Tag Archive for: K2

Jhola camp and one more day of trekking left

Today the K2 team trekked to Jhola camp and now has just one more day of trekking left.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, talks about the long day:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team.  Today is July 25 and we have arrived at Jhola camp (3151m/10,338ft) on the trek out back to Askole.  It was a long day today.  We left camp about 6:00 AM and got in here around 7:00 PM!  But, a nice, beautiful day, lots of great views.  Everyone’s doing well and we are looking forward to our final day of trekking tomorrow and then driving by jeep to Askole Skardu.

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering K2 archives)

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Khoburtse camp on the Baltoro

As the K2 team continues to trek out, Garrett checks in from Khoburtse camp on the Baltoro:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition.  Today is July 24th and we trekked down the Baltoro Glacier from Goro 2 (4285m/14,058ft) to Khoburtse camp (3827m/12,556ft).  We had a nice day.  It was beautiful weather, great views!  The team did excellent but we did have a little surprise here in camp.  Right before dinner there was a small landslide.  A glacier lahar must have broken loose in a small lake up above and so we saw some rocks and mud come down which was exciting but nobody was injured and no gear was lost.  So, all’s well here.  Looking forward to another great day of trekking tomorrow.

(photo:  Madison Mountaineering K2 archives)

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Trekking out…

K2 stands tall - view from Concordia camp as we said good bye to the mountain

The K2 team is trekking out and enjoying the continued great weather.  Garrett calls in from camp on the Baltoro Glacier:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team.  Today we trekked down from base camp (4968m) to Goro 2 camp (4285m) on the Baltoro Glacier.  We packed up base camp and left at about 7:00 AM this morning, made our way down past Broad Peak, and through Concordia then on to the Baltoro.  Beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, amazing views all around.  And the team’s doing great.  We’re looking forward to another great day trekking down to Khoburtse camp (3827m).  We’ll check in soon.  Thanks!

K2 stands tall - view from Concordia camp as we said good bye to the mountain

K2 stands tall – view from Concordia camp as we said goodbye to the mountain

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Base camp departures begin

Helicopter taking Valerio, Gina, & Elizabeth out of K2 base camp to Skardu

With the season over, the base camp departures begin.  But if you are still in base camp, you might as well enjoy yourself!  Garrett provides these details:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing expedition.  Today is July 21st and we’re down in base camp.  A few of our members helicoptered to Skardu today, Valerio, Gina, and Elizabeth.  The rest of us, myself, Victor, Conan, Rick, and Brian are still in base camp.  We’re gonna continue packing up tomorrow and then start trekking out on the 23rd of July towards Skardu.  So, looking forward to heading out of here.  All’s well!  We had a great expedition and looking forward to heading home towards family and loved ones.

Rick chipping ice with a wooden ice axe, for gin and tonics in base camp

Rick chipping ice with a wooden shaft ice axe for gin and tonics in base camp!

View of route to K2 summitt from camp 4

View of the route to K2 summit from camp 4

Helicopter taking Valerio, Gina, & Elizabeth out of K2 base camp to Skardu

Helicopter taking Valerio, Gina, & Elizabeth out of K2 base camp to Skardu

 

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The decision to head home

The whole team is down off the mountain and all safely in base camp and will be heading home soon.  Stay tuned over the next few days for Garrett’s complete expedition recap as the team makes their way back to Islamabad and beyond.  Here’s Garrett with today’s expedition dispatch:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 expedition team.  We’re having a great time here at dinner!  Good spirits all around, you can hear the laughs in the background.  The whole team’s together and we’ve made the decision to head home.  We’re not gonna stay and climb anymore.  So, it’s been a great expedition here, wonderful journey, and we’re looking forward to heading home to family and loved ones.

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Summit Push Aborted

Descending the Cesen route on K2

The season’s snowfall on the upper slopes of K2 has won out, and unfortunately, the summit will have to wait for another year.  Today the team made the prudent decision to abort the summit push.  While one team member and his climbing Sherpa partner ascended to Camp 4 to spend the night, the remainder of the team descend from Camp 3 and are doing well in base camp.  We expect everyone to be in base camp tomorrow.  Here’s Garrett’s update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing expedition.  We made a great attempt on K2 and unfortunately the snow conditions were just too unstable, too deep, and the avalanche risk too high for us to climb up past Camp 4 into the Bottleneck and the Traverse area.  Magnificent job by all pulling together as a team and working hard and in position for a summit, but The Mountain said no this time.  So, we’ve respected the mountain and we’ve come down to base camp.  All’s well here, and we’ll check in soon.

