gasherbrum I and II, where a weather window opened yesterday and teams have begun moving up to take advantage of it. On GI, independent climbing teams have joined forces to work together on their push to the top, while the commercial squad of Kobler & Partner is organizing the summit push on GII. Ropes have been fixed on both peaks to Camp 3, which is where the climbers are headed today. Once there, they'll evaluate the situation, check the weather forecasts, and decide whether or not they should proceed up to the summit. 

The Madison Mountaineering team climbed up to Camp 2 on K2 today as they continued to acclimatize on that mountain. The squad's latest dispatch indicates that everyone is doing well and progressing according to plan. 

Australian climber Chris Jensen Burke is back on Broad Peak this year, where she missed out on the summit last summer but still managed to nab K2. She indicates that her team has completed its first acclimatization rotation, spending the night in Camp 1. Chris is back in BC now however, but will soon go back up once again, this time touching C2 as she prepares for an eventual summit bid. She reports very good weather on the mountain at the moment, which bodes well for the climbers. 

Also on BP is Billi Bierling, who will be going for the double header of Broad Peak and K2 this year. She's back in K2 Base Camp at the moment, where she is resting up before heading up the slopes to Camp 3. She says that things are also going well, and that she hopes to top out sometime near the end of the month. 

That's it for today. I'll be keeping an eye on the current summit bids to see how everyone fares. If the weather holds, than we could see the first summits of the season in the next few days. 

Summer Climbs 2015: Mountaineer Rescued From K2 Base Camp

The summer climbing season in Pakistan is continue to pick up steam as more teams make their way to base camps in the Himalaya and Karakoram. Acclimatization rotations are now well under way, and at least one team is already thinking about its summit bid. But there is a lot of work to be done before the end of the season draws near, and mountains like K2 and Broad Peak will now give up their summits easily.

The biggest news to come out of the Karakoram over the past couple of days is that one climber has been evacuated from K2 Base Camp. Details are sparse at the moment, but ExWeb is reporting that a mountaineer by the name of Robert Jackson had to be rescued from BC via helicopter by the Pakistani military. Exactly why Jackson needed to be evacuated is unclear, but he had been climbing as part of a team that had been on the mountain since June 16.

Further up the slopes on K2, the Swiss trio of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen continue on their push to Camp 3. They hope to reach that point today, deposit some gear, and then drop back to BC. At that point, they feel that their bodies will be well acclimatized to the conditions, and the team will begin waiting for a good weather window to launch their attempt on the summit. If conditions remain good, that could come as early as next week.

Aussie climber Chris Jensen Burke and the rest of her squad arrived in Base Camp on Broad Peak yesterday, and she has wasted no time in starting her first acclimatization round. Chris and her Sherpa Lakpa will move up to Camp 1 as they start preparing for the higher altitudes. She reports that there are teams in BC that are ready for a summit push, but unfortunately the ropes have not been fixed to the top just yet. There are also indications that there are heavy snows high on the mountain too.

Canadian climber Al Hancock should also be approaching BC on Broad Peak. His last update on June 30 indicated that he was en route to Askoli to begin the trek, which generally takes about 8-10 days to complete. He's hoping to add another 8000 meter peak to his resume in a bid to become the first Canadian to get all 14 of the world's tallest peaks.

The Madison Mountaineering team has settled in nicely on BP and are preparing to begin their climb. Yesterday the team had their Puja ceremony, during which they receive a blessing from a Buddhist monk and ask the mountain permission to climb. This is a traditional ceremony held throughout the Himalaya prior to an expedition officially getting underway. With this formality out of the way, they will now launch their first acclimatization rotation as well.

At the moment, there is just a lot of moving up and down the mountains taking place. It is a long, slow process to get your body ready for the thin air of higher altitudes, and only hard work and steady progress will make a summit bid a reality. With the exception of a few early teams now being ready to make their summit bids, we are still a few weeks away from most of the climbers being ready to go up.

