Making our way home from K2
As we are making our way from Skardu to Islamabad we can’t help feel like our climb to the top of K2 was all just a dream. We had perfect weather and route conditions for our climb, and had the summit all to ourselves with little to no wind as we gazed for hundreds of miles in every direction, it was truly a magnificent experience, with a great team. There are less than twenty American climbers including ourselves to reach the top of K2 since the first American ascent in 1978, so we feel lucky to be part of this special group. After three days of trekking from base camp down the Baltoro Glacier we reached Askole and then traveled by jeep yesterday to Skardu. It’s comforting to be here in the hotel, and on our way to an even better hotel in Islamabad! Most of us are heading home, however I will stay in the Eastern Hemisphere and meet my next group in Tanzania, for a climb of Kilimanjaro!
Attached are a few photos of our perfect summit day!
Congratulations — welcome to the club!
You had a spectacular day!
–Chris Shaw (#13)
Congratulations to you and your entire team. It was almost as exciting following your expedition from Southern California as it was for you doing all the climbing. I think it was more nail bitingly exciting for those of us following you all via the internet. Who needs rreality TV when they can watch Madison Mountaineering Expiditions do the real thing. One of my mo s t recent dreams is for a talk radio show on climbing which would be aired nationwide if not worldwide or a television show about mountaineering. Maybe you and yourK2 Teammates can create one of these shows or both shows. I would definitely listen and watch. Get some sponsors and use your status as three of the only 20 Americans to summit K2. Great accomplishment. I’m so proud of my fellow Americans who stood on K2.
Take a bow Garrett….that was a clinical performance….hats off to your super efficient team of Sherpa and support staff…been following Alan’s updates from the beginning of the expedition and its been a magnificent effort from your entire team…