Karakoram Diaries – 28th July
A round-up of today’s updates from the mountains of the Karakoram.
Multiple Summits on K2!
Confirmed summits for Garrett Madison, Conan Bliss, Kenton Cool, Rob Lucas, Rob Smith, Rebecca Ferry, Jon Gupta, Oksana Litynska, Aang Phurba Sherpa, Siddhi Bahadur Tamang, Dorje Gyeljen Sherpa, Pasdawa Sherpa, Kamdorji Sherpa, Ming Dorchi Sherpa, Dawa Nupu Sherpa, Lhakpa Wongchu Sherpa, Mingmar Sherpa, Muhammad Ali, Hussain Ali, Zakir Hussain, Niels Jespers, Hugo Ayaviri, Sajid Sadpara, Elia Saikaly and Pasang Kaji Sherpa
“100% of the team on the summit of K2 right now!! Congratulations all. You are half way there – Godspeed on the descent! Stay safe.”
“K2 summit!!
“Now all Sherpa, Pakistani staff and member safe at Camp 4.”
“Done! K2 Summit 05.45 Wednesday 28 July. 8,611m. Totally amazing! I just can’t believe it. Mind blowing! Now to get safely down.”
“My Beloved Pakistan, Thank You for climbing and summiting King of the Mountains – K2 with me.”
Elia Saikaly and Sajid Sadpara (K2)
Elia Saikaly and Sajid Sadpara today reached the summit of K2 in respect of their fallen family and friends.
“On the descent Sajid has single handedly retrieved the body from above bottleneck, carried down to C-4 and have secured the body there. He has offered fatih & recited verses of Holy Quran as per Islamic rituals and acc to wishes of his mother.”
“Elia Saikaly has managed to retrieve John Snorri’s Camera, Garmin, and Phone. Sajid, Elia, and PK will now head down to BC and will see if Ali and the team made it to the summit last winter.”
“It is amazing that more than 50 people just summited K2 over the past few days. I am not sure how they are all doing it, but I would love to have an insight.
“Graham Zimmerman and I in the same time climbed to 7000m on the west ridge where we encountered nearly continuous wet avalanches and rockfall on a slope we had to cross, and temperatures around +10, so slopes above us for 1000m or so that were unfrozen.
“I believe it was on this day that Rick Allen, whom we had met and befriended on the walk in, tragically died on the other side of the mountain. Rick was a kind and gentle soul, who will be missed by all. Condolences to his friends and family.
“With a big snowstorm in the forecast we are now wondering if the season is going to slam shut on this amazingly hot weather window. Good on those who took the opportunity to climb and to summit.”
“Time to go home after our last “BC-summit in one-push” ended in C3 due to avalanche risk! It was a continuous ass-kicking of two months and an adventure with a big “A” wrapped in a pretty bow and that’s what made it interesting!
A better recap will follow shortly.
“Ps. I will ignore every comment that pities us for not reaching the summit. “Reaching the summit doesn’t make a climber, but what happens between basecamp and summit does.”
“There is a general mess at the base, because everyone is packing. The only person who did not reach the base and still remains up is an Argentine who shocked us with the information that he is NOT going to leave camp 3 for now (where he was left alone, all alone) and is preparing for a lonely summit attack tonight. Some of the Broad Peakers say bluntly what they think about it (I will not quote, but generally take him for a madman), others (including me) do not comment, but are simply afraid of this boy.
Summer Season in the Karakoram – 2021
Main Pic: Mushtaq Mett