More news soon as is warranted.

Summer Climbs 2015: Expeditions Unfolding on K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrums

It has been a busy couple of weeks in Pakistan, where the climbing teams on K2, Broad Peak, and the Gasherbrums are now getting ready to get down to business. When I left for Alaska, the climbers were still en route to their various base camps in the Himalaya and Karakoram, but now most have settled in and started their acclimatization process. They'll begin begin working the mountain, with most eyeing summit bids by the end of July.

British climber David Tait has his eyes on K2 this year after summiting Everest on five separate occasions. He's currently acclimatizing on Broad Peak at the moment, where he hope to prepare his body for the challenges ahead. He reports that conditions on BP are very cold at the moment, but that the expedition is proceeding according to plan. Yesterday, he and his team climbed up to Camp 2 as part of their acclimatization process, where he spent a very chilly night after forgetting his sleeping pad back in BC, a lesson he says he'll only need to be taught once.

Chris Jensen Burke is headed back to Broad Peak this summer as well. She made an attempt on the mountain last year but was turned back due to bad weather. She did go on to successfully summit K2 however, but the Aussie woman still has unfinished business with BP. At the moment she is still trekking towards Base Camp, which she should reach in the next few days. Her expedition was delayed for four straight days due to flights to Skardu being cancelled. Now, she's ready to get down to work and add yet another 8000-meter peak to her resume.


The Madison Mountaineering team, which includes American climber Vanessa O'Brien, is also attempting the Broad Peak-K2 double header this summer. The squad is currently trekking towards Base Camp as well, and should arrive there today. They'll take a day or two to get their legs – and lungs – in order before they start moving up the slope.

Over in K2 Base Camp, the Himex team is finding the weather to be both pleasant and warm. Temperatures in BC are said to be in the 25-30ºC /77-86ºF, which is actually quite comfortable in the mountains. K2 is well known for its poor weather, but currently it is pleasant there, although that can change very quickly. While the weather may be good however, the conditions on the mountain remain difficult. There were no less than five avalanches throughout the day yesterday, and possibly three more over night. Those avalanches are covering BC in a fine dust of snow, but there is no danger to the climbers encamped there. As they move up to C1 and C2 however, they'll need to take great caution.

Climber/journalist Billi Bierling is in Base Camp on K2, where she reports that the setting is simply stunning. She arrived there on the first of July, and is now on her first acclamation rotation. The team had its Puja ceremony on July 3 ahead of the start of their climbing activities, and now things are starting to heat up. She'll probably go up to C2 on this first round, before descending back to BC for a rest.

The team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux, and Köbi Reichen was the first to arrive in K2 Base Camp, and as such they are at the front of the climbing schedule. The team has now gone as high as Camp 3 where they are currently stashing gear and plan to spend the night to night. From there, they'll descend back to BC where they'll begin waiting and watching the weather. When conditions are good, the trio of Swiss climbers intend to set off on the first summit bid of the season.

ExWeb has an update on the unfolding climbing season on Gasherbrum I and II, where teams are still getting settled. The squads on that mountain have started their first rotation as well, although they report poor weather conditions including high winds, heavy snow, and low visibility. Teams headed up to Camp 1 and 2 a few days back, and are taking advantage of whatever weather windows they are given to make progress.

That's all for today. I'll post more updates in the days ahead as things begin to unfold. Right now, it is all about acclimatization and preparing for summit bids, which for most are still a few weeks off. Stay tuned.

Summer Climbing 2015: ExWeb Updates All Team Positions

The summer climbing season is nearly set to begin in Pakistan, and the teams there are now starting to move into position. We're still a few days away from the first squad reaching Base Camp, but it won't be long now until we'll start to see a steady stream of updates from the mountains. In preparation for the season officially getting under way, ExWeb has posted a comprehensive round-up of where each of the teams is currently located, and what their objectives are for the weeks ahead. As is usual for this time of the year, the focus will be squarely on Gasherburm I and II, Broad Peak, and of course K2.

