Pakistan 2013: Czech Climber Dies On Gasherbrum I

The climbing season in Pakistan is now officially over, but not before it claimed the life of yet another respected alpinist. On Monday it was revealed that Zdenek Hruby, the President of the Czech Mountaineering Federation died on Gasherbrum I after attempting to open a new route to the summit along the Southwest Face. He was 57 years old.

Apparently Zdenek was climbing with is partner Marek Holecek along the new route when they ran into difficult high on the mountain. They decided to abandon their attempt and return to Base Camp but on the descent Hruby slipped and fell a thousand feet, dying instantly. The members of his team gathered in Camp 1 to claim the body, which was then lowered into a crevasse as per his families wishes.

An experienced and talented climber, Zdenek had eight of the fourteen 8000-meter peaks on his resume, including ascents of both Gasherbrum I and II as well as Nanga Parbat. Recently, he and Marek had launched a new climbing project that hey had dubbed "Never Stop Exploring." Their first climb was the successful first ascent of the North Face on Talung Peak, a 7349 meter (24,110 ft) mountain located in the Eastern Himalaya of India. The new route on Gasherbrum I was first attempted in 2009 and they had hoped to take care of unfinished business this year. Unfortunately, the expedition has ended in tragedy.

I think it is safe to say that the entire mountaineering community will be happy to put the summer season in Pakistan behind us. It has been an incredibly tough year in the Himalaya and Karakoram. We were all shocked when 11 people were killed by armed gunmen in BC on Nanga Parbat. Later we said goodbye to Polish climbing legend Artur Hajzer, who perished on Gasherbrum I as well, only to lose Marty and Denali Schmidt on K2 a few weeks later. Add Zdenek to the list and this has been an incredibly costly season indeed.

My condolences to Zdenek's family and friends in this time of need.

Pakistan 2013: Summer Climbing Season Ends

It has been a very long and difficult climbing season in Pakistan punctuated with several tragic accidents and the brutal murders of eleven people in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat. Those events have only made an already difficult year for the mountaineering community even tougher and I'm sure many are eager to put 2013 behind them. While I was away at Outdoor Retailer last week, most of the teams that remained in the Karakoram were busy packing up their gear and making the trek back to Askole where they could catch a ride to Skardu. But not everyone had wrapped up their expeditions for the season and some were still attempting to top out. Now it seems that the season truly is finished as the last of the holdouts pull the plug on their expeditions as well.

Most of the remaining climbing attempts were taking place on Gasherbrum I and II where several teams were hoping to make late summit attempts. Amongst them was Jon Kedrowski, whose team was hoping to top out on GII sometime in the next few days. It turns out that won't be possible as warm conditions have led to unstable snow, while high winds have managed to shut off access to the upper slopes. In his latest dispatch, Jon says that he and his teammates were the only ones left on the mountain but it is too unsafe to make any more attempts, so they will now depart Gasherbrum II without summiting.

According to ExWeb a Czech team was attempting to summit GI last week but there is no word yet on whether or not they were successful. Part of the team was going up the standard route while another group were taking on a new route on the Southwest Face. Whether or not they are still on the mountain remains to be seen, but considering how late in the season we are, it seems likely that they'll be packing for home soon as well.

ExWeb also indicates that there has been some success on Pakistani mountains that aren't above 8000 meters in height as well. For instance, Rafał Sławiński and Ian Welsted managed to top out on K6, a 7040 meter (23,097 ft) peak located in the Masherbrum Range. It is the first ascent of that mountain since it was first climbed by an Austrian team back in 1970. Also, Denis Veretenin and Eugeny Bashkirtsev have managed to scale Nameless Tower, which is part of the very difficult Trango Towers, in a single 1.5 day push The Towers are high altitude rock climbing at its most difficult as they stretch some 6329 meters (20,764 ft) into the air.

That should just about wrap up the Pakistan climbing season for another summer. Once again, K2 went unclimbed this year while too many good men and women payed the ultimate sacrifice in pursuit of the high places of our planet. Lets hope we don't see another year like this one for a very long time.

Pakistan 2013: K2 Claims Two More Lives, Expeditions Cancelled

The climbing season in Pakistan is now coming to a rapid end as it appears that all attempts on K2 have now been cancelled. Summit bids had originally been expected this weekend but poor conditions on the mountain have made it impossible for teams to move forward. Unfortunately, not all of the teams heeded the warning signs and turned back and now two climbers have paid the ultimate price on one of the most dangerous mountains on the planet.

Late last week almost every team on K2 turned back at Camp 2 when they discovered that more than seven feet  (2.1 meters) of snow was blocking the route. Not only would that snow make it extremely difficult to climb any higher but it was also making things very unstable. Avalanches could be seen taking place on the upper slopes and that was enough to force most of the climbers to go back down. But the father and son team of Marty and Denali Schmidt, fresh off a successful summit on Broad Peak, decided to continue up to Camp 3 where they hoped to find less snow and improved route conditions. That wasn't the case however and ExWeb is now reporting that the two men have been killed in an avalanche.

It seems that the Schmidts did indeed manage to reach C3 last Friday as expected and they radioed back to Base Camp indicating that they had settled in for the night. But sometime after their last radio check-in the entire camp was swept off the mountain by a powerful avalanche. This was discovered yesterday when a team of Sherpas climbed up to Camp 3 and discovered that it was completely destroyed. There was no trace of the father and son.

My condolences go out to Marty and Denali's friends and family for their loss. I'm sure this is even more shocking after their fantastic success on Broad Peak a few weeks back.

Even before the sad news of the loss of two of their companions the other teams on K2 had already decided to go home. It seems that when they climbed up to C2 last week most of them saw the writing on the wall and that successful summits weren't going to be in the cards this season. K2 is an incredibly difficult mountain to climb even under the best of circumstances. Throw in unstable conditions and a penchant for avalanches and it just didn't seem like a recipe for success. By Saturday most of the climbers had already started packing their gear and planning their trek back civilization. That will take a few days and they'll now go with heavy hearts for the loss of their companions.

