Keen to climb K2? In-depth report

[gbagua]

In-depth report:

https://www.countryhighpoints.com/k2/

Notes:

1. Amazing they hired a private meteorologist.
2. The lack of care about the climbing parties ahead of them.
3. The amount of debris found in this incredible mountain, namely fixed ropes.
4. K2 is suffering from Everest sickness; it has truly become a commodity.

Enjoy the reading!

[headwerkn]

Fascinating reading, thanks for sharing.

I have zero interest in high-altitude mountainteering (Aoraki will be my Everest, hopefully) and honestly the waste/rubbish aspect is the main detraction. I understand that tents occasionally (regularly) get launched into the air and that there are practical limits to what can be humanly done above 7500-8000m+, but there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for leaving that amount of rubbish on the side of a mountain, especially given the mount of business and money involved these days. I lose my s--t every time I find the corner of food wrap on a trail... to come across something like this must be truly horrifying.

[gbagua]

Same here. I pick up on the trails where I run/hike every weekend small bits of rubbish I find. One can only imagine what is left behind on the "big mountains" where the 'elite' rich mountaineers like the princess of Qatar and climbers who can afford a $30 grand chopper ride back to civilisation. Insane. It's big business and the elite only care about scoring K2 & Everest to fulfil their egos. I am wondering if Jeff Bezos or Richard Branson had a go at this mountain.

The guy who wrote the report is a true mountaineer who loves high altitude mountaineering and the effort he put into writing his K2 experience is a proof of that plus he climbed it alpine style unsupported without oxygen! Nicely done.

[sandym]

To be fair, even this "true mountaineer" that you describe hooked into the fixed rope to jug up which, of course, are all set by sherpas. This is nitpicky but his is not actually an "alpine style" attempt as is understood in the modern age. You would have to look toward the late Hayden Kennedy, Andre Marc LeClerc, etc. for true alpine style ascents.

The trash is awful.

[sandym]

If you have Netflix, Jimmy Chin's Meru is now available and shows a party doing a true alpine style ascent. Far out those guys know how to suffer.

[headwerkn]

It's also available for rent on YouTube. Absolutely incredible. "How to suffer" is an understatement...

[gbagua]

This is nitpicky but his is not actually an "alpine style" attempt as is understood in the modern age.

Technically not but close. K2 still awaits for a pure alpine style ascent. It would be an incredible feat for sure.

I have seen the movie Meru. Good one! But a 6,600m mountain is not a 8,000 + one. There is a considerable difference.