K2 summits by Adrian Ballinger, Carla Perez & Co
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Esteban Mena
Just when the pre-monsoon season on K2 seemed lost, when the vast majority of teams operating on the mountain had abandoned their attempts due to the extremely dangerous snow conditions above the Bottleneck, the news comes in that some teams have managed to summit the Savage Mountain after all.
8611 meters tall, the top of the second highest mountain in the world was reached without the use of supplemental oxygen by America’s Adrian Ballinger and Ecuador’s Carla Perez who climbed the Cesen route with a support group comprised of Esteban Mena, Palden Namgye and Pemba Gelje Sherpa. These three summited too, probably with supplementary oxygen.
Perfectly acclimatised, this group had teamed up with 35-year-old Nirmal Purja, the Nepalese mountaineer and former Gurkha who, with the help of supplementary oxygen, is attempting to climb all 14 eightthousanders in just 7 months.
After having arrived at Base Camp just two days ago, Purja immediately met up with Ballinger and asked for a first shot at the Bottleneck section that had thwarted previous expeditions. Together with Lakpadendi Sherpa, Gesman Tamang, Changba Sherpa and Lakpa Temba Sherpa he rapidly reached Camp 4 at 7950m, while yesterday at 22.20 the group made its summit bid, reaching the top of K2 at 7:50 am this morning. According to initial reports still to be confirmed, it appears that the recent jet stream swept away the dangerous snow around the Bottleneck, and that ropes were fixed all the way to the summit.
Currently the teams are descending and are expected in Base Camp for more details. Purja has now climbed ten 8000ers in just over three months (for the record, apparently all with the use of supplementary oxygen). His next goal will be Broad Peak.
