Climbers Try To Make “Impossible-Possible” Climbs On K2

First Time In Winter, Climbers Try To Make “Impossible-Possible” Climbs On K2

Members of the climbing team led by Spanish climber Alex Txikon boarded K2. There are two trips to the mountains this winter. There are many Sherpas from Nepal and Poland in Txikon’s house.

Does the Karakorum summit reach in the most dangerous season?

With the outbreak of the cold arctic region in the Midwest, many Americans began to taste the taste of standing at the foot of a mountain called K2, the highest recorded winter at -15 degrees.

The difference is that the hard-core climbers currently stationed in the K2 base camp are willing to look for these harsh conditions, all of which are for climbing that has long been considered impossible. If they accomplish an incredible feat, they will be the last significant achievement yet to be achieved in mountaineering: the first winter climb of the world’s second-highest mountain.

“You can’t imagine how difficult it is to climb K2 in winter compared to spring or summer,” Alex Texikon said on the base camp satellite phone. From the snow. And Txikon (pronounced chi-KON) from the Basque Country in Spain is currently leading one of two expeditions in K2 this winter. The other team is a transnational elite mountaineering group composed of Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

“Entering base camp is a huge challenge,” Txikon said, referring to the 60-mile walk from the nearest highway to the steep snow-capped valley to reach the bottom of the target.

“Impossible-Possible” in winters

K2, which crosses the border between China and Pakistan, is 28,251 feet in height, nearly two and a half shorter than Mount Everest but is widely regarded as the most complex and dangerous mountain range on earth, so it is called “wild mountain”. Unlike Mount Everest, it is impossible to “walk” to the top of the mountain. All sides of K2 are steep, and you will see frequent rock collapses and avalanches. In particular, the notorious bottleneck pass, a dangerous pass located 300 meters below the top of the mountain, was the site of the 2008 tragedy in which 11 people were killed in an avalanche.

Among the 14 mountains at least 8,000 meters (26,246 feet) above sea level, K2 is still the only mountain top not climbed in winter.

K2 is the second-highest peak in the world, located on the Pakistan-China border in the Karakoram Mountains. Among the 14 mountains on earth at an altitude of 8,000 meters, it is the only mountain that has never been reached in winter.

Txikon’s trunk buttocks and sturdy body match the body model of a robust climber, but he speaks softly and smiles stupidly. The first word most acquaintances use to describe him is “beautiful.” But his gentle demeanour masked his violent motivation to reach the problematic mountain, marking him as one of the world’s most successful and ambitious climbers. In 2016, Txikon participated in the work of the team. The team completed the first winter climb of Nanga Parbat (8,126 meters). The mountain has undergone more than 30 attempts in winter before Txikon and Simone Moro in Italy and Ali Sadpara from Pakistan.

Why in winter?

Here common question asked: why would anyone climb in winter?

Richards said: “In many ways, the winter has completely changed the 8,000-meter climbing route,” Richards said, referring to the crowds of climbers pouring along conventional trade routes during the regular season. “This used to be a typical representative of an 8,000-meter experiment. The severity of winter is intermittently magnified by the fact that you are alone and self-sufficient. There are indeed many beautiful things in it.”

Bielecki believes that climbing is done in terms of joy and satisfaction, while the latter provides a more powerful source of motivation. “With the winter climbing, there is not much fun, but the satisfaction of doing something that someone hasn’t done before is certain, not even possible.”

“Impossible-Possible” in winters

A member of the Txikon team inspected the tent in Camp 2. The expedition must reach the top of the mountain before March 20 (the end of the astronomical winter) to climb K2 in the winter successfully.

Txikon has its ideas about the conditions needed to succeed in K2. “You must be smart, fast, strong enough, and respect the mountains, wilderness and local people. You must have compassion and a good team. Never be patient, and always remember the true rebirth of success.

“Impossible-Possible” in winters

At the same time, the clock was ticking. The maximum rise time in winter is February 28, the last day of meteorological winter. Although some climbers, including Txikon, argue that the summit will be important before March 20 (the end of the astronomical winter). Three of the 13 other winter peaks at 8,000 meters occurred in the first week of March.

You can track the progress of Txikon and the Russians through its satellite tracker.

Saba Ghani

Since 2017, Saba Ghani has been serving as the talented and dedicated chief content writer for Pakistan Tour and Travel & EMHI Solutions. With her exceptional writing skills and in-depth knowledge of the travel industry, she has been instrumental in crafting engaging and informative content that captivates the audience. You can catch her at [email protected] or Twitter