Tag Archive for: K2

Fresh snow in the Karakoram

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

The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team awoke to sunny skies and some fresh snow in the peaks towering above them! After fueling up with some breakfast, the team got their day going with a short hike to the Gilkey Memorial, remembering the fallen climbers of the past. Excellent views of the surrounding peaks were available as climbers turned their heads towards the skies, further fueling their excitement to begin climbing. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Karakoram:

We started today with a short hike to the Gilkey Memorial on the outskirts of K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft). It was a sunny morning with a dusting of fresh snow on the big peaks above us. So the views from the memorial were great. After lunch, we returned to the ice pinnacles near our camp for a final technical training session, focusing on footwork technique on steep ice and fixed line skills. The team is doing well. We’re happy that cooler temperatures, plus some precipitation, have arrived at last. 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:

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Active rest in K2 Base Camp

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

The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team has all gathered back together again in K2 Base Camp! Some precipitation in the air this morning was a good reason to have a slow start before getting to work for the day, and heading out onto the ice for some training. Now settled in for the night, the team looks forward to another day of active rest tomorrow before they start to look ahead to the next rotation! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from K2 Base Camp:

Hello from K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft)! Yesterday we descended back here from our camp at the foot of the unclimbed peak. With light snow in the air this morning, we spent the first half of the day resting. In the afternoon, precipitation stopped and we went ice climbing on the pinnacles of the Godwin Austen Glacier beside base camp. Now we’re settling in for dinner and looking forward to another active rest day 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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Attempt on the Unclimbed Peak

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

The Madison Mountaineering Unclimbed Peak expedition team is now safely back in their camp after attempting to climb a previously unclimbed peak in the Karakoram. The team emerged from their tents and set off on the route under the cover of darkness, climbing through the night and reaching the summit ridge as the sun was rising. Difficult, unclimbed terrain separated the team from the summit. After a valiant effort and hours of assessing the route, the team made the decision to turn back. We’re so proud of the team for the hard work they put in: exploring unclimbed terrain and the patience it took to make the right call. A lot was learned and our team hopes to return should other route options open up! This one stays unclimbed—for now. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Karakoram:

Today we attempted to summit the objective of our unclimbed peak expedition. We left ABC at the foot of the peak at 12:45 a.m., and by 5 o’clock we were standing on a col on the peak’s summit ridge at about 6,200m. We gingerly negotiated cornices overhanging the peak’s steep east face until the cornices ended, and a long series of precipitous, chossy gendarmes lay between us and the summit. That terrain was unsafe for our team. So we descended to ABC, arriving before the afternoon sun began sending volleys of stones down the peak. All in an all, it was a spectacular foray into unclimbed terrain. We hope to return when an alternate route, directly up the peak’s face to its summit is in better shape. Until more snow falls, that option is too icy as a result of the very dry conditions this season. We’re looking forward to dropping back down to the comforts of K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft) 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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Looking up at the Unclimbed Peak!

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

The Madison Mountaineering unclimbed peak expedition team is ready to make their push for the summit on a peak never before climbed by mankind, for a chance to etch their names into the mountaineering history books forever. The team moved from K2 base camp today, through the Godwin Austen Glacier, and into their advanced base camp at the base of the peak. Now, we’re settled into our tents with alarms set for an alpine start and will begin the climb in just a short time! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the base of the route on the unclimbed peak:

Hello from our advanced base camp at the foot of our unclimbed peak objective! This morning we climbed here from K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft), threading our way through the crevasses of the Godwin Austen Glacier between K2 (8611m/28,251ft) and Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft). Now we’re resting for our alpine start early tomorrow morning. The team is doing well. 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:

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Getting ready for the Unclimbed Peak!

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

The Madison Mountaineering team is preparing to making an attempt at a historical first-ascent on a peak never before climbed by mankind. The Sherpa team and Pakistani high altitude workers have been hard at work on the route and we’re almost ready to go! Soon, the team will depart from K2 base camp and make their way towards the base of the route to begin the climb. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from the Karakoram:

Hello again from K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft)! We spent the day preparing for our unclimbed peak attempt. Our sherpa team and Pakistan high altitude workers have made good progress on the route, and moving equipment to our advanced base camp at the foot of the peak over the past two days, which means we’re in ready for the rest of our team to climb up the Godwin Austen Glacier to the mountain. The forecast looks promising, and we’re looking forward to the climb. 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:

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Cleaning up K2 Base Camp!

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

Another good day is behind us in K2 Base Camp! The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team awoke to more sunshine, fueled up with breakfast, and then took to some of the nearby ice formations to continue sharpening their skills for the climbs coming up. Excellent views presented themselves in every direction, making for quite the training ground! After finishing up training for the day, the team wasted no time and got right to work on our cleanup initiatives around K2 base camp, picking up 75lbs of trash to be properly disposed of. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from K2:

Today was another productive day in K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft). The weather was excellent again, so we devoted the morning to another technical skills session on the ice pinnacles beside base camp. In the afternoon, we started our trash cleanup initiative. One of our K2 (8611m/28,251ft) climbers, Ryan Mitchell, has raised money to clean up waste at base camp, and on the mountain itself, in partnership with the Madison Mountaineering Foundation. This afternoon our crew picked up 75lbs of waste on the outskirts of base camp. We’ll continue cleaning up trash as our expedition progresses. 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:

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Keeping busy in K2 Base Camp

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

The Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team kicked off the weekend with their puja ceremony, then took to the ice to start their technical-skills review! The puja ceremony and technical trainings both, play an important role in many of our expeditions on 8,000-meter peaks – the puja to ask the mountain for safe passage, and technical trainings to sharpen our skills for the climbing to come. Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from K2 Base Camp:

Hello from K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft)! Today was another sunny day at the foot of the planet’s second highest peak. After breakfast, we held our pre-climb puja to ask the mountains for safe passage before we start climbing. In the afternoon, we started our technical training on the ice formations near camp. All in all it was a great way to spend the 4th of July! We’re looking forward to more technical training 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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Resting up in base camp!

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

Now all settled into our base camp at the foot of K2, the Madison Mountaineering Karakoram expeditions team took some time to rest, recover, and prepare their climbing kits for the training and climbing to come! Clear skies and sunshine overhead made for excellent views of the surrounding peaks, giving our teams eyes on the routes they’re set to climb in the coming weeks – motivation and excitement are at an all time high! Expedition leader, Terray Sylvester checks in with this dispatch from base camp:

Hello from K2 Base Camp (4968m/16,300ft)! Today we took a well-earned rest day. The team had a chance to finish moving into their box tents, take showers and do laundry. In in the afternoon we prepared our climbing kit for our technical training in the coming days. The weather was beautiful today. Clear skies gave us great views of K2 (8611m/28,251ft) and Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft). 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:

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Settling into K2 Base Camp!

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:

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Team feeling strong!

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:

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