The weather in the Karakoram is not making things easy for commercial expedition teams this summer season. First, extremely dry weather caused an increased risk of rockfall, and now snowfall is slowing the teams down. The teams have to be patient in their base camps at the foot of K2 (8,611 m) and Broad Peak (8,051 m).
No summit successes have been reported from either of the two eight-thousanders this summer. A brief window of good weather may open up over the weekend, making summit attempts possible.
High-altitude porter dies on K2
The ropes on the normal route on K2 are fixed up to an altitude of around 7,200 meters. Last week, Pakistani high-altitude porter Iftikhar Hussain lost his life on the world’s second-highest mountain when an avalanche hit Camp 1 at around 6,000 meters. It was the second death of the season after the fatal fall of Czech climber Klara Kolouchova on Nanga Parbat.
Summit successes on Gasherbrum I
A dozen summit successes were reported last Sunday from the 8,080-meter-high Gasherbrum I (also known as Hidden Peak). According to reports, two climbers did without bottled oxygen: Italian Marco Confortola (who was accompanied by two Sherpas using breathing masks) and Pakistani Shah Doulat.
Sasko Kedev was the first Macedonian to complete the collection of all 14 eight-thousanders – with bottled oxygen. The teams are currently waiting at base camp for a chance to summit neighboring Gasherbrum II.
