Tag Archive for: Baltoro Glacier

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Hello, from K2 Base Camp! The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expedition teams have arrived in their home away from home for the next few weeks, set to climb K2, Broad Peak, and a peak never before climbed to the summit by mankind. Turning the corner at Concordia revealed clear, unobstructed views of K2 and surrounding peaks, fueling the team for what’s to come. Today was another memorable day in the Karakoram! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from base camp:

Greetings from K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft)! We arrived here this afternoon after another spectacular day of trekking up the Baltoro. Skies were blue most of the day, which meant we had excellent views of K2 (8611m/28,251ft) and Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft). It felt great to move into our box tents, and start settling into the camp that will be our home away from home for the next few weeks. Tomorrow we’re looking forward to a rest day. All is well. We’ll be in touch then.


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team made excellent progress on their trek today, passing beyond Goro 2—where we had originally planned to camp—and continuing further up the valley. This puts us in position to get our first view of K2 tomorrow and reach K2 Base Camp, which will be our home for the next few weeks. It was another day of great weather and high spirits here in Pakistan! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Karakoram:

Hello from our camp below Concordia (4570m/14,993ft)! Today the team continued to feel strong. So we trekked from Urdukas (4034m/13,235ft), past Goro 2 (4285m/14,058ft), to this camp on the Baltoro Glacier not far below Concordia. Camping here made for a slightly longer day today, but it puts us in position to reach K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft) tomorrow, our home for the next few weeks. The weather was perfect today — not too hot despite sunny skies. The clear skies afforded us views of Masherbrum (7821m/25,659ft), Muztagh Tower (7276m/23,871ft), Gasherbrum IV (7925m/26,001ft) and Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft). We’re looking forward to our first view of K2 (8611m/28,251ft) from Concordia tomorrow morning. We’ll be in touch tomorrow!


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

Today was another spectacular day in the Karakoram, and we’re one day closer to reaching K2 Base Camp. The Madison Mountaineering K2, Broad Peak, and unclimbed peak expedition teams got an early start to the day, stepping onto the Baltoro Glacier under some of the world’s most famous and iconic peaks towering overhead! There was no shortage of views on this day, leaving the team psyched and ready to continue on in the days ahead. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Urdukas Camp:

Hello from Urdukas Camp (4034m/13,235ft) at 4,000m. Today was one of the most spectacular days of a trek that’s famous for its scenery. We left Paiju Camp (3400m/11,155ft) at 6 a.m. and then hiked up past the headwaters of the Braldu River onto the Baltoro Glacier, the planet’s largest non-polar glacier. For the next six hours, we enjoyed views of some of the most famous peaks on earth: Paiju Peak (6610m/21,686ft), Shipton Spire (5852m, 19,199ft), the Trango Towers (6286m/20,623ft), Uli Biaho (6417m/21,053ft), Lobsang Spire (5707m/18,724 ft), and eventually Gasherbrum IV (7925m/26,001ft), just as we arrived at Urdukas. The weather today was excellent. A high overcast and occasional showers kept the heat at bay without spoiling the views. Now we’re resting before dinner. The team is in good shape. We’ll be in touch tomorrow.


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

Photo pulled from the Madison Mountaineering archive. (Photo by Terray Sylvester)

The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team took to the trail again today, trekking to their next stop at Paiju Camp. With striking views of Masherbrum, the Trango Towers, and other peaks that line the valley, the team walked along the Braldu River until they reached their temporary home at the foot of the mighty Baltoro Glacier. The trek continues tomorrow! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Pakistan:

Today we had a great trek from Jhola Camp (3151m/10,338ft) to Paiju Camp (3400m/11,155ft). We left Jhola early to beat the heat, and arrived in Paiju around 11:30. We’ve spent rest of the afternoon relaxing and enjoying the views of the Baltoro Glacier, plus the lower flanks of Masherbrum (7821m/25,659ft) and the Trango Towers (6286m/20,623ft) in the distance. We’ll head to bed early for our long walk to Urdukas Camp (4034m/13,235ft) tomorrow. We’ll be in touch then.


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

The 2025 Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team!

The 2025 Madison Mountaineering Karakoram season is officially underway! Our team has arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan, where the expedition begins. After some well-earned rest, an orientation, and a welcome dinner following their journeys from around the world, the team is set to fly to Skardu tomorrow—gateway to the high peaks. This season includes expeditions to K2, Broad Peak, and an attempt at a historic first ascent of an unclimbed peak. At the same time, we’re proud to be contributing to a cleanup initiative at K2 Base Camp and some of the higher camps along the route. The Karakoram holds a special place in our hearts, and we’re thrilled to be back among its towering giants! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from Islamabad:

Hello! This is Terray calling in from Islamabad, Pakistan (540m/1,770ft) – today is June 24th.