Elsewhere in Pakistan most of the other climbing teams on other mountains are wrapping up their expeditions as well. It has been a season with some good success stories, particularly on the Gasherbrums, Broad Peak and a Nanga Parbat. But it has also been a season of incredible sadness and loss. 11 climbers lost their lives on Nanga Parbat when armed gunmen stormed the camp and killed them execution style. A few weeks later, Polish climbing legend Artur Hajzer was lost while descending Gasherbrum I and three Iranian climbers perished after opening a new route on BP. Just this past weekend we also received word that the search has ended for three missing Spanish climbers on GI as well. Add in the deaths on K2 and you have far too many climbers losing their lives in just a matter of a few weeks in Pakistan. This will be a season that will be long remembered, but unfortunately it will be for all of the wrong reasons.

The mountaineering community will mourn the loss of their friends for years to come. Lets hope we don't see another season like this in our lifetimes.

Pakistan 2013: Search Officially Ends On Broad Peak, Continues On Gasherbrum I

It has been another very difficult week in the mountains of Pakistan where one search operation came to a tragic end, another is on going and a third has saved a life. All the while that these dramas have been unfolding, other teams have been making summit bids, some successful and some not.

Starting on Broad Peak, the search for the three missing Iranian climbers has been officially canceled. Bad weather has moved onto the mountain making it impossible for anyone to go up to 7800 meters (25,590 ft), which is where the men were last believed to have been camped. After more than a week at that altitude – without food and water no less – the climbers' friends and family have decided that it was time to let them go. They are presumed dead at this point.

The three men who have given their lives while opening a new route on BP are: Aidin Bozorgi, Pouya Keivan and Mojtaba Jarahi. My sincere condolences to their loved ones in their time of need.

Over on Gasherbrum I the search for missing climbers Xevi Gomez, Alvaro Paredes and Abel Alonso is still on going at this time. Bad weather has grounded the helicopter and hampered efforts there thus far, but the SAR teams haven't given up hope just yet. The three men topped out on GI last Sunday and were expected to descend to C2 the following day, but no word has been heard from them since. While the outlook is not good, some of the Spanish climbers friends are still holding out hope.

There was some good news from GI yesterday however, as Alfredo Garcia was located on the mountain and assisted down from Camp 3 by Mariano Galvan. Garcia turned back from the summit this past weekend as well but struggled on the descent. He has now gone down to Camp 1 and should be resting there for a time before proceed to Base Camp.

Meanwhile, summit pushes are now underway on both Gasherbrum I and II. Amongst those looking to top out is Jon Kedrowski, whose team should be in position to summit GII later today or tomorrow. Also on the move is Chris Jensen Burke, who fresh off a successful climb on that peak will now maker her way to the summit of GI. It would seem, weather permitting, there is the potential for several summits on these peaks in the next few days.

Finally, the summit push on K2 that was expected to be taking place as I write this has been called off. Poor conditions are to blame for stalling out the attempt which was to coincide with a weather window opening tomorrow. But when the first climbers reached Camp 3 on the mountain they discovered heavy snow higher on the slopes. As much as seven feet (2.1 meters) of snow to be exact. That fresh powder is believed to be unstable and avalanches have been observed higher on the slopes. For now, the teams will retreat, let things settle and regroup again next week.

There is no need to panic just yet on K2. It would have been an early summit had they topped out this weekend as expected. It is not uncommon for climbers to complete their K2 expeditions in the first week or so of August. Hopefully patience and persistence will pay off this year as well.

Pakistan 2013: Hope Fades On Broad Peak, Rescue Operations Underway On GI

The very busy summit season has begun in Pakistan where a number of teams have been successful on their bids to climb the big peaks throughout the region. While those teams celebrate their good fortune and prepare to head home, others are mourning the loss of friends as another team seems to have run into trouble.

We'll start on Broad Peak which has been the site of much drama over the past week. An Iranian team reached the summit on Tuesday, July 16 but ran into trouble on their descent. They spent several days stuck at 7800 meters (25,590 ft) but in radio contact with their friends, who were organizing a rescue operation that would deliver food and water to the three men. The hope was that they could then assist them in coming back down the mountain hopefully saving their lives in the process. On Saturday they lost radio contact with one another and the search parties had no luck in locating their missing compatriots. Helicopters were brought in to assist but bad weather kept them grounded. Now, as the days have dragged on, hope has started to fade for the stranded climbers and as the weather takes a turn for the worse, it appears that the search will have to be called off altogether

This is a sad ending to a story that had started so well. The three men, Aidin Bozorgi, Pouya Keivan and Mojtaba Jarahi, had completed a new route to the summit of BP, but struggled often on their climb. It seems they became exhausted when even their descent along the normal route proved more difficult than expected. They've now been without food and water, while stuck at altitude, for several days. With bad weather setting in, it seems very unlikely that they are still alive – something that their friends and family are now coming to grips with. My condolences to those that were close to these three men. Their names are added to a list of men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the mountains this year. It has certainly been a costly one.

Over on the Gasherbrums there have been a number of summits over the past few days, including Chris Jensen Burke topping out on GII yesterday. She reports that about a dozen climbers stood on top at roughly the same time. Meanwhile, Jonathan Kedrowski has also set out for the summit and hopes to complete his ascent by Friday or Saturday. He'll be amongst another group of seven or eight climbers who should all be topping out around the same time, weather permitting.

On Gasherbrum I another rescue operation seems to be unfolding at the moment. The Spanish team climbing on that mountain seems to have run into some difficulty on the descent following a successful summit. Xevi Gomez, Alvaro Paredes and Abel Alonso all reached the top of GI a few days ago but are having problems making it back down now. Friends and teammates are on the move there today and hope to reach them soon, then help with getting them safely back down the mountain. Stay tuned for updates on this situation, which is still unfolding.

Finally, it is go time at last on K2. Several teams, including one with both Adrian Hayes and Al Hancock on it, have launched their summit bids today. A weather window is expected to open this coming weekend and everyone wants to be in position to take advantage of the improved conditions if and when they come. If all goes as expected, we could see the first summits of the season as early as Saturday or Sunday. But this is the world's toughest mountain, so we'll just have to wait to see if the climbers can actually find a way to stand on top.

More updates to come as needed. There is a lot of activity right now and the end of the season is almost in sight.

Pakistan 2013: Rescue Operations Continue On Broad Peak, Summits On Nanga Parbat

It was another very busy weekend in the mountains of Pakistan, where teams were on the move once again. The season is starting to wind down at last and some of the climbers were able to take advantage of a weather window to complete their summit bids. Meanwhile, on Broad Peak hope begins to fade as rescue operations continue for the Iranian team that has been stranded at altitude for nearly a week.

