K2 Unmasked
What's it like on the holy grail of big mountains? Here's my climber's eye view into the expedition, created as it happened using my solar-powered setup in base camp. Thanks again to everyone for following along and supporting the trip. Enjoy!
K2 Unmasked from Hari Mix on Vimeo.
Down and Out
I'm back home eating like crazy and getting over my jetlag. The cuts, scrapes and bruises are all healing in the abundant oxygenated atmosphere. More reflection will be coming from my attempt on K2, but in the meantime, here's a photo essay from the journey back home. In short, I think I set a speed record back home from Camp 2 as I barely even had time to stop and shower in Islamabad before catching my international flight:July 26: Descend from Camp 2 to Base CampJuly 27: Base Camp to Ali CampJuly 28: (Well, technically we started climbing at 10:45PM on the 27th and crested the 18,400 ft Gondogoro La at 1:30AM) Ali Camp to Hushe (this is about 25 excruciatingly hard, trailless miles) covered in about 14 hours. Then 6 hour drive to SkarduJuly 29: Flight from Skardu to Islamabad followed by Islamabad - Abu Dhabi - San FranciscoA huge congratulations to all of my teammates who were successful on K2. These were the first summits of K2 since 2014 and under 400 people have ever stood on top! Many thanks to Mountain Equipment, Dreamers Destination and Nazir Sabir Expeditions for making the trip possible!
Locked In
"The need to climb comes from that tough, lonely place of searching for your dignity. You know, that place--where we actually choose to confront our weaknesses and fears, where we rebel against the terror of death--is actually about dignity. That's why alpinism is not just the act of ascending a mountain, but also inwardly of ascending above yourself." -Voytek Kurtyka
Tomorrow it starts. I am attempting K2 without supplemental oxygen. We have an intricate and excruciatingly hard plan...not out of choice, but necessity. The hope for perfect conditions and a beautiful, long weather window has predictably come and gone. K2 isn't so much inviting us up as it is allowing us a glimpse of what we need...48 or so hours of 30 km/hr or less wind on the summit before it goes back to nuking. We are betting on the 26th (historically K2's most popular summit day...44 ascents all time) but the window could move backward to July 27-28. I suppose it could also move forward in which case we have no chance to even be in position anyway. We only have the resources (not to mention the physical strength and sheer will) for one attempt, so this is it. So my plan as it stands follows:July 23: Direct to Camp 2July 24: Camp 2 to Camp 3July 25: Camp 3 to Camp 4. Leaving early so we can be in camp by noon to hydrate and rest. Departure for summit around 10-11PM.July 26 (Technically starting late at night on the 25th): Summit day and descend as far as possible. I expect at least 12 hours up and I will descend as long as I need to get safe. I am climbing with Nima who will be on oxygen and have extra for me in case I have a problem.July 27: If this is summit day, I will likely take an extra day on the 24th or 25th in Camp 2 or Camp 3. I can not afford to spend extra time in Camp 4 without oxygen. Otherwise, descend to BC.July 28: Reserve/descentI will bring my DeLorme messenger up so "Where's Hari" will be active. However, I may not take this on summit day (I am counting grams), so don't expect communication/updates for periods as long as 48 hours or more. I hope I'm not being too greedy by asking K2 for a chance. After looking up at winds ripping its icy flanks for the past month, I'd say I've already been humbled. But luck is nothing more than preparation and opportunity. I am hyperfocused garnished with a bit of aggression. I am ready for things to be far from perfect. I am prepared to suffer. If this mountain gives me a sliver of a chance, I am going to explode.Hari
Rotation
I'm back down after a three-night all-inclusive vacation to about 7200m (~23,600 ft) on K2. It's pretty hard! But I handled it quite well and am busy eating fried eggs and paratha, guzzling Coke and Mountain Dew, and slathering aloe vera on my face here in base camp. Maybe tomorrow will be my laundry day. Now we wait for the next stretch of good weather to go back up into the ethereal world of complete detatchment that comes with extreme altitude. Here are some photos from the acclimatization trip:
K2: Upward Progress
"Mystery is essential to mountaineering. What is unveiled to the individual when involved with creative mountaineering forms part of a new bond with the mountain experience…it is in forging true bonds rather than the collection of numbers or establishment of records that unveils a bit of mystery...If there is such a thing as spiritual materialism, it is displayed in the urge to possess the mountains rather than to unravel and accept their mysteries" -Voytek Kurtyka, The Art of Suffering
After a few weeks of travel, a few years of planning, and a few decades of dreaming, I set foot on the world’s second highest mountain. Our first rotation was a relative success…some marginal snow conditions and weather made upward progress more challenging than it would otherwise be, but I spent a headache-free night at camp one and climbed halfway to camp two before descending back to base camp to outrun an approaching storm. Now, armed with an excellent weather forecast, I’m heading back up the mountain tomorrow for what I hope will be my final acclimatization rotation. My primary objective is to sleep in camp three and touch as high as K2’s “Shoulder.” Located at approximately 8000m and above most of the technical climbing on the route, this task is in certain respects one of the hardest things I’ve ever tried. I’m just ready to embrace the mysteries of K2’s higher slopes and to interact with such historic features as House’s Chimney and the Black Pyramid.I’m feeling great after a few rest days in base camp: my sinus and throat issues have mostly cleared up, my acclimatization is excellent, and I’ve been walking 1-2 hours each day to keep the blood flowing. Follow along on the Where’s Hari tab to track progress….I’m anticipating 3-4 nights on the mountain before returning to this deliciously thick air!
Throne Room of the Mountain Gods
“The cliffs and ridges of K2 rose out of the glacier in one stupendous sweep to the summit of the mountain, 12,000 feet above. The sight was beyond my comprehension…I saw ice avalanches, weighing perhaps hundreds of tons, break off from a hanging glacier nearly two miles above my head; the ice was ground to a fine powder and drifted away in the breeze long before it reached the foot of the precipice, nor did any sound reach my ears.” –Eric Shipton, upon his first view of K2 (from the north side) in 1937
After a week of trekking, along the raging braided channels of the Braldu River to the endless gravel, boulders and ankle-breaking cobbles of the Baltoro and Godwin Austen Glaciers, I have arrived at the foot of the world’s second highest mountain. It’s not an exaggeration to claim that this is the single most mountainous valley in the world, dubbed by Galen Rowell as the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods.
Overall, the trek was objectively challenging but I did a good job keeping it relatively comfortable. Not easy, considering it's about 65 rugged and dirty miles. I nursed a few things along the way (sinus and cold symptoms, very minor GI issues back in Skardu), but I've been able to bounce back quickly each time. So I'm hoping a couple days here in base camp will help my sore throat from all of the huffing and puffing in the cold dry air. My acclimatization is outstanding...I can't even tell I'm at altitude here at base camp at 16,000 ft, so I'll be eager to start getting higher ASAP for some added stimulus.
From here, we'll rest, sort gear and prepare for our first rotation up the mountain. We're the first large team to arrive attempting the Abruzzi Spur, so this likely means we'll have our choice of good camping spots at the expense of additional work preparing the route.
Ohhh snap, I'm in northern Pakistan!
The time is finally here...it's been a hell of a year for me and this trip has been in the works for a few year. Way more on all of that later. For the time being, I'm just happy to soak it in and once again go along for the wild ride of a big expedition. Tomorrow, hopefully we'll pack up into jeeps and head up to Askole, the last outpost of civilization before we march into the heart of the Karakoram.
The time is finally here...it's been a hell of a year for me and this trip has been in the works for a few year. More on all of that later. For the time being, I'm just happy to soak it in and once again go along for the wild ride of a big expedition.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]