It looks like the Swiss team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen will be the first into BC on K2. The team has been in country for a couple of weeks now, and were delayed by bureaucratic issues, but finally started the trek earlier in the week. They are now three days away from reaching the mountain, which should put them in on Monday of next week. The team reports that conditions are very warm there at the moment.

The Himex team headed to both K2 and Broad Peak this summer is about to start their trek. They were scheduled to travel to Askole by jeep today, which is where the trail actually begins. It typically takes about 7-8 days to reach BC, so don't expect them to get settled on the mountain until next weekend. Five-time Everest summiteer David Tait, who is climbing with the squad, has been posting regular dispatches about his experience in Pakistan so far. He has done a good job of keeping readers up to date on their progress.

The other major commercial team on K2 and Broad Peak this summer will be led by Madison Mountaineering. ExWeb indicates that the team is still gathering in Islamabad, and has yet set out for Skardu, the regional town that serves as the launching point to those mountains.


Vanessa O'Brien is in Pakistan and preparing to launch her efforts on K2. She's schedule to begin the trek to Base Camp next week as she goes in search of her 5th 8000-meter peak. If she reaches the top of K2, she'll become the first American woman to do so.

Some other climbers of note include Al Hancock, who ExWeb says is still in Nepal but is planning to head to Pakistan on June 25. He's climbing Broad Peak this summer. Also headed to BP is Oscar Cadiach, who will lead a team of Spanish climbers up that mountain. A second Spanish squad is heading for K2, and will be led by Carlos Suárez. French climber Phillippe Gatta is waiting on his permit for K2, but will be setting out for Pakistan shortly.

These expeditions are just the tip of the iceberg for what will be happening in the Karakoram and Himalaya this summer. ExWeb has a far more comprehensive list of what will be happening there, including reports of a Polish team that plans to ski the Gasherbrums, attempts by Ecuadorian and Peruvian climbers on K2 and GI respectively, and much more. To see the entire list, click here.

It feels like it is taking a long time for the 2015 summer season to crank up, but that is no doubt in part because of the shut down in the Himalaya of Nepal and Tibet this past spring. Everything is going according to plan however, and we should start to see news begin to filter out from the mountains as early as next week. The teams will spend the first few weeks acclimatizing of course, with the first possible summit bids coming in late July and early August depending on schedules, weather, and conditions on the mountain. Stay tuned for regular updates on the progress of these climbers, as it should be an exciting time in the days ahead.

Summer Climbs 2015: Climbers Arriving in Pakistan

The summer climbing season is ready to begin in ernest, as teams of climber have begun to arrive in Pakistan. It will take them some time to reach their respective Base Camps in the Himalaya and Karakoram, but we will soon see some action in the big mountains once again.

One of the first arrivals in Islamabad is David Tait, who flew in over the weekend. Tait, who is a 5-time Everest summiteer – is in Pakistan to climb K2 as part of the Himex squad and should be heading out shortly. He'll be filming a POV documentary for Discovery while he is there, capturing his expedition from a first person perspective.

Also climbing with Himex is Bili Bierling, who often writes dispatches for the expedition company while on various climbs. She left her home in Nepal last week and should be in Pakistan already, but there have been no updates in recent days. She'll be attempting Broad Peak this summer. In her pre-climb dispatch Bili indicated that the team would fly to Skardu tomorrow, than take a jeep caravan to Askole where they would begin the 8-day trek to BC. That would put them on the mountain next Tuesday if all things go as planned.

This being Pakistan, things rarely go as planned however. The trio of Mike Horn, Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen discovered this after arriving in the country back in early June. The climbers have been stuck in Askole themselves while they wait for their security clearance to be processed. Presumably they would be able to head out tomorrow as well if they don't proceed sooner. This summer they'll be focused on K2.


