Climbers head for K2 summit

Mountaineers on K2 in Pakistan are camped beneath the summit and will start their attempts tonight, August 5.

After an unusual weather season, a small international group of mountaineers have reached within a stone’s throw (metaphorically) of their goal, the summit of the second highest mountain in the world.

The weather has been unusually hot this year, with bare ice on the slopes in places, and many rocks falling from the heights as they dislodge in the heat.

This creates an increased danger of being struck for mountaineers, or their tents and equipment being damaged. Alongside the heat, spells of foul weather for which the mountain is famous for has kept would be summiteers at bay until the end of July. Now, a small weather pocket has materialised, and climbers are presently in position at camp four, to attempt the final slopes to the 8611 metre high summit.

Their way will be through the steep and exposed 'bottleneck', an 80 degree ice ramp where two years ago 11 mountaineers lost their lives, which gives way to the easier summit slopes.

ExplorersWeb reported that Ralf Dujmovits, stationed at the K2 base camp, has published that the summit day should be beautiful with moderate wind and 15°C.

Ralf aborted his attempt earlier this week after a number of close shaves with loose rock. Already a K2 summiteer, he made way for others to attempt the summit, as less mountaineers on the trail means less chance of dislodging more debris on climbers below.

Among the summit hopefuls, including climbers from the US, Poland and Russia, is Austria’s Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, who is hoping to become the first woman to summit the fourteen 8000 metre peaks without the use of supplementary O2. On the climb ahead she reported many visible areas of bare ice in the Bottleneck.

Also at the high camp is Swede Fredrik Ericsson, who hopes to ski down the mountain from summit to base, a feat never before accomplished.

Source: ExplorersWeb

Image: AP