Today is the first day of the Madison Mountaineering climbing expeditions here in Pakistan this summer. We have climbers going to K2 (8611m/28,251ft), Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft), and attempting an unclimbed peak near those two mountains above the Baltoro Glacier. We’ll also be organizing a cleanup project on K2 as part of our cleanup initiatives through the Madison Mountaineering Foundation. So, we’re looking forward to a really great season in the Karakoram!

Our climbers arrived here in Islamabad over the last couple of days. They’ve been doing some sightseeing, and then today was the first official day of our itineraries! We just wrapped up a really nice welcome dinner here at the Serena Hotel and we’re planning to wake up early for our airport transfer tomorrow morning. If the weather allows, we will fly up to Skardu (2220m/7283ft) in Gilgit-Baltistan. So, we’ll be in touch tomorrow!


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

 

Climber Krisli Melesk above Camp 1.

The Madison Mountaineering K2 expedition team has settled into Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft). The team plans to take advantage of the good weather by continuing to acclimatize before heading back to base camp (4968m/16,300ft) to conclude the first rotation. Expedition guide, Terray Sylvester, checks in with today’s dispatch from K2:

Hello! This is Terray calling in for the 2022 Madison Mountaineering K2 expedition – it’s Monday, July 4th.

Today our team had a great climb from Camp 1 (6065m/19,900ft) to Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) here on K2. We’re at about 6,600 meters – the weather is fantastic, very clear! We had great views of the Baltoro Glacier system, Masherbrum, Broad Peak, and all the other famous mountains around us. Tomorrow our plan is to take an active rest day – we’ll hike up to the base of the Black Pyramid and then descend back to camp and relax in our tents. The following day we’ll descend down to base camp (4968m/16,300ft).

So, all is well and we will be in touch!

One of our tents in Camp 2.

One of our tents in Camp 2.

Guide, Cacho Beiza approaching Camp 1.

Guide, Cacho Beiza approaching Camp 1.

Sirdar and guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa approaching Camp 2 with climber Nelly Attar.

Sirdar and guide, Aang Phurba Sherpa approaching Camp 2 with climber Nelly Attar.

Climber Nelly Attar in Camp 2.

Climber Nelly Attar in Camp 2.

First light on the north pyramid of Broad Peak - seen from Camp 1.

First light on the north pyramid of Broad Peak – seen from Camp 1.


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

The team at base camp!

The team has said “goodbye” to the trekkers and looks forward to the days ahead leading up to their first rotation.

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the K2 expedition team.

We are at K2 base camp (4968m/16,300ft) – it’s another beautiful day here and today we saw the last of our trekkers off. They were headed down valley with Fred Alldredge to trek down the Baltoro Glacier back to Jhola Camp (3151m/10,338ft), and then by Jeep to Skardu (2220m/7283ft). It’ll be a few days before they reach Skardu. Our other trekkers helicoptered out yesterday and made it all the way back to Islamabad just in a few hours time – amazing logistics that worked out!

The rest of us are here settling into base camp. We’re happy to be here, we’re going to do some training today and an acclimatization hike tomorrow. Everyone’s doing well and the weather’s just perfect at the moment – sunny and not a cloud in the sky! Our Sherpa team just reached Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) – first team of the season to make it up to Camp 2. They set up 5 tents for us and we’re looking forward to doing a first rotation here in a few days time.

All is well here at K2 base camp! We’ll check in soon.

Enjoying the evening light at camp

Enjoying the evening light at camp

Piers cutting the ham for an afternoon snack

Piers cutting the ham for an afternoon snack

Training on the ice today near base camp with K2 behind

Training on the ice today near base camp with K2 behind

Nelly enjoying the nice weather here in the Madison Mountaineering base camp

Nelly enjoying the nice weather here in the Madison Mountaineering base camp


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear our daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my flash briefing.

Instagram:

Heading off to begin the final rotation

Our 2021 K2 expedition is now concluded with just Garrett and our crew preparing to fly home.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, calls in from Skardu, Pakistan with this final expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 expedition which now has concluded!

We’re back in Skardu and all of our members from the UK, the USA, and Ukraine have flown out and are back home now. Just myself and the Nepal Sherpa team and the Pakastani team are here in Skardu. We arrived last night from the trek out from base camp to Skardu. It took us four days.

Today we did some gear organizing, and some sight-seeing around Skardu. We are hoping tomorrow that we have good weather to fly to Islamabad. All’s well here in Skardu. Nice weather and we are looking forward to getting back to Islamabad and on our way home.

It’s been a wonderful expedition here. We had 100% summit success with 21 summits of K2 on our team in total and everyone made it down safely and is on their way home healthy, which is the most important.

So, we had a wonderful expedition. Thanks for following along. Looking forward to our next expeditions out there on the horizon.

Starry skies above K2

Starry skies above K2

The day we set off from base camp for the K2 summit push. Serious faces..

The day we set off from base camp for the K2 summit push. Serious faces..