American climber Venessa O'Brien will be attempting K2 as part of the Madison Mountaineering team. Neither she, nor the company, have posted any updates so far, so it is unclear where she is at exactly. Presumably her team is now in country and making their way to the mountain, but we'll have to wait for an update to know for certain.

Al Hancock wil be attempting Broad Peak this summer as part of his bid to become the first Canadian to climb all 14 8000-meter peaks. He nabbed K2 last year when a historical number of people summited that mountain, and this year he'll return to finish BP too. There is no word on when his expedition will begin, as Al has not posted any updates yet, but presumably he is en route to Pakistan or already there as well.

Similarly, Chris Jensen Burke has rumored to be returning to Broad Peak as well, although we have yet to hear about her plans either. She did post an interesting story to her blog that rebutted a recent article that called mountaineering the "height of empty egoism" however which is well worth reading.

There are other climbers and teams heading to both K2, Broad Peak, and the Gasherbrums. I expect we'll start to see some dispatches from them all very soon. The pre-climb trek will take a few more days, but after that we should see a steady stream of updates keeping us posted on the progress of the teams. Until that happens, we'll need to remain a bit patient. The summer climbing season is just about to truly get underway, and than things should get very interesting indeed.

Summer Climbs 2015: Calm Before The Storm

The summer climbing season on the big mountains in the Himalaya, Karakoram, and elsewhere are just starting to ramp up. We know that the team of Mike Horn, Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen are already in Pakistan and preparing to start their trek to K2 Base Camp. They'll soon be joined by a number of other climbers who are eyeing peaks in the region, including Broad Peak and Gasherbrum I and II. But at the moment it is the calm before the storm, as the teams anxiously prepare for their departures and the start of some big expeditions ahead.

Five-time Everest summiteer David Tait is headed for K2 as well. His website says that he'll depart for Pakistan on Saturday of this week after overcoming a slew of logistical nightmares that includes extracting his climbing gear from Nepal while that country is still reeling from the earthquake that hit back on April 25. Tait, who is climbing with Himex, reports that their Sherpa and support team is already en route to BC, and will begin setting up camp within a few days. That means that everything will be ready for the squad once they arrive.

Also headed to K2 this summer is Vanessa O'Brien, who holds the female record for the fastest time completing the Seven Summits and the Adventure Grand Slam (Seven Summits plus North and South Pole). She'll be climbing with Madison Mountaineering, but there is no indication of when that team will start to arrive in in country. Their schedule has to be similar to that of the other teams however, so look for dispatches to start sometime within the next week.

Chris Jensen Burke is headed back to Pakistan as well. She has unfinished business on Broad Peak after failing to reach the summit last year due to poor weather. She has spent much of the time since the Nepal earthquake working in that country to help raise funds and rebuild the shattered infrastructure there, but soon she will depart for BP as well.


Canadian climber Al Hancock was on Annapurna this spring when the earthquake hit, bringing an abrupt end to his expedition there. He's also headed towards Broad Peak this summer, and will be climbing on the same permit as Jensen Burke. He is working on summiting all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks, and already has Everest (x2), Makalu, and K2 on his resume. If successful, he'll be the first Canadian to accomplish that feat.

Meanwhile, ExWeb is reporting that a Czech team has set their sights on Gasherbrum I this summer with the hopes of opening a new route along the Southwest face. Marek Holecek and Tomas Petrecek will be making a third attempt on this challenging route, which Holecek attempt back in 2009 and 2013. There is no word on when the expedition will begin, but it is likely to get underway in the next week or so as well.

That's all for now. The summer climbing season is just now starting to ramp up, so expect more updates soon. It should be another interesting one, with plenty to report from some of the most challenging mountains on the planet.

Summer Climbing: An Epic Road Trip to K2

Sometimes getting to the mountain is half of the adventure. Case in point, ExWeb is reporting that one climbing team elected to travel overland to K2 this spring, crossing through 10 countries en route. The team, which consists of well known mountaineers Mike Horn, Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen, arrived in Pakistan on May 30, and is now preparing to start the hard part of the expedition – the actual climb itself.