We'll start with the news from BP where search and rescue teams continue to look for the three missing Iranian climbers who topped out along a new route last week but ran into trouble on their descent. The three men, Aidin Bozorgi, Pouya Keivan and Mojtaba Jarahi, first spent three days above Camp 3 just trying to reach the summit and have now reportedly been stuck above 7800 meters (25,590 ft) since last Tuesday when they tried to descend along the normal route. Their teammates have gone up the mountain to try to deliver food and water before attempting to help the climbers down, but so far they have been unable to locate their missing friends.

News of the predicament has spread to other teams in the Karakoram and climbers have come from K2 and other mountains to try to lend a hand. Reportedly helicopters have also been dispatched to help in the search efforts too, but so far there has been no luck in locating the men. The situation is now quite desperate as they were already low on food and water when they called for help late last week. By now they are probably out of food and no longer have fuel to melt snow for water. They are also probably far too weak at this point to continue down themselves. Lets continue to keep these three men – as well as their friends and families – in our thoughts. Hopefully it is not too late to find them and safely get them off the mountain.

Elsewhere there were successful summit bids on several mountains. On Nanga Parbat, the sight of eleven brutal killings earlier in the season, the lone remaining team managed to top out. The Romanian squad, climbing along the Rupal face, put four climbers on the summit on Friday, bringing an end to a tough expedition which was made all the more difficult by lingering fears that another terrorist attack might occur. The team should now be back in Base Camp and preparing to depart for home today.

Meanwhile, over on the Gasherbrums teams have launched summit bids as well. Chris Jensen Burke and her team have left for the summit of GII on Saturday and if successful, they'll return to BC and then make an attempt on GI as well. Carlos Carranzo is attempt GII as well although his latest dispatch says that conditions have taken a turn for the worse there, so we'll have to wait and see how things play out. It may be that teams are already in retreat on that mountain. The Spanish team climbing there found success yesterday however, putting some of the climbers on top of Gasherbrum I, while others rethink their strategy and consider GII instead.

Finally, the schedule on K2 is finally starting to fall into place. It looks like a weather window is set to open on July 27 that will grant access to the summit for several days. In order to take advantage of this stable pattern, teams are now planning to set out from Base Camp on Wednesday of this week so that they can take advantage of this first, and possibly only, weather window of the season. K2 is notoriously tough to climb and the alpinists want to be in a good position to take advantage of any opportunity that they might get. More on that as they launch their summit bids in a few days.

Thins are pretty active in Pakistan at the moment. More news in the days ahead and keep your fingers crossed for the missing Iranians.

Pakistan 2013: Climbers In Trouble On Broad Peak

We're at a crucial stage of the summer climbing season in Pakistan. Most of the teams have now been on their respective mountains for a number of weeks and many have now wrapped up their acclimatization and are making summit bids. That includes an Iranian team on Broad Peak, which has already successfully topped out but is now facing serious problems on their descent.

ExWeb has all of the details on the Iranian team's climb, which began on July 10 with a five man team setting off for the summit along a new route on BP's Southwest Face. The ascent went mostly as planned up to Camp 3 but above that point things started to get extremely difficult. Poor conditions and a rocky route slowed progress to a crawl and the climbers were forced to bivouac for three consecutive nights. On Tuesday, July 16, three members of the team (Aidin Bozorgi, Pouya Keivan and Mojtaba Jarahi) reached the summit and then attempted to their descend along the normal route. That is when things took a turn for the worse.

It turns out there were complications with going down along the established route and the three climbers ended up bivouacking above C3 for an additional two nights. Yesterday the climbers called their support team and told them that their tent had been shredded and that they were in desperate need of food and water. Worse yet, one of the members of the team is in poor shape and having problems descending. That prompted the team to spring into action and today a rescue mission is underway with a number of climbers moving up to try to help get the three Iranians down safely. Lets keep our fingers crossed that all goes well. We've lost enough climbers in the mountains already this year.

Broad Peak hasn't been particularly accommodating to climbers this summer as it has also been reported that four Polish climbers have suffered frostbite on their summit bid earlier this week. It isn't clear how bad the frostbite is but it is enough that a helicopter was expected to arrive in Base Camp today to evacuate the four men. That would indicate to me that at least one of them has fairly severe injuries but hopefully they'll all make a full recovery.

Over on Nanga Parbat, the Romanian team climbing the Rupal Face has reached 7500 meters (24,606 ft) and established their High Camp there. If conditions continue to hold out they should make their final summit push this weekend. After the murders that took place in BC on the Diamir Face, this is the only team that remains on the mountain this summer. It would be good to see them successfully top out.

Teams are now on the move on both Gasherbrum I and II with climbers hoping to summit the next few days. The big news on these peaks at the moment is the burial of Polish climbing legend Artur Hajzer, who died on GI back on July 7. Hajzer fell to his death on the Japanese Couloir and his family determined that he would have wanted to be buried on the mountain. That took place a few days ago with the help from a few of his friends. Rest in peace Artur.

According to Jon Kedrowski, four members of his team, all of whom are from Belgium, are now making summit bids on Gasherbrum I. There is a narrow weather window open and while Jon and his guide are waiting for a better opportunity, these four climbers decided to give it a go. If they are successful, they should top out early next week.

Similarly, Chris Jensen Burke has completed her acclimatization on GII and should now be back in BC waiting for a weather window of her own. No word yet on when that might come, but a shift in weater was expected to take place late this week which could provide the opening she and her team needs.

Finally, over on K2 teams have now gone as high as Camp 3 and acclimatizations are proceeding as expected. Most are starting to look at the weather forecasts to see if a five-day window will be coming soon. That's how long they'll need to travel from BC to the summit and then begin their descent back down. Right now, there doesn't appear to be such a window on the horizon, but summits on the "Savage Mountain" often come in late July or early August. Expect more teams to start arriving on the mountain soon however as some will attempt K2 after warming up on one of the other big peaks in the region.

That's all for now. Expect more updates next week following possible summits in the next few days.

Pakistan 2013: Summit Bids Begin And Saying Goodbye To A Legend

While I was away on my own adventure, the climbing season in Pakistan has continued apace. Bad weather caused some delays over the past week and a half, but things are starting to improve now and teams are back on the move. It continues to be a very rough year in the mountaineering community however as another big name perishes in the Karakoram.