A very happy 3-time K2 summiteer at base camp

A very happy 3-time K2 summiteer at base camp

After getting down from the successful K2 summit rotation, happy face!

After getting down from the successful K2 summit rotation, happy face!

Garrett with Sherpa and Pakistani crew departing K2 base camp

Garrett with Sherpa and Pakistani crew departing K2 base camp

Cutting the celebratory K2 cake in Skardu

Cutting the celebratory K2 cake in Skardu

Post K2 celebration in Skardu

Post-K2 celebration in Skardu

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.

Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map:

Flying down the Baltoro Glacier at the conclusion of the K2 expedition

Well how do we sum up our Madison Mountaineering K2 2021 expedition?

Today Chase, Becks, Jon and Rob flew from K2 Base Camp to Skardu on 2 helicopters with the Pakistan Army. The flight was spectacular, skimming low down the rugged Baltoro Glacier, where we had trekked up several weeks before. Leaving the cloud capped K2 behind us, we sped past the 3 summits of Broad Peak, before swooping right at Concordia. We strained our necks out the side windows as the soaring granite bulks of Cathedral, Trango and Uili Biaho zipped past. Sights we had taken days to approach and march past on the way in to Base Camp, as we each personally contemplated what lay ahead.

Now we were completing the return journey, content with our efforts and the conclusion we all hoped for but knew was unlikely. Our entire team had safely and successfully climbed K2 to its summit and returned to Base Camp. Rarely are expeditions harmonious, safe and successful in their objective. However K2 2021 was just that. A small team of dedicated climbers were happy to commit despite uncertainty and no guaranteed outcome. The odds of summiting K2 in any year are low. At times in the lead up, the odds of this trip simply running seemed low. But problems were overcome, and the team assembled a week behind the original schedule.

We acclimatized, ropes were fixed in stages and our Sherpa team worked hard. We had an extended wait of 12 days waiting for the right weather window. Patience was tested as other teams attempted Broad Peak while we waited.

On 28 July all decisions were vindicated as we climbed steadily in the darkness, under a starlit sky. The sunrise lit the horizon like a band of gold as the sky lightened to reveal a sea of cloud over China. We reached the summit in windless conditions, and it was hard to believe the top of K2 could feel so benign. Relief was palpable and the whole team spent as much time on the summit as they desired in this unique place. Congratulations were exchanged, embraces given, prayer flags were strung out, photographs taken and quiet moments of contemplation had.

The descent was as testing as the summit was benign. It felt that K2 wanted to remind us that attempting a climb was as serious an undertaking as ever, though we needed no reminder. Snow had been stripped off the lower slopes, removing the frozen bond that held the mass of rocks safely in place. It was a relief to get everyone to the base of the mountain the following day, and we walked down the glacier knowing we had been allowed to leave the clutches of K2.

It is somewhat of a shock to find ourselves suddenly in Skardu, in the presence of strangers and unfamiliar sights, sounds and smells. Such are the ends of expeditions where intense shared experience and close communal living comes to an end, replaced by new encounters with those who have little idea of what has been invested or endured to reach a point meaningless to the majority, but absolutely worthwhile and so memorable to those who stand there. We have set foot on top of K2 and shall remember that for the rest of our lives.

Rob Smith and the Madison Mountaineering K2 2021 team.

Helis at K2 Base Camp

Helis at K2 Base Camp

Chase, Jon, and Becks back in Skardu after flying from K2 base camp

Chase, Jon, and Becks back in Skardu after flying from K2 base camp

Remainder of our K2 team preparing to depart base camp

We’re packing up base camp and our expedition team is heading home after an incredibly successful and safe K2 climb. Here’s the latest from Garrett Madison:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 expedition team. Today is August 3rd.

Today the remainder of our members flew out of K2 base camp by helicopter and it’s just me left with our Pakistani and Nepal Sherpa team here in base camp. We’re going to pack up and head out the day after tomorrow with our mule train back to Skardu.

Nice weather today but we decided not to go for Broad Peak due to the snow fall and high winds that had made the route seemingly very challenging and a very low probability of success. But we’re very happy with our K2 summit success and everyone getting down safely.

Everyone is heading home now. We had a great expedition! We’ll be packing up here and heading down the

in the next few days, back towards Skardu.

All’s well here in Pakistan. Thanks!

If climbing K2 or Broad Peak is in your future, please contact our office, we would love to have you climb with us!


In addition to these expedition dispatches, you can also follow our teams as they make their attempts on the world’s most formidable mountains on:

Amazon Alexa devices with the Madison Mountaineering Flash Briefing skill:

  • Enable the skill and add to your flash briefing to hear Garrett Madison’s daily audio expedition updates on select expeditions.  Just say, “Alexa, play my Madison Mountaineering flash briefing.

Instagram:

– our Garmin inReach Mini powered real-time tracking map: