Tag Archive for: Baltoro Glacier

K2 Camp 2 on Summit Push

Chase staying cool at K2 Camp 2 earlier today

On their summit push, our K2 team climbed up from Camp 1 to Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft.) today under beautiful weather and route conditions.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, provides today’s expedition dispatch from 6,700 meters:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.  Today is July 25th and we are up at Camp 2.

Our whole team’s up here: all nine climbers and most of our sherpa team, except for five of our Nepal sherpas who are up at Camp 4 (7681m/25,200ft.) tonight.  They climbed up from Camp 2 to Camp 4 today and tomorrow and the next day they are going to work on fixing lines above Camp 4 in anticipation of our arrival.

So, we had a beautiful day today, sunny skies, warm temps, almost too warm for us.  But we got into Camp 2 around noon and have just been relaxing, enjoying the amazing views up here, and getting ready for some dinner and a good night’s rest.  And then tomorrow, we’ll be off early on our way up to Camp 3 (7250m/23,800ft.).

All’s well here, the team’s doing excellent, and we’re excited that more good weather is on the way and we’re headed up the route!  We’ll check-in soon, 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:

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K2 Summit Push Begins Tomorrow!

Helicopter rescue today in K2 base camp of some Broad Peak climbers with frostbite

The weather looks good and our K2 team will begin their summit push tomorrow morning!  Expedition Leader, Garrett Madison has called in with this expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team. Today’s July 23rd and we are about to head up on our summit rotation.

Our plan is to leave base camp tomorrow morning on the 24th and head up to Camp 1, following day up to Camp 2, next day to Camp 3, following day to Camp 4 and to go for the summit on July 28th! So, fingers crossed we’ll have good weather and good route conditions and some great views up there. We’re looking forward to getting up high on the mountain and returning to Base Camp in about a week.

All’s well here, everyone’s excited, feeling well rested, healthy, strong, and looking forward to getting up the mountain. We’ll check in soon. Thanks!

The view of K2 on the eve of our summit push

The view of K2 on the eve of our summit push

The view of Broad Peak on the eve of our summit push

The view of Broad Peak on the eve of our summit push

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:

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Waiting Out the Weather

The always awe-inspiring view from K2 base camp

Our K2/Broad Peak team is still waiting out the weather at K2 base camp.  Here’s Garrett with the latest status update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.  Today’s July 22nd and we’ve had another easy, restful day here in base camp.

The stormy weather seems to be passing at the moment, but still windy up high.  We’re all doing well here in base camp, had a few showers today, and just going over our gear and our food, and our plan for our summit push which we hope to start sometime in the next week, but not sure when.  It all depends on the weather forecast.

So all’s well here in K2 and we’ll check in soon.

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:

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BBQ in K2 Base Camp!

BBQ in K2 Base Camp!

With some great weather during their rest period, the team enjoyed some BBQ in K2 base camp.  Here is expedition leader Garrett Madison with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.  Today is July 18th and we’ve add a restful few days in base camp with some great weather the last few days.

Our sherpa team has finished carrying all of the equipment, oxygen, ropes, tents up to Camp 4 and fixing lines to Camp 4 on K2 and they’re all back in base camp now.  So, we’re resting here in base camp and there is a storm perdicted to develop starting tomorrow.  Big snowfall starting tomorrow over the next few days and then some very high winds up to 100km per hour near the summit.

So, our plan is to hunker down here in base camp for a few days, let the storm pass, and then, hopefully, we’ll have some good weather the last week of July starting the 24th or 25th and we can plan for our summit attempt.

We’ve been following the teams making their summit attempts on Broad Peak today and fingers crossed for them.  Wishing them the best of luck and a safe descent.  We’ll wait to see how that all plays out for them.  But all’s good here in K2 base camp and we look forward to checking in soon.

Today's view of K2 from base camp

Today’s view of K2 from base camp

BBQ in K2 Base Camp!

BBQ in K2 Base Camp!

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:

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Good Weather for Resting in Base Camp

Broad peak from the Gilkey memorial

The K2 team is enjoying some good weather for resting in base camp and looking forward to making their summit attempt plans after the next storm system passes through.  Here’s expedition leader Garrett Madison with all the details:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.  We are here in K2 Base Camp and weather is great.  It’s beautiful day and we’re just resting up.

Our sherpas are up on K2 on the Abruzzi Route finishing some load carries to Camp 3 and Camp 4 and some rope fixing as well and getting Camp 4 all stocked up with our equipment for our summit push which we hope do some time in late July.

It looks like after the next couple of days of good weather there will be some snow, a lot of snow actually, and some high winds for a few days.  So we are gonna let that storm system pass through and then hopefully by around July 24th we’ll have another patch of good weather enough to make a plan for a summit attempt.

So everyone’s doing well here, we’re just resting up, admiring the views.  We’re watching a few climbers make their summit push on Broad Peak right now.  They’re going up to Camp 3 and probably going for the summit tomorrow.  So it will be fun to watch their progress.

