5 ms·

Nepalese team makes first successful winter ascent of K2

82 points by tin7in 6y ago

voisin 6y ago
Is this the same route that Colin O’Brady was attempting?
- jordanmarshall 6y ago
  Yes, and still is attempting. He and his climbing partner used the weather window to make another acclimatization rotation up to camp 2. I believe they are at base camp now.
throwawaysea 6y ago
Nirmal Purja is an incredible athlete, and I find it strange that his achievements (like climbing all 8000+ meter peaks within six months) aren’t better known. He recently released a book, for those interested: https://www.nimsdai.com/beyond-possible-book https://www.nimsdai.com/beyond-possible-book
- thesilentsun 6y ago
  I think it's due to the style of climbing he is doing. Typically people become much more familiar with more 'alpine' style climbing (fast and lightweight). If he were climbing these peaks without fixed lines I'm sure he'd be much bigger. Not to take away from the accomplishments.
farseer 6y ago
Global warming kind of made it inevitable
- hprotagonist 6y ago
  often, weather instability makes high alpine pursuits harder, not easier.
- briandear 6y ago
  Makes it a lot harder. The snow and ice is far less stable. Mont Blanc for example, is treacherous with rockfall when temperatures are warm on the mountain.
mazokum 6y ago
Sadly, a Spanish climber of the expedition (not on the party that made the ascent) perished when descending from acclimation. https://spainsnews.com/spanish-sergi-mingote-dies-after-suffering-an-accident-at-k2/ https://spainsnews.com/spanish-sergi-mingote-dies-after-suff...
- dillondoyle 6y ago
  Some of these articles describing the K2 'downclimb' seems crazier than the ascent; indescribably difficult, dangerous, skilled, exposed, etc. https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-real-climb/ https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-re... https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/K2-Ropes-in-2014-on-Black-Pyramid-1.jpg https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload... https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/IMG_2562.jpg https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload... Imagine your brain being basically dead from lack of oxygen, medical danger like HAPE. It looks like it there are even (? fully ?) vertical fixed rope pitches and going up actual technical climbing one article says a 5.9 offwidth ?!?! In -50F windy winter conditions wearing giant bulky winter suits. If you've ever been sport climbing can you image descending multiple miles on a rope, even if kind of crawling backwards using feet/hands? Climbers forget to tie knots in the end ALL THE TIME. Brad Gobright was one of the best climbers who was known for free soloing here in the Front Range (e.g. no ropes at all, like Honnold up El Cap) recently died on a rope descent. Imagine on multiple miles of roped descent many knots, transfers, while you can't think from no oxygen. It's an truly impressive almost inhuman feat.
- systemvoltage 6y ago
  On one hand, I am truly inspired by the feat of achievement of this caliber, at the same time it leaves me with feeling of mournful contempt like a Gladiator fight where someone is going to die.
chrisseaton 6y ago
Wow Nirmal Purja, former British Army Royal Gurkha Rifles and Royal Navy Social Boat Service. The first Gurkha to pass SBS selection as well, I believe, and was there as recently as 2018.
- mhh__ 6y ago
  One of my father's relatives commanded Gurkhas a while ago, but no stories to pass on other than how almost unbelievably tough they are. It's a genuine disgrace how long it took to treat them as anything other than cannon fodder. We give them VCs but they couldn't actually guarantee residence in Britain until not long ago. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha_Justice_Campaign https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha_Justice_Campaign
amelius 6y ago
Reminds me of: https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/too-many-tourists/ https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/too-many-tourists/

82 points by tin7in 6y ago

voisin 6y ago

Is this the same route that Colin O’Brady was attempting?

jordanmarshall 6y ago
Yes, and still is attempting. He and his climbing partner used the weather window to make another acclimatization rotation up to camp 2. I believe they are at base camp now.

throwawaysea 6y ago

Nirmal Purja is an incredible athlete, and I find it strange that his achievements (like climbing all 8000+ meter peaks within six months) aren’t better known. He recently released a book, for those interested: https://www.nimsdai.com/beyond-possible-book https://www.nimsdai.com/beyond-possible-book

thesilentsun 6y ago
I think it's due to the style of climbing he is doing. Typically people become much more familiar with more 'alpine' style climbing (fast and lightweight). If he were climbing these peaks without fixed lines I'm sure he'd be much bigger. Not to take away from the accomplishments.

farseer 6y ago

Global warming kind of made it inevitable

hprotagonist 6y ago
often, weather instability makes high alpine pursuits harder, not easier.
briandear 6y ago
Makes it a lot harder. The snow and ice is far less stable. Mont Blanc for example, is treacherous with rockfall when temperatures are warm on the mountain.

mazokum 6y ago

Sadly, a Spanish climber of the expedition (not on the party that made the ascent) perished when descending from acclimation. https://spainsnews.com/spanish-sergi-mingote-dies-after-suffering-an-accident-at-k2/ https://spainsnews.com/spanish-sergi-mingote-dies-after-suff...

dillondoyle 6y ago
Some of these articles describing the K2 'downclimb' seems crazier than the ascent; indescribably difficult, dangerous, skilled, exposed, etc. https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-real-climb/ https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-re... https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/K2-Ropes-in-2014-on-Black-Pyramid-1.jpg https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload... https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/IMG_2562.jpg https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload... Imagine your brain being basically dead from lack of oxygen, medical danger like HAPE. It looks like it there are even (? fully ?) vertical fixed rope pitches and going up actual technical climbing one article says a 5.9 offwidth ?!?! In -50F windy winter conditions wearing giant bulky winter suits. If you've ever been sport climbing can you image descending multiple miles on a rope, even if kind of crawling backwards using feet/hands? Climbers forget to tie knots in the end ALL THE TIME. Brad Gobright was one of the best climbers who was known for free soloing here in the Front Range (e.g. no ropes at all, like Honnold up El Cap) recently died on a rope descent. Imagine on multiple miles of roped descent many knots, transfers, while you can't think from no oxygen. It's an truly impressive almost inhuman feat.
systemvoltage 6y ago
On one hand, I am truly inspired by the feat of achievement of this caliber, at the same time it leaves me with feeling of mournful contempt like a Gladiator fight where someone is going to die.

chrisseaton 6y ago

Wow Nirmal Purja, former British Army Royal Gurkha Rifles and Royal Navy Social Boat Service. The first Gurkha to pass SBS selection as well, I believe, and was there as recently as 2018.

mhh__ 6y ago
One of my father's relatives commanded Gurkhas a while ago, but no stories to pass on other than how almost unbelievably tough they are. It's a genuine disgrace how long it took to treat them as anything other than cannon fodder. We give them VCs but they couldn't actually guarantee residence in Britain until not long ago. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha_Justice_Campaign https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha_Justice_Campaign

amelius 6y ago

Reminds me of: https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/too-many-tourists/ https://www.ucf.edu/pegasus/too-many-tourists/