Tag Archive for: K2 base camp

Back in K2 Base Camp

Photo from Madison Mountaineering Photo Archive

The team has completed their first rotation on K2, and are now resting up and enjoying themselves in base camp (4968m/16,300ft). Here’s expedition lead, Garrett Madison, with today’s dispatch from K2 base camp:

Hello! This is Garrett checking in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 Expedition Team. Today is Wednesday, July 6th and the team is all back down in base camp.

The team had a great second night at Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) completing the first rotation – it was two nights at Camp 1 (6065m/19,900ft), two nights at Camp 2, and a night at Advanced Base Camp (5303m/17,400ft), so a total of five nights up on the mountain. We’re all back in base camp and had a great afternoon – showers, laundry, a nice dinner, and a movie! So, looking forward to a good nights rest. Everyone’s doing well here!

Tomorrow, some of our sherpa team will do a trip up to Camp 3 (7250m/23,800ft) with some oxygen. But, we’re all doing well here on K2. It’s been cloudy today and yesterday, but hopefully some good weather’s coming tomorrow and the next day. Looking forward to hopefully some more good weather in the future!

All is well and we’ll check in soon!

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:

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Acclimatization at Camp 2: Active Rest and Beautiful Views

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:

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Camp 2 Tomorrow: Progress Continues on K2

Garrett and Nelly reviewing climbing techniques nearby K2 base camp

Both the climbers and sherpas are making great progress through their first rotation on K2! The climbers will head up to Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) tomorrow, while the sherpas have fixed ropes all the way up to Camp 3 (7250m/23,800ft). Here’s expedition lead, Garrett Madison, with today’s expedition dispatch from K2:

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

Today is July 3rd and all is well here on K2! Yesterday, our sherpa team made great progress and was able fix nearly all the way up to Camp 3 (7250m/23,800ft) – up the Black Pyramid and beyond. The route’s in good condition up to that point. Our climbers went up to Camp 1 (6065m/19,900ft) yesterday and are acclimatizing now, their second night, planning to head up to Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) tomorrow.

Yesterday I came down from our first rotation with two members of our climbing team who have decided to head home. They flew out today by helicopter to Skardu (2220m/7,283ft) and will make their way to Islamabad tomorrow.

But everyone’s doing well here on K2, we’ve had great weather and are really happy about the rope fixing progress that our sherpa team made – looking forward to more climbing here in the future.

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:

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First rotation is underway!

View of K2 and the Cesen route from hike to ABC

The K2 expedition team has arrived at advanced base camp (5303m/17,400ft) and is preparing to move higher up the mountain to Camp 1 (6065m/19,900ft) and Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) in the coming days as part of their first rotation. Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, checks in via Garmin inReach Mini with this brief update:

Just arrived in advanced base camp (5303m/17,400ft), everyone is doing well. We are planning to climb from advanced base camp (5303m/17,400ft) to Camp 1 (6065m/19,900ft) 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:

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Ready for higher places on K2!

Prayer flags hanging in base camp far below the summit of K2 (📸: @terray_s)

The team is ready to start the first rotation and begin making their way higher up on K2! This week, they plan to spend nights at advanced base camp, Camp 1, and Camp 2.  Here’s expedition lead, Garrett Madison, with today’s expedition dispatch from base camp on K2:

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the Madison Mountaineering K2 expedition team – today is June 30th.

We had a good day here in base camp (4968m/16,300ft) getting organized sorting gear for our first rotation. We’re planning to head up tomorrow to advanced base camp (5303m/17,400ft) and the following day up to Camp 1 (6065m/19,900ft) for a couple of nights and then up to Camp 2 (6700m/21,980ft) for a few nights.

Everything’s looking good here – the mountain’s in great shape, the weather’s good, the team’s doing really well. We did some training and everybody’s feeling solid, so we’re looking forward to getting up higher on the mountain, having some good views, and then back here in base camp about a week from today.

All is well here on K2, check in soon.

Our climbing team posing for a photo during an acclimatization hike on June 29, with the spectacular icefalls of K2 behind them. (📸: @terray_s)

Our climbing team posing for a photo during an acclimatization hike on June 29, with the spectacular icefalls of K2 behind them. (📸: @terray_s)

Expedition Leader Garrett Madison working with climber Piers B. during a skills refresher session on June 28. The ice pinnacles on the Godwin Austen Glacier next to base camp are a great venue for reviewing fixed line climbing techniques. (📸: @terray_s)

Expedition Leader Garrett Madison working with climber Piers B. during a skills refresher session on June 28. The ice pinnacles on the Godwin Austen Glacier next to base camp are a great venue for reviewing fixed line climbing techniques. (📸: @terray_s)

Our climbers on an acclimatization hike above the Godwin Austen Glacier near K2 base camp on June 29. (📸: @terray_s)

Our climbers on an acclimatization hike above the Godwin Austen Glacier near K2 base camp on June 29. (📸: @terray_s)

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:

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Preparing for first rotation on K2!

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:

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We’ve reached K2 base camp!

Photo from Madison Mountaineering Photo Archive

The team has reached K2 base camp and will spend the next few days dialing things in, encouraged by more good weather ahead!

Hello! This is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing team.

We reached K2 base camp today and it was a beautiful day. We had views of K2, Broad Peak, and other surrounding mountains. We got to base camp and we’ve been setting up our camp ever since. We’ve got things mostly set up for the time being, but it will take us a couple of days to get everything totally dialed in the way we want it. Everyone’s doing well. We had a mini Puja with some our Sherpa’s – they’re going to head up to Camp 1 tomorrow and we’re going to take a rest day here. Some of our trekkers are going to try and helicopter out tomorrow morning and the rest of the trekkers will take a rest day here, and then head down the following day to start their trek back to Skardu.

So, everyone’s doing well, excited to be up here, and looking forward to more good weather ahead.

Basecamp tent illuminated at dusk

Base camp tent illuminated at dusk

Garrett and porter/Sherpa team happy to be in basecamp!

Everyone’s happy to be in 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:

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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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