The trio set out from Switzerland on May 14 and passed through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China on their way to K2 Base Camp. They drove overland in Mercedes Benz G-Class SUV's, which are both very capable off road, and comfortable for the people inside. That said, Mike Horn was quoted as saying “Let’s just say it’s a challenging commute to work,” indicating that the drive wasn't always an easy one.

According to ExWeb the team is currently in Skardu, but will proceed on to Askole soon where they will begin the trek to BC. They'll soon be joined on that trail by a number of other climbers as the Karakoram climbing season ramps up once again.

This isn't the first trip to K2 for this group. All three were on the mountain in 2013 but were forced to turn back at Camp 2 due to poor weather and heavy snow. 2014 was a much better year, seeing an unprecedented 40+ summits amidst what was possibly the best weather ever on the mountain. Horn, Rouz, and Reichen all hope those conditions will return once again this season, giving them a crack at the summit.

On a personal note, I think this sounds like a terrific way to travel to Pakistan for the climb. Sure, it adds some extra time to the journey, but it is also one heck of a great road trip through some countries that don't see a lot of foreign visitors. The two weeks that they spent driving to Pakistan were probably challenging, but also a lot of fun, not to mention a great way to see the world.

The summer climbing season is just now starting to ramp up. Expect plenty of updates and stories from K2, Broad Peak, and other major mountains in the days ahead.

Video: The Trailer for K2: Siren of the Himalaya

With the summer climbing season about to begin, I thought it was worth sharing the trailer for the film K2: Siren of the Himalaya that was released last year. It is a fantastic documentary that takes a look at this amazing mountain, and the men and women who are drawn to climb it. The film is available to purchase or rent via a number of outlets, including iTunes and Google Play, and is well worth the money. If you want to know more about what mountaineers face on the "Savage Mountain," you'll certainly want to give this film a look.

Summer Climbing: K2, Broad Peak, and Beyond

After the spring climbing season in the Himalaya was cut short due to the earthquake in Nepal, the mountaineering scene has been unusually quiet for the past few months. But now that summer is nearly upon us that is about to change, as climbing teams start to get back to business and turn their attention to other big peaks outside of Nepal and Tibet.

With the arrival of June, the seasonal monsoons are once again hitting central Asia, making it unsafe to climb in the Himalaya proper. That means that all the expeditions to Everest, Lhotse, Annapurna, and the like would have gone home by now regardless of the earthquake. There is generally a short lull between the end of the spring climbing season in Nepal, and the start of operations elsewhere. That lull won't last for long however, and even now expeditions are gearing up for the challenges ahead.

In preparation for the start of the summer climbing season, Alan Arnette has taken a comprehensive look at some of the teams that we'll be hearing a lot about in the coming weeks. Those climbers have set their eyes on some big 8000 meter peaks in Pakistan, and in the days ahead I'll be watching their progress closely.

On K2, the commercial teams have moved onto the mountain in recent years, and this year there will be two squads led by Madison Mountaineering and Himalayan Experience. Both of those outfitters have a great deal of experience on major peaks, and they hope to continue the momentum that was started last year when an unprecedented 40 climbers found success on the world's toughest mountain. But K2 is fickle, and the weather there is incredibly unpredictable, so I wouldn't count on a repeat of 2014, which was a banner one indeed.


Amongst the climbers attempting K2 this season are David Tait, a man who has summited Everest on five separate occasions. If you've followed David's expeditions over the years, you've probably heard him talk about retiring from the big mountains on more than one occasion, yet he continues to find reasons to come back. K2 will be a different kind of challenge for him however, and it will be interesting to read his thoughts on the mountain.

