Realization

After over 17 hours of climbing, one month on expedition, seven months of dedicated training, and 28 years of dreaming (I knew about Broad Peak and its elevation in feet and meters by age 5) I reached the world's 12th highest peak without supplemental oxygen. Or as climbers like to say: halfway.

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  Prior to a climb of Colorado's Longs Peak, my dad and I were told "you can walk to the top." So, yeah, you can walk to the top

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  In the vicinity of camp 2

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  Our tent in camp 3

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  K2

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  Approaching the col on summit day, where things started to get more technical

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  I had been told that once you reach the col and climb a bit above things got flat and simple

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  Tricky ridge traversing

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  Phurba Gyaljen negotiating a trickier section

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  Tobi making progress in the soft snow

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  Sometimes more than 10 breaths per step were required to make progress

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  8008 meters! 17:14 of ascent time. And a ridiculously low 114 bpm (your heart simply can't beat as quickly because, well, there's not enough oxygen!)

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  A second summit shot for Michelle, who's been climbing her own mountain this summer.

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  This is the "flat and easy" traverse I was expecting. Not so fun in crampons

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  The traverse to Broad Peak's true summit behind

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  Another good photo to reference when asking how my hike went

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  Sirbaz leading through the glacier back to base camp

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  Mingma met us on the glacier with juice and Coke.

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  Broad Peak from the glacier. The true summit is behind the point on the right

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  We received a huge welcome celebration upon return to base camp complete with dancing, singing and cake. L to R: Pemba, me, Tobi, Sirbaz and Phurba Gyaljen

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  Broad Peak behind