A few days ago the sad news was posted to Facebook that Polish mountaineering legend Artur Hajzer died on his descent of Gasherbrum I. There are very few details of what happened but he apparently passed away near Camp 2. His family is still deciding if they want to bring his body home or have it buried on the mountain. Artur was a real trailblazer in terms of climbing in the big mountains and he has been a leader of the climbing scene in Poland for a number of years. He will certainly be missed.

With that sad news out of the way we do get the positive update that the first summit of the summer season in Pakistan has been claimed on Broad Peak. According to Karakoram Climber News, Marty and Denali Schmidt topped out on that mountain yesterday, which was expected to be a big day on BP. No word yet if any other team on the mountain managed to reach the summit as well, but it seems likely that others took advantage of the weather window as well. The father and son team will now turn their attention to K2 with the hopes of a summit on that mountain as well.

Speaking of K2, the mountain is living up to its reputation as being one of the tougher peaks in the world to climb. Poor weather has made it a challenge for everyone so far this summer, but that is typically case in mid-July. Summits don't usually come until early August, so there is still time for progress to be made. Several teams have established Camp 2 on the mountain and with improved weather they are making their way up to C3 this week. More teams will be arriving their soon as they wrap up their efforts on Broad Peak and other peaks used in acclimatization.

The lone remaining team on Nanga Parbat is the Romanian squad on the Rupal Face. They have launched their summit bid as well and depending on conditions could top out as early as tomorrow. Thursday or Friday seems more likely however, so look for this expedition to wrap up within the next few days.

As I get back on my regular posting schedule I'll provide more detailed updates on the progress of the teams. Things are starting to come together now in Pakistan, so we should see more summits in the next week or so. After that, it's on to K2, the crown jewel of the region, if not all of mountaineering.

Pakistan 2013: More Teams Arriving In Base Camps, Summit Bids Underway

Just a quick update from Pakistan today to keep everyone posted on the progress there. The teams are on the move once again and after the travel disruption of last week, things appear to be returning to normal now. There are numerous climbers now making their way to Base Camps across the region, particularly on K2 and the Gasherbrums, as well as some of the smaller peaks throughout the area. They'll have to get to work as soon as possible if they hope to make up some of the time they missed while waiting for the government to reopen travel to Skardu, but provided the weather remains cooperative they should still have an opportunity to achieve their goals this summer.

The biggest news at the moment is of a pair of summit bids. First, we knew the German team on Broad Peak was preparing to begin their final push and they should be on their way to the top of that mountain today. The weather was expected to improve as the week went along and if those forecasts turn out to be accurate, we should receive word on successful summits in the next day or two.

The other team that should be close to launching their summit bid is the Romanian squad on Nanga Parbat. The team is on the Rupal Face and wasn't anywhere near the Diamir camp, which is where the brutal murders took place last week. The last report had the Romnians wrapping up their acclimatization efforts a few days back and they're just waiting for a weather window to open so they can proceed up.

Elsewhere, Mike Horn and his climbing mates have arrived in Base Camp on K2. They'll soon start working their way up as they acclimatize and build their higher camps. They hope to not only summit the extremely tough mountain this year but also paraglide from the summit.

Base Camp on Gasherbrum I and II have started to welcome more teams as well as those who have been trekking for a few days are now starting to arrive. Jon Kedrowski is one of those making that trek and while he's been on he trail for several days, he still has about 40 miles (64 km) to go before he arrives. Also on that same trek is Chris Jensen Burke who has her sights set on a Gasherbrum summit as well.

We're in a strange place at the moment. We have a couple of teams about to attempt the summit and then wrap up their expeditions and we have a host of others who are still making their way to Base Camp. Traditionally K2 summits take place in the first week of August however, so the climbers still have plenty time to get everything together before the season wraps up.

Stay tuned for more.

Pakistan 2013: Summit Bids Begin On Broad Peak

A week removed from the heinous crimes that took place in Base Camp on Nanga Parbat and there is a sense of normalcy starting to return to the mountains in Pakistan. That awful scene isn't forgotten, but the teams have certainly gotten back to work and are now planning the phases of their expeditions.

No where is that more evident than on Broad Peak where the German team is now preparing for a summit bid. The weather hasn't been all that cooperative the past few days and there has been plenty of snow falling in BC, but conditions are expected to slowly improve over the next few days, so the team expects to move up to Camp 2 tomorrow, followed by Camp 3 on Wednesday. That would put them in position to make a summit bid on Thursday provided everything goes as planned. The Germans are joining forces with an Austrian team for the final push, which will see 22 climbers from the combiend squads as well as seven climbers from Pakistan. It'll be a big push getting underway in just a few days and hopefully everyone gets up and down safely.

Things are progressing on Gasherbrum I and II where there are only a couple of small teams who are enjoying relative solitude this summer. More teams are on the way however, so Base Camp is likely to get a bit more crowded in the days ahead. The Polish team that includes Artur Hajzer reports that they have now climbed as high as 7000 meters (22,965 ft), fixing new ropes as they go. Weather has been challenging and at the moment they're back in BC waiting for an opportunity to go back up, but so far they're happy with their steady progress. The plan is to climb both GI and GII in the weeks ahead, while also scouting for a possible return for winter ascents on those peaks.

Over on K2 there is a sense of expectation as things haven't really started to ramp up too much there just yet. There are a number of teams heading to that mountain this summer, but several of them were delayed getting out of Islamabad last week due to the travel restrictions imposed in the aftermath of the Nanga Parbat massacre. They are mostly all on the trail to BC now after flying to Skardu and driving to Askole at the end of last week. Now they'll be trekking in to Base Camp which will take the better part of a week to complete. I would expect to see some of those teams arriving on K2 by next weekend.

Finally, the Romanian team that is the only group still on Nanga Parbat are continuing their expedition despite the fact that everyone else has gone home. This squad is climbing on the Rupal Face of course and not the Diamir route, which is where the attacks occurred. The team was in BC at the end of last week but as the weather improves they will be heading back up in the next day or two as well.

Good luck to everyone as they all prepare for the next phase of their climbs. Stay safe!

Pakistan 2013: Nanga Parbat Empty, Progress Elsewhere

The tragic events that occurred on Nanga Parbat this week have left the climbers in Pakistan stunned and saddened. It has been a difficult couple of days, even on the peaks that are nowhere near the site of the murders and fear and uncertainty have taken hold to an extent. But these teams are there for a reason and work has continued across the Himalaya and Karakoram despite the unexpected challenges that have arisen.