But, all’s well here in Pakistan on the Baltoro Glacier and we’ll check in soon.  Thanks!

Looking down the glacier towards Chogolisa from the Gilkey memorial

Looking down the glacier towards Chogolisa from the Gilkey memorial

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:

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K2 Base Camp!

Conan admiring the view of K2 from Broad Peak base camp

The 2021 K2 and Broad Peak expedition arrived at base camp today and Madison Mountaineering guide, Rob Smith, provides a recap of the final days of trekking to reach base camp:

Hi folks, this is Rob checking in for the 2021 Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition.

So yesterday we left Goro 2 camp on the Baltoro Glacier pretty early and made our way up to the head of the glacier, got our first views of K2, which was really exciting, and then we passed the Godwin-Austen Glacier, saw Broad Peak, Gasherbrum IV, and made our way all the way to Broad Peak base camp.  So, a long day yesterday, but well worth it!

Today we had a short hike it beautiful weather from Broad Peak base camp up to K2 base camp and that’s where we are tonight, which is really exciting to be here so soon, the 3rd of July.

Everyone’s feeling well and really excited for the upcoming expedition and we’ll check in again soon.  Thanks for listening!

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:

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K2 Trekking Continues to Goro 2 Camp

Hiking up the Baltoro Glacier between Urdukas and Goro 2

The K2 base camp trek continues.  Today the team reached Goro 2 camp on the Baltoro Glacier and has their sights set on Concordia tomorrow where hopefully the skies will clear and provide the first views of K2.  Expedition leader Garrett Madison provides today’s expedition dispatch and some of the first photos of the trek via our Iridium GO! global connection device:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2/Broad Peak expedition team.

Today we trekked from Urdukas camp (4034m/13,235ft) to Goro 2 camp (4285m/14,058ft) on the Baltoro Glacier.  It was a rainy day; it started raining last night and cleared up a little bit during the day today.  It was cool and cloudy, which was actually really nice for trekking – not too hot.

We got into Goro 2 camp here and just had a nice dinner.  We can see some of the surrounding peaks: Masherbrum, G4 and we’re looking forward to trekking up through Concordia (4570m/14,993ft) tomorrow.  Hopefully, it will clear and we’ll get a nice view of K2.

Everyone’s doing well here.  The team’s excited to be working our way up the glacier towards base camp and hoping for some good weather!

2021 K2/Broad Peak team in Skardu

2021 K2/Broad Peak team in Skardu

Crossing a stream while trekking from Paiju to Urdukas

Crossing a stream while trekking from Paiju to Urdukas

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:

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Urdukas Camp (4034m/13,235ft)

Nameless Tower (Trango group) as seen from the trail to K2 base camp

Day two of trekking to K2 base camp is completed and expedition leader Garrett Madison provides the day’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett callling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 and Broad Peak expedition team.

Today is June 30th and today we trekked from Paiju camp up to Urdukas camp on the Baltoro Glacier.  We had a wonderful day!  It was hot and we did find one glacier pond to jump in and cool off late morning.  Had lunch in Khoburtse and then made our way up to Urdukas camp here by the afternoon.

Great views today of the Trango Towers, Nameless Tower, … so many beautiful peaks here, just very spectacular!  Very special to be here.  We had a wonderful dinner of fresh chicken with rice and curry and fresh tomato cabbage onion salad.

Tomorrow our plan is to leave at 7:00 AM and head up to Goro 2 camp (4285m/14,058ft) out in the middle of the Baltoro Glacier.

Everyone’s doing well here, we’ve been having great weather so far – its a little bit hot until the clouds form in the afternoon.  But we’ve all doing well.  Looking forward to another great day trekking tomorrow on our way up to K2 base camp.

(photo:  The Nameless Tower from the Madison Mountaineering archives)

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:

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Expedition team arrives at K2 base camp

K2 base camp

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition. Today is June 29th and we are at K2 base camp. It has been snowing a lot the last few days and we had a tough time getting up to base camp with all of our porters but we made it today. We set up our camp hastily just to create some shelter. We are looking forward to the snow letting up in the next couple days. We probably have two and a half to three feet here at base camp, waiting now for the weather to change and let up. Everyone is doing well and we just had a nice dinner and heading off to bed. Looking forward to a nice rest day tomorrow. All is well here at K2 base camp and we will check in soon.

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Audio dispatch from Garrett Madison

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Climbers arrive at Concordia camp on the Baltoro Glacier

Concordia camp

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition. Today is Thursday June 28th and we are at Concordia camp on the Baltoro Glacier. Tomorrow our plan is to trek up all the way to K2 base camp. Today we woke up around 5am and trekked from our camp at Goro II up to Concordia in the early afternoon. Hoping the suns going to let up soon, probably another few days of clouds and snow fall before we see clear skies. Everyone is doing well here and we are excited to make our way to base camp tomorrow. We will check in soon. Thanks!

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Audio dispatch from Garrett Madison

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