Alison Hargreaves’ son to attempt K2

Tom Ballard, son of the prodigy 90’s climber Alison Hargreaves who died descending K2 in 1995, has announced he wants to attempt the same mountain solo, and in winter.

Ballard, now 21, is training in the Swiss Alps on the Eiger in preparation for the climb on the peak mountaineers often refer to and the most dangerous peak in the world, or the savage mountain.

Unlike Everest, which has seen more than 4000 summits, K2 has seen less than 500 and is considered far more difficult and dangerous to climb.

Hargreaves, a celebrated female climber from Britain in the 1990’s, disappeared off the high slopes of K2 with others in what is guessed to be high winds late in the day.

The mountain, which is the second highest in the world, claimed her life when Tom was a six-year-old boy.

His mother’s achievements made her an inspiration to thousands of women, but her death led to recriminations because she left behind two young children.

Ballard, following in the footsteps of his mother, has been climbing since he was a child and he is convinced he is ready for the challenge.

But the statistics are against him. No person or team has ever summited K2 out of season, let alone winter, and attempts have always been made in numbers with support and infrastructure.

Many world climbers consider his actions fool hearty and dangerous.

Doug Scott, a renowned mountaineer from England who bivvied outside near the summit of Everest in 1971, noted he does not support Ballards idea.

But Tom’s father Jim Ballard, who has rejected any suggestion he was pushing his son into a career in climbing is supportive of his son’s ambitions:

“I never have encouraged him, but any parent should support their children in their ambitions,” he said. “Nobody would blink at all if Tom had decided, at 18, to go in the marines.

“I think she [Alison] would be very proud of the kids. I think with Tom there would always be a bit of rivalry, because I don’t think it would sit too easily with her the fact that he is so good.”

Ballard told a BBC film crew that he was undaunted by the fact that the peak had claimed his mother’s life. “It’s no different to if she had died in a car crash. I would still then travel around in a car. I think I need to climb mountains, it’s inside,” he said.

“Maybe initially she would have been against it, but then she would realise that I like doing what she liked doing, so she would see the parallels and probably enjoy it for that.

“She would still be nervous for me, but I think she would be proud and happy that I was doing what I want to do. I am following in her footsteps, they are already there so I can just step in them and carry on.”

Source article: Tom Ballard: 'It killed my mother, Alison Hargreaves, but I’ll climb K2' by Stuart MacDonald Image: Alison and her children in 1995