It should come as no surprise that the teams have all but abandoned Nanga Parbat altogether. Many climbers avoided the massacre simply because they were in Camp 1 and 2 when the gunmen attacked Base Camp on the Diamir Face. Those men and women were escorted safely off the mountain as soon as the Pakistani military could get onsite. A lone Romanian team remains on the Rupal Face where they await word if they will be forced to leave as well. The climbers have expressed that they would prefer to stay and attempt to climb the mountain, but the Pakistani government may ask them to depart in order to maintain safety.

Elsewhere, things are much quieter. The German team climbing Broad Peak has now gone up to Camp 3 as part of their acclimatization process and only learned of the events on Nanga Parbat upon their return to BC. They indicate that Pakistani military has moved into the area and have secured the trail to Concordia, a cross roads for those trekking to BP or nearby K2. The Germans say that the weather has been perfect for the past two weeks, although there are indications that a storm could bring snowfall before the end of the week. After that, they'll start eyeing the summit and hope to have an opportunity to make their push starting as early as this weekend.

Over on the Gasherbrums the Polish team is now in Base Camp and beginning their acclimatization rounds. Artur Hajzer is part of this squad that hopes to bag both GI and GII in the same season. They're also scouting the area for a possible return in the winter. We all know how much the Poles enjoy their winter climbs in Pakistan.

Al Hancock and Adrian Hayes have their sights set on K2 this summer, but at the moment they can't even get out of Islamabad. Adrian reports that the Pakistani government has halted travel for foreigners into the mountains for the time being while they sort out the situation and look to secure the area. As a result, a number of teams (and trekkers) are currently stuck waiting for an opportunity to leave the capital and get on with their adventures. There is no indication as to when that might happen, so for now they sit and wait. He does note that things are absolutely safe in Islamabad and that his team has heard from a number of Pakistanis who have expressed outrage and sympathy over the Nanga Parbat murders.

These stories give you an indication of where things are at in Pakistan at the moment. Some of the teams are waiting their opportunity to move out of Islamabad while others are either already on their mountain or in transit now. Those that were on Nanga Parbat are mostly back in the capital now and are preparing to head home. I can only imagine how they must feel.

I'll post more news as it comes in.

Pakistan 2013: Teams Go To Work

The summer Pakistani climbing season is starting to get a bit busier as more teams are now arriving in their respective base camps and have started the acclimatization process. After spending days trekking to their start positions, most are only now getting settled and turning their attention to the task at hand. Much like climbing Everest, or one of the other big Himalayan peaks in Nepal or Tibet, they'll now proceed to build a series of high camps and stock them with gear in preparation for an eventual summit pushes. But we're a long way from that and there is still a lot of work to be done.

Of course, the crown jewel of climbing in Pakistan – if not the world – is K2 and as usual there are a number of talented teams who will be testing themselves on what is arguably the toughest mountain in the world to climb. Amongst them is the three-man squad of Mike Horn, Fred Roux and Kobi Reichen who intend to climb in alpine style and without bottled oxygen. Weather permitting, Mike and Fred also hope to paraglide from the summit, but that remains a pipe dream at point. The three men arrived in Islamabad a week ago and there has been little word on their progress thus far. Presumably they are on their way to Base Camp at the moment along with a slew of other teams.

Also returning to K2 this year is Canadian climber Al Hancock who is on the same expedition as Adrian Hayes. Al attempted K2 last year but was forced to turn back due to bad weather. He's hoping his fortunes will be better this time out. The team will gather in Pakistan this Friday and intend to depart for Skardu on Sunday.

Basque climber Alex Txikon will be joined by his climbing partners Ferran Latorre and Felix Garcia on K2 this summer as well. They arrived in Pakistan this past weekend and are now en route to BC. They're being followed closely by an 8-person, all-Japanese team that is led by 46-year old Kitamura Seiichi. An international squad, consisting mostly of climbers from Australia and New Zealand are also headed to the mountain. Elsewhere, the teams have already started working their routes. For instance, the German team on Broad Peak arrived in BC last week and has slowly watched a small tent-city spring up around them as other teams arrive. Base Camp is located at 4800 meters (15,748 ft) and the team has already established Camp 1 at 5700 meters (18,700 ft). At the moment they're focused on shuttling gear to Camp 2, where they'll also acclimatize for a few nights. Once they've finished that process, they'll already have climbed as high as 6400 meters (20,997 ft). 

A team of Polish climbers is en route to Broad Peak after arriving in Pakistan over the weekend. Their objective is not to climb to the summit necessarily but instead they hope to recover the bodies of their fallen comrades –Maciej Berbeka and Tomasz Kowalski – who died while making the first winter ascent of the mountain. This expedition will be a difficult one for all involved, even if they don't go to the summit. Maciej's brother Jacek is on the team and he will no doubt wrestle with a lot of emotions while on the mountain. 

Over on Nanga Parbat, poor weather has made for tough going so far. A Romanian team has established Advanced Base Camp and climbed to C1 last week on the Rupal Face. But heavy snow has put a halt to their efforts for now. Other teams on the Diamir route have faced similar weather conditions, which has made it very difficult to fix ropes for those climbing on that side of the mountain.

Teams are now approaching Base Camp on the Gasherbrums too, with several squads targeting either GI, GII or both mountains. Amongst them is the Polish team of Artur Hajzer and Marcin Kaczkan who are still making their way to the massif. They will be attempting the double-summit this summer for sure. Also, it seems paragliding may be the new craze in mountaineering, as ExWeb has an interview with Sofie Lenaerts who hopes to make a slol flight from GII later in the season. 

More news to come in the days ahead. The Pakistani climbing season is still ramping up and it should prove quite interesting as we get deeper into it. 

Pakistan 2013: Base Camps Open!

As I mentioned a few days ago, the 2013 climbing season is now officially open and teams are now arriving in Base Camps across the Himalaya and Karakoram in Pakistan. Most are just starting to get settled in and are launching their first round of acclimatization rotations as they prepare for the challenges that are ahead. While there won't be nearly as many teams in the region as there are in Nepal and Tibet in the spring, the next six weeks or so will be very busy on a number of big mountains.