Descending the fixed ropes after we made the decision to turn around

Descending the fixed ropes after we made the decision to turn around

Descending the Cesen route on K2

Descending the Cesen route on K2

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K2 Cesen Camp 3

The incredible view from Camp 3 on the K2 Cesen route

The team made the move up to K2 Cesen Camp 3 today under beautiful conditions.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, has this update:

Hello!  This is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing team.  Today we climbed from Camp 2 (6311m) on the Cesen route up to Camp 3 (7013m).   Everyone did good today.  We had nice weather.  And we arrived Camp 3, settled into our tents, and now melting some snow for water, getting ready to have some dinner soon.  We’re looking at the options for tomorrow.  But ah, beautiful views here today, spectacular visas, looking out over the Karakoram peaks in China and Pakistan.  So, very happy to be here.  Everyone’s doing well. Check in soon.

K2 Camp 3 (7000m)

K2 Camp 3 (7000m)

The incredible view from Camp 3 on the K2 Cesen route

The incredible view from Camp 3 on the K2 Cesen route

Hanging out at K2 Camp 3 on the Cesen

Hanging out at K2 Camp 3 on the Cesen

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Resting up at Camp 2

Camp 2 on the Cesen route

After yesterday’s big initial push up from base camp, the K2 team has been resting up at Camp 2 today and will move up to Camp 3 tomorrow.  Garrett fills us in on the details:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing team.  Today is July 17th, and we decided to take a rest day here in Camp 2 on the Cesen route.  The weather is great!  Litte bit of uncertainty regarding the rope fixing up high, so we decided to wait a day, give ourselves a little more time, and also rest up from the big push we did yesterday from base camp up to Camp 2 (about 4,500 vertical feet).  Our plan is to climb up to Camp 3 tomorrow.  Everybody’s doing well.  We’ll check in soon.  Thanks!

Camp 2 on the Cesen route

Our Mountain Hardwear tents at Camp 2 on the Cesen route

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Team at Cesen Camp 2

he view from Camp 2 on the Cesen route

In a big kick-off push, the K2 team climbed from base camp (4990m) to Camp 2 (6325m) on the Česen route today.  A steady, steep climb of over 9 hours positioned them very well for moving to Camp 3 (~7000m) tomorrow.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, has this update:

Hello, this is Garrett calling in for the K2 climbing team.  Today is July 16th and we have started our summit push.  We left base camp at 3:00 AM today and climbed up the Česen route to Camp 2, a gain of about 4,400 vertical feet or 1330m.  Everyone did really good today on the way up and we had nice weather, great views.  And we are looking forward to another nice day climbing up to Camp 3 tomorrow.

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The week mountaineers dream of…

K2 Cesen and Abruzzi Google Earth map

On the eve of their summit push, climbing team member Dr. Rick Thurmer provides today’s K2 expedition dispatch.  The plan is to climb to Camp 2 (6327m/20,757ft) on the Cesen route tomorrow morning.  C3 on Wed, C4, on Thu, and make their summit attempt on Friday, July 19th.  This is it – the week mountaineers dream of!  Stay tuned here for updates.  Expedition leader, Garrett Madison, is planning to bring a portable satellite terminal up the mountain, so we expect to be receiving photos and high-quality audio dispatches for the entire summit attempt!  Godspeed team!

Hi, this is Dr. Rick Thurmer.  We’ll be heading up K2 for our summit bid at 3:00 AM tomorrow morning!  Let me tell ya, we are all very, very excited.  We’re all packed, prep’d, and ready!  And I can tell you honestly, I’ve dreamt of this my whole life for this very moment.  So keep us all in your prayers, good night, and God bless.

K2 Cesen and Abruzzi Google Earth map

K2 Cesen and Abruzzi Google Earth map

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