Alan also points out that there will be teams led by Nazir Expeditions, Adventure Tours Pakistan, and Seven Summits Treks, which operates out of Nepal. These outfitters provide less support for the climbers on the mountain, and are more like a loosely affiliated group that are sharing a climbing permit.

Elsewhere, there will be several teams on Broad Peak, which is sometimes used as an acclimatization climb ahead of K2. Last year, Chris Burke was able to summit the "Savage Mountain" but her efforts to bag both K2 and Broad Peak were thwarted. She'll return this summer to try to nab BP and claim her ninth 8000-meter mountain.

The Gasherbrums (I and II) will play host to a team of international climbers who will be working together to bag both summits. The two mountains pose a formidable challenge for any mountaineer, but are also excellent peaks to gain experience on before proceeding on to the other eight-thousanders. These mountains are rarely very busy, but it is always interesting to follow progress on them none the less.

Finally, Alan is reporting that Nanga Parbat will remain empty once again this summer. After the terrorist attack on that mountain back in 2013 – which left 11 dead – few teams have wanted to venture to Nanga during the summer season. It has been the target of numerous winter expeditions in recent years, but it seems that teams will shy away again due to security concerns.

It should also be noted that the climbing season on Denali is in full swing as well, with numerous teams already on the mountain. While not as tall as these massive 8000-meter peaks, the Alaskan mountain is as challenging as the come. We'll be keeping an eye on proceedings there as well, with updates as they are warranted.

That's the round-up of the summer climbing season ahead. Stay tuned for regular updates.

Himalaya Spring 2015: Expeditions to Watch

This weekend many climbers from across the globe will set out for Nepal at long last. Even though there has already been action in the Himalaya this spring, the season won't truly get underway until next week when the teams begin arriving in Kathmandu in droves. It'll take them some time to get out to their various Base Camps, but things are about to get very interesting in the big mountains.

To prepare us for the season ahead, Alan Arnette shared a post yesterday detailing some of the major expeditions to watch in the weeks ahead. Most of these climbs center around Everest of course, but several will focus on other major peaks too. Alan himself will leave shortly for Nepal as well, where he'll be attempting Lhotse this spring.

Among the climbs that Alan recommends keeping an eye on this year are an expedition to the rarely visited North-Northeast Ridge, where Canadian Raphael Slawinski will be joined by Germans David Goettler and Daniel Bartsch to attempt a new route without the use of Sherpas or supplemental oxygen. This side of the mountain has only been scaled one other time, but a Russian team back in 1996. The trio will be going up the ridge along a different path however.

Kilian Jornet's speed attempt on Everest will certainly get plenty of attention as well. His original plans were to make the attempt from the North Side, but Alan's report seems to indicate that is no longer the case. Considering the challenges and uncertainty that come with climbing in Tibet, and the fact that some operators switched sides and cancelled climbs on the North, perhaps Kilian has had to change up his plans as well. That will make things difficult for him, as the larger crowds on the South Side will certainly alter his approach.

Other interesting expeditions on the schedule an attempt to ski the Lhotse Coulair on Everest by Matt Moniz and Wilie Benegas. Alan says the coulair has never been fully skied before, and these two climbers will do it after summiting Everest. British climber Kenton Cool has ambitious plans for the weeks ahead as well. He'll first attempt to summit Everest – something he has done 11 times in the past – before moving on to Kangchenjunga and eventually K2. 23-year old Brit Rupert Jones-Warner will attempt to summit Everest from both the North and South Side, using a helicopter to travel between the two Base Camps on the respective sides of the mountain. Finally, German climbing legend Ralf Dujmovits is returning to Everest once again to attempt to summit without the use of bottled oxygen. Ralf has already climbed all 8000-meter peaks, but feels he has unfinished business on Everest after using O's to summit that peak.

That's the run-down of Alan's suggestions for climbs to watch this spring. Of course, I'm sure there will be plenty of other interesting expeditions to keep an eye on as well. The season is only about to get underway, so there should be plenty of action to come.