The 8000-meter peaks in Pakistan have a reputation for being incredibly difficult to climb with all five of them offering its own unique challenge. Chief amongst them is K2, perhaps the toughest mountain in the world. Despite the challenges of climbing that beast, the second tallest mountain on the planet will see plenty of visitors this summer. One of them is explorer Mike Horn, who fresh off his Pangaea Expedition is not returning to the mountains. He'll be joined by his teammates Fred Roux and Köbe Reichen, who he has climbed in Pakistan with in the past. The men left for Islamabad yesterday and aren't like to arrive in BC until sometime next week, when they'll begin their climb. Interestingly enough, both Mike and Fred are carrying paragliders with them and hope to sail off the summit should they reach that point.

Also departing for K2 next week is Adrian Hayes, who in the past has visited the Three Poles – North Pole, South Pole and Everest. He says he's been planning this expedition for three years and training extremely hard for the past six months, so now he's ready to take on the challenge too. He'll leave for Pakistan in a week and share his experiences at every step of the way.

A Japanese team is currently trekking to K2 BC and a second team made up of international climbers is expected in country this weekend. Considering it takes a few days to organize gear once they reach Islamabad, then fly or drive to Skardu, before proceeding on to Askole by 4x4, followed by a 7-8 day trek, it'll be a little while before Base Camp really starts to bustle.
The Broad Peak Team led by Michael Haselsteiner and Reinhard Auzinger is still trekking to Base Camp but should arrive by today. There has been little word from the group since they set out from Askole last week, but they should be close to their destination by now. Hopefully they'll be settled into BC soon and begin sharing progress reports.

Over on Nanga Parbat, things are starting to get interesting. A Ukrainian team arrived in Base Camp there on Sunday and started their first rotation up to Camp 1 yesterday. They likely spent the night there and should be on their way back to BC today. Meanwhile, Polish climber Artur Hajzer is now en route to Skardu before he head s to Nanga as well.

Finally, ExWeb is reporting that a German team is headed for the Gasherbrums to climb both GI and GII. They should have arrived in Skardu today before proceeding on from there. ExWeb also says that Spaniard Patxi Goni and Oscar Cadiach are teaming to take on Hidden Peak this summer as well.

Stay tuned for more in the days ahead. The Pakistani climbing season is just ramping up and we'll have plenty of more news to come in the weeks ahead.

Pakistan 2013: Teams Arriving As Season Officially Begins

As I mentioned last week, now that the spring climbing season in Nepal and Tibet is wrapped up, many climbers are now headed to Pakistan to take on the massive peaks that exist in that country. Those mountains include Nanga Parbat, the Gasherbrums, Broad Peak and of course K2. Teams have now begun to arrive in Islamabad and some have even started their journeys toward their respective mountains, most of which are located in such remote areas that it'll take them days just to get to Base Camp.

As usual, it appears there will be a number of expeditions heading to each of the 8000-meter Pakistani peaks this spring. Some are going with a single specific goal in mind, such as Tunc Findik's efforts to summit Nanga Parbat. He arrived in country this past weekend and is now getting ready to depart the capital for BC. Tunc hopes to summit the mountain without the use of supplemental oxygen. His team obviously won't be the only one on the mountain this summer, as it is actually expected to be quite crowded in Base Camp there, particularly with a large international team that is said to include nearly 20 climbers. One team, consisting of Pakistani climbers Karim Hayyat, Naseer Uddin and Sher Khan is actually already in BC.

Broad Peak will once again be a point of focus with some teams using the mountain as a warm-up before taking on K2. One of the more high profile climbs will be led by Jacek Berbeka, the brother of Maciej Berbeka, who perished on the mountain along with Tomasz Kowalski this past winter. The two men bagged the first winter summit of BP but died upon the descent .Jacek hopes to scale the mountain where he hopes to bring the body of his brother and his friend down to Base Camp or give them a proper burial on the mountain. That should be an emotional expedition to follow indeed.

Also on BP will be the German team led by Michael Haselsteiner and Reinhard Auzinger. The group has been in Pakistan for a few days now and have already begun their trek to Base Camp. On Friday the team left Askole, the final populated village before hitting the trail and they have been on the March ever since. The plan is to arrive in BC on Wednesday of this week and then get started with the acclimatization process.

On the Gasherbrums perhaps the most audacious climb will be the attempt by Polish alpinists Artur Hajzer and Marcin Kaczkan to summit both GI and GII without oxygen. They arrived in Islamabad yesterday and will spend a few days there organizing gear before departing for the mountains.

K2 will have at least two teams attempting to climb it this year. One is Japanese squad and the other is a mixed international team organized by Lela Peak. As always, those teams will have one of the toughest challenges in all of mountaineering ahead of them as the "Savage Peak" is relentless and unforgiving.

Stay tuned for more updates as the season begins to ramp up more fully. I'll add new teams to my watch list as their websites become known. It should be another interesting summer in Pakistan.

2013 Pakistani Climbing Season Ramps Up

As I mentioned last week, now that the the spring climbing season in the Himalaya is over, the mountaineering community is turning its attention elsewhere. A considerable amount of that attention is currently focused on Denali in Alaska, but the summer climbing season in Pakistan is also starting to gain momentum. While the country doesn't have the number of 8000 meter peaks that Nepal has, it certainly is home to some of the more difficult climbs around. Over the next two months, some of the top alpinists in the world will surely be testing their skills on those mountains.

Chief amongst the Pakistani big peaks is K2 of course. Standing just 237 meters (777 ft) shorter than Everest, it is the second tallest mountain on the planet. It just might be the toughest to climb however. Due to its myriad of technical and logistical challenges, not to mention unpredictable weather, K2 has earned itself a reputation for being the "mountaineer's mountain." Its harsh and unrelenting challenges, which has resulted in the second highest fatality-to-summit rate (behind Annapurna), has also earned it the nickname of the "Savage Mountain." Successful summits are few and far between on this peak, although there will no doubt be several teams trying it again this year.

Other 8000 meter peaks in Pakistan include Broad Peak (8051 m/26,414 ft), Gasherbrum I (8080 m/26,444 ft) and II (8034 m/26,358 ft) and Nanga Parbat (8126 m/26,660 ft). Each of those mountains presents its own unique challenges that sets them apart from each other and the Himalayan peaks that are typically climbed in Nepal and Tibet. Nanga Parbat for instance is known for its incredibly difficult technical challenges while BP requires a great deal of endurance to summit. The Gasherbrums happen to be quite remote, even by the standards of these big mountains, which presents some difficulties just getting to Base Camp.

