Dispatches

K2 2019

K2 Cesen Camp 2

Expedition leader Garrett Madison provides this update via sat phone from K2 Cesen Camp 2:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing expedition team. Today is July 9th. We had a nice rest day up at Camp 2 (6327m). A few of us went for an acclimatization hike up towards Camp 3 (7000m). Good weather today and all members of the team are now up at Camp 2. Tomorrow morning we are going to head back down to base camp. Everybody’s doing great up here, and the weather has been fantastic. We are looking forward to getting back down to base camp and having some good rest and some good food. And we are looking forward to the next phase of the expedition. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archive)

Google Earth 3D map of K2 Cesen route tracking map

Cesen route vs. Abruzzi Spur route. Team at Camp 2.

July 9, 2019/2 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

Cesen acclimatizing

Most of the team is up on the Cesen route acclimatizing and the rest are heading up tomorrow morning from base camp (in ~7 hours). Expedition leader, Garrett Madison provides today’s update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing expedition team. Today is July 8th, and we are up at Camp 2, most of us. We had a great day today: we climbed halfway up to Camp 3 for acclimatization and familiarity with the route. Had beautiful weather today; great views of the surrounding peaks and the Godwin-Austen Glacier. We are back to Camp 2, tucked in and ready for bed. Our plan is to probably spend another day up here at Camp 2 acclimatizing and then heading down in a couple of days time. All’s well here on K2. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archive)

July 8, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

Camp 2 on the Cesen Route

Madison Mountaineering guide Conan Bliss reports in on the team’s first rotation progress from Camp 2 on the Cesen route:

Hi! This is Conan checking with everybody out there in cyberspace for the Madison Mountaineering K2 expedition. Today we had a stellar move up to Camp 2 on the Cesen spur. Everybody’s had a good dinner and are tucked into their tents tonight. Spectacular day today with an unbelievable view over the Karakoram, Concordia, and the Baltoro Glacier. We are planning on staying here tonight. Tomorrow should be a mellow day, also should be nice weather. I will check in with you then.

(photo: Madison Mountaineering archives)

July 7, 2019/0 Comments/by Kurt

K2 2019

First rotation coming up

The K2 Cesen route is one ridge in from the right side

The K2 team’s first rotation is coming up and expedition leader Garrett Madison had this update today:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition. We had a great day of training yesterday out on the ice near base camp – practicing fixed line ascending, repelling and footwork, all in preparation for our first rotation up the mountain. Our sherpas were able to fix to Camp 3 on the Česen route yesterday. Which is great progress. And we’ll keep working to fix higher, hopefully, they can reach Camp 4 in the next few days or so. Our plan is to head up tomorrow morning early on our first rotation to spend a few nights upon the Česen route acclimatizing and getting familiar with the route. Everybody’s doing great here at base camp. Beautiful weather and we look forward to more great days ahead!

(7668m/25,157 ft) as seen from K2 base camp

The K2 Cesen route is one ridge in from the right side as seen from base camp

July 6, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

Happy Independence Day from K2!

USA Independence Day dinner celebration with our team and friend Mike Horn

Expedition leader Garrett Madison and the team wish Americans everywhere a happy Independence Day from K2!

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team. Today is the Fourth of July! Happy Independence Day to all the Americans on our team and elsewhere. Today we went for an acclimatization hike up to advanced base camp. Great weather, nice views, nice to stretch our legs, and get some fresh air. We made it back in time for lunch and then this afternoon we had a small party with some other members from other teams in camp here to celebrate our holiday back in the United States. Tomorrow we are planning on more training here in base camp. All’s well on K2. We will check in soon. Thanks!

View of K2 and the Cesen route from hike to ABC

On the way up to ABC – K2 on the left

Going through the small icefall on the way to ABC

USA Independence Day dinner celebration (left to right: Garrett, Gina, Rick, Mike Horn, Brian, Louis, Victor, Valerio, Conan, Elizabeth)

July 4, 2019/1 Comment/by Garrett

K2 2019

Today on K2: Puja! As is the custom before any climbing begins, a Puja ceremony is held to ask the mountain for blessings and safe passage. What follows is a fun afternoon party. Here’s Garrett with the details:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team! Today we had our Puja ceremony. It was a great day with all of our climbing members, our Nepal sherpa staff, and our Pakistani climbing staff and base camp team. We asked the mountain for safe passage and blessings. We had a Buddist Lama conduct the ceremony and afterward we had a dance party! It was a lot of fun – good spirits all around. And now we are excited to begin climbing up the mountain. Beautiful weather here on K2 and looking forward to another great day!

Climber Brian leading the dance at the Puja ceremony

Climber Louis dancing at the Puja ceremony! Our liaison officer Captain Faiz on the right

Climbers Elizabeth and Gina with K2 behind

July 3, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

Training at Base Camp

Training in K2 base camp with Broad Peak behind

Yesterday, the K2 team conducted some training at base camp. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides the details:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition. We’re doing great here in base camp. It’s been beautiful weather the last few days. We’ve got camp fully dialed in the way we like it: great dinning tent for the climbers, communications tent, lounge tent, shower tent. So it’s come along really well. We’ve had some nice meals here and have been doing some training here in base camp to refresh our technical skills which we will use up on the route: climbing fixed ropes and descending fixed lines. So, everybody’s doing well here and we’re excited for our Puja ceremony!

Training in K2 base camp-practicing fixed line ascending and descending

Training in K2 base camp with Broad Peak behind

July 3, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

Settling into Base Camp

With the team settling into base camp and our satellite terminal uplink up and running, Garrett and team report in with photos and this expedition update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team. We are at base camp. We had a wonderful trek in over a week. And arrived in base camp three days ago. We’re getting base camp set up now and almost have it finally dailed in. It’s nice to be here and get settled and get ready for our first rotation which is probably five or six days off. Everyone’s doing well and we are excited to be here enjoying base camp.

K2 as seen from base camp

Broad Peak as seen from K2 base camp

July 1, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

Establishing K2 Base Camp

The K2 team arrived at base camp yesterday afternoon and were busy getting things sorted and set up. They will continue to dial in the camp over the next several days as they settle into their home for the next three or four weeks. Early this morning, expedition leader Garrett Madison called in via sat phone with this update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing expedition. Today is June 29th, and we arrived K2 base camp yesterday afternoon. Everybody’s doing well. We got great weather at the moment, and we’re just setting up camp here the next few days – waiting for our final porter loads of equipment to arrive so we can get base camp dialed into our specification. So, we look forward to getting set up here the way we want it. The weather sure is nice – great views of the mountain and surrounding peaks, like Broad Peak. Everyone’s doing well. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

(photo: Madison Mountaineering K2 2018 archive)

June 29, 2019/0 Comments/by Garrett

K2 2019

K2 in sight!

Today the team rounded the corner between the Baltoro Glacier and the Godwin-Austen Glacier placing K2 in sight! The great weather allowed for amazing first looks at the expedition objective. Here’s Garrett with the audio dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team. Today we trekked from Goro 2 (4279m/14,039ft) on the Baltoro Glacier up to just near Broad Peak base camp (4679m/15,351ft). It was a beautiful day, great views of the surrounding peaks. And we got a really nice view of K2 when we rounded the corner near Concordia. Everybody’s here doing great! We had a nice dinner. And tomorrow we look forward to making it all the way to K2 base camp.