Throughout June and July we'll get updates from these, and likely other mountains in Pakistan. Some teams will go to acclimatize on Broad Peak then attempt K2. Others will be satisfied with taking on just one of these mountains. And while it won't be nearly as active as the Himalayan climbing season, there will still be plenty of news to report and interesting stories to tell. Hopefully I can do my best to help share some of them with you.

Stay tuned for more updates in the days ahead. Climbers are just now arriving in Islamabad and the Pakistani climbing season is just about to get underway.

Video: First Winter Ascent Of Gasherbrum II

Tomorrow marks the first official day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which means groups of very hearty climbers will now be working their way into position on some of the big Himalayan peaks in an attempt to make a winter ascent of one of those giant mountains. It seems only fitting then that we should look back at a previous winter climb in this video, which documents the first ascent of Gasherbrum II in winter. The mountain was climbed by none other than Simone Moro, Denis Urubko and Cory Richards, with the men topping out on February 2, 2011. The video below gives you an idea of what they endured on that climb.

Pakistan 2012: More K2 Summit News, Success On BP and GII Too!

Yesterday turned out to be a historic day on K2, a notoriously difficult mountain and the second highest peak in the world. I reported early on that Tunc Findik and his climbing mates had topped out and were safely back in Camp 4, but with the weather window wide open there was hope for success out of other teams as well. In the end, a least 23 climbers stood on the summit, the most ever for a single day, putting a triumphant exclamation point on a Pakistani climbing season that has been difficult to say the least.

Late in the day yesterday I received news via email that the climbers who summited not only included Tunc, Azim and Fabrice as previously reported, but also a contingent of 16 Nepalese Sherpas led by Chhang Dawa Sherpa who claimed his 12th 8000-meter peak. Dawa relayed the news of the team's success to Nazir Sabir, who works with Pakistan's Expeditions Office and is handling the group while they are the country. At the time most of the climbers had already safely descended back to Camp 4 and were preparing to come down to Base Camp today. Dawa said that there were three other climbers on the summit as well, but their identities were not given at the time. (Big thanks to Clyde Soles for passing along this information, which he received directly from Nazir Sabir himself.)

Meanwhile, there is news of further summit success on K2 today as Peter Hamor and Pavel Bem are now confirmed to have topped out as well. In a brief statement on Peter's website we're told that the duo reached the top at 11:15 AM local time and arrived safely back at Camp 4 a few hours later. The men completed the climb without the use of supplemental oxygen and are now resting before continuing their descent. Congratulations to Peter and Pavel on accomplishing their mission too.



Staying on K2 for a moment, Al Hancock posted an update on his progress yesterday as well and while he wasn't amongst the climbers topping out just yet, he and his teammates have been making steady progress. They've managed to shuttle gear up to Camp 2 and have now returned to BC for a rest before heading back up the mountain to supply Camp 3 and 4. If the weather holds, they could begin their summit push in the next few days. Al reports that he was very happy to see the sun and have the weather turn in their favor. After spending several weeks on Broad Peak he never really got the opportunity to make a true summit attempt on that mountain thanks to heavy snows and high winds. Hopefully the weather on K2 will hold out long enough for the squad to take a crack at the summit.

Speaking of Broad Peak, there was news of successful summits from that mountain yesterday as well. ExWeb reports that the Iranian team of Reza and Sohbatollah Bahadorani were able to finally complete their climb and Nazir Sabir says Chinese climbers Ms. Wang Jing and her partner Mr. Zhang Liang also summited with the assistance of their two Sherpa Guides.

In the same report mentioned above, ExWeb says that a team of Andalucia climbers have also managed to summit Gasherbrum II, another peak that had turned back all previous attempts this season. No details on that climb were given however so we'll have to wait to see if we learn more.

It appears that patience has payed off for the teams that were able to stay in Pakistan and wait for the weather to turn in their favor. Most of the climbers have headed for home but the few that had open travel plans were able to stay and take advantage of the shift in conditions. How long this current window will stay open remains to be seen, but it is great to see these dedicated men and women finally getting their opportunity.

Congratulations to all of the teams on their fantastic success. Please be careful on those descents and get down safely.

Pakistan 2012: Change In Fortunes Ahead?

The climbing season in Pakistan had seen a definite shift this past week as teams on Gasherbrum I and II, as well as Broad Peak, have elected to head home without a single summit amongst them. They were defeated not by the mountains themselves but by the weather, which has been persistently bad all summer long. But there appears to be some hope on the horizon as long range forecasts say there could be a shift in the weather in the early days of August. That is good news for the teams on K2 and a few other peaks.

Lets start this update off with a success story for change. A team of Slovenian and American climbers successfully topped out on K7 last week along a new route. According to Rock and Ice, Hayden Kennedy, Kyle Dempster, and Urban Novak went up the 6935 meter (22,757 ft.) mountain along its East Face. The summit push began when a weather window opened on July 16 and included a night spent in an open bivy as they pushed through incredibly tough mixed terrain and deep snow. The trio managed to force there way through those conditions however and topped out on the 19th before returning to Base Camp on the 20th. Congrats the whole team on a great effort in tough conditions.

On Gasherbrum I another team has decided to pack it in for the year. The Hungarian squad that had hoped to scale the 8080 meter (26,509 ft) mountain was turned back on their summit bid due to heavy snow and avalanche dangers. They posted an update yesterday that said they would depart BC today and begin their journey home. They report that GI Base Camp isn't completely deserted yet, but few remain to try to climb the mountain again.

For the next few weeks our attention will shift to K2 where the teams are gearing up for the tough climb ahead. The weather remains dicey there as well and Tunc Findik reports that attempts to climb up to C2 were aborted due to continued high winds and heavy snows. He is holding out hope that things will change after August 1st however and he and his teammate can start climbing in ernest.



Peter Hamor reports similar conditions and although his latest dispatch today is short and sweet, its meaning is unmistakable. The weather dictates the action at this point and for now the team remains in Base Camp. The same place they've spent most of the week.

Al Hancock arrived in K2 BC on Wednesday and has started getting comfortable for the challenges ahead. He and his teammates have already carried some gear up to ABC, with Al falling into a covered crevasse up to his armpits along the way. Their porters hoped to begin shuttling gear up to the high camps today but as with all things right now, that plan was "weather permitting." Al, who just shuffled over to K2 from Broad Peak, says that Base Camp is colder and more lonely, but it is his "office" for the job ahead.

Finally, the Trango Air Wall Expedition team checked in from the Baltoro Glacier yesterday. After arriving in Islamabad on Sunday and making their way to Skardu on Tuesday, they started the trek to Nameless Tower from Askole and will now take a few days hiking before getting to Base Camp. Most of their gear arrived safe and sound but they are missing one bag that contained solar panels and a tent. That means they could be limited on communications while on the climb and they may all have to squeeze into one tent or dig snow caves along the way. They do however have all of their climbing and BASE jumping gear, which is most important for the success of the expedition. They should arrive in BC early next week and start the tough climb up the Tower.

That's all for now. Lets hope the weather changes next week so there is actually some climbing news to report.

Pakistan 2012: Summer Climbs At Crossroads

The summer climbing season in Pakistan is starting to grind toward the finish line as the weather continues to take its toll on the teams across the region. It seems that all the reports are the same as climbers cite an unusually high level of snowfall, strong winds and dangerous avalanche conditions. This past weekend several teams hoped to top out on their respective peaks, but unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans. Now, many of those teams are left to ponder whether or not its time to go home or give it another go.

Teams on Broad Peak were set to make summit bids this weekend but were stymied by heavy snow above Camp 3. As a result, they've all retreated back to Base Camp where the Field Touring Alpine squad reports that their group is starting to break up. Two of the members of the team, including Al Hancock, will now move on to K2, where they'll face even more formidable challenges. Others on the team are waiting to see if they'll get another crack at the summit, while the majority of them have decided it is time to go home. They reached an altitude of 7000 meters (22,965 ft) but had no chance to go higher. Perhaps those who are persistent and patient, and are lucky enough to have more time to stay, may yet stand on the summit.

A Dutch Team on BP is essentially having the same experience. They managed to climb up to Camp 3 as well, but turned back when they found the snow above that point to be too difficult to climb through. As of their last dispatch they are all back in BC as well and watching the forecast. There are some indications that things could improve near the end of this week, but for now everyone waits to see how things develop.



On K2 there has been no change in the past few days and at the moment both Peter Hamor and Tunc Findik are in Base Camp awaiting an opportunity to go back up the mountain. Having established Camp 2 and spent a few nights there, the two squads, which are climbing independently of one another, are off to a good start on the world's most challenging mountain, but they've only just begun to work and there is a lot of difficult climbing ahead. They'll have some new neighbors soon however as more teams will join them in BC.

Things are no better on Gasherbrum I where a German team has been relegated to Base Camp where they await their fate as well. They had hoped to be in Camp 2 now on an acclimatization rotation, but like everyone else they've been left watching the weather. They report that no teams have reached Camp 3 on the mountain this year and that ropes are only fixed  halfway between C2 and 3. They also indicate that avalanches have been a persistent problem as well, which is making it even more of a challenge to go up. They hope to gain access to the higher sections of the mountain in the next day or two as they attempt to fix lines and establish their next camp, but the chances of that happening seem quite slim.

Finally, Louis Rousseau has announced that he is done with GI after being denied a summit bid last week. He isn't just done for the season however. The experienced climber says he'll never return to the mountain that claimed the lives of his friends this past winter. Louis has topped out on 13 of the 14 8000-meter peaks, but he'll leave this one off his resume as he no longer thinks the rewards outweigh the risks. He says the mountain is too dangerous and has too much snow this year, creating avalanches and hidden crevasses. As a result, he leaves Base Camp tomorrow and begins his long journey home. Gasherbrum I has brought him nothing be heartbreak.

The next few days should prove interesting as the hold-outs wait for good news from the weatherman. I'm not expecting much to change however and now time is no longer on their side. The weather will change for the worse soon and it won't let up for some time. The season is rapidly coming to a halt and it appears that there will be very few, if any, summits in Pakistan this summer.

Pakistan 2012: Confirmed Mazeno Ridge Summit, FTA In C3 On Broad Peak

The news out of Pakistan continues unabated today with the confirmation of the successful summit of Nanga Parbat along the Mazeno Ridge route and updates on the progress of other teams in the region.

For nearly a week now we've had conflicting reports on the status of the Mazeno Ridge team. First they summited, then they didn't and now they have once again. This time for real. Although one of the team members, Cathy O'Dowd, elected to descend back to Base Camp, her companions, Sandy Allan and Rick Allen, stayed on the mountain and persisted to the summit despite bad weather and awful snow conditions. The duo topped out at 6:12 PM local time this past Saturday, becoming the first to complete the incredibly long and tough Mazeno approach which includes eight sub-summits in excess of 7000 meters (22,965 ft) in height. At the time they were running low on both food and fuel but refused to give up their one chance at success while the weather was still tolerable enough to allow access to the top.

This news puts an end to the speculation about the team's whereabout and safety. Glad to hear that everyone is okay and that success was achieved on this very difficult climb. Congratulations to Sandy and Rick for such an outstanding effort.

Elsewhere, the Field Touring Alpine team is in the midst of their summit push on Broad Peak where they've reached Camp 3 today. They're currently camping at 7000 meters in high winds and snow, and tomorrow they'll actually dismantle their camp and move it higher before making an attempt at the summit. The team will likely establish Camp 4 at 7400 meters (24,278 ft) where they'll keep an eye on the forecasts and wait for a window to open this weekend.

Over on Gasherbrum I, Louis Rousseau and the rest of his team are safely back in BC and sharing the details of their failed summit bid. From the sounds of things, the mountain wasn't exactly kind to the climbers who saw five of the six teammates knocked over by an avalanche just below Camp 3. After evaluating the conditions and seeing an increase in winds and snows, the group decided to turn back, but it still took two days for them to safely descend back to Base Camp. Several of the climbers now see their departure dates looming and are currently weighing their options. They're keeping a close eye on a summit push that is currently underway on Gasherbrum II, which has yet to see a summit this year as well. If the 15-man squad that is attempting that peak is successful, then Rousseau and the rest of his teammates may shift their plans to make a quick summit bid on GII instead.

Finally, over on K2 the teams are moving again. Tunc Findik and his climbing mate Azim Gheychisaz are currently in Camp 2, while Peter Hamor and his mates have gone up to C1 today. Everyone appears to be doing well as they continue their acclimatization rounds. The real challenge is ahead.