K2 Winter, Tamara Lunger joins attempt of historic first winter ascent
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Matteo Pavana
This winter K2 will be more crowded than ever before. The second highest mountain in the world, the peak considered technically to be the most demanding of all, is the last 8000er unclimbed in winter and interest in the 8611m giant is reaching fever pitch.
Numerous expeditions have announced their intention to attempt the mountain in the harshest season - estimates vary between 30 and 70 mountaineers - and these include the likes of Pakistan’s Muhammad Ali Sadpara who in 2016 made the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat with Simone Moro and Alex Txikon, Catalan’s Sergi Mingote, extremely talented Sherpa Mingma Gyalje Sherpa and Nepalese Nirmal Purja who in six months and six days last year managed to climb all 14 highest mountains in the world. And also, as of two days ago, Tamara Lunger from the South Tyrol, Italy.
The 28-year-old is currently on her way to K2 which she hopes to climb together with Romanian mountaineer Alex Gavan. The two met in summer 2014 while acclimatising for K2 shortly before Gavan headed off to Broad Peak. A few weeks after that encounter Lunger became only the second Italian woman to reach the summit of K2. Just like her predecessor Nives Meroi, Lunger summited without supplementary oxygen.
"For weeks I thought about this project, trying to understand if it was the path I’d like to follow,, my real desire" stated Tamara Lunger. "I thought about it a lot and then I called Alex Gavan who immediately replied that he already knew why I’d phoned… to try K2 together in winter. I was struck by the fact that we were on the same wavelength, and this confirmed my decision. Lockdown has changed the way I think and act. I have matured and have come to understand how powerful inner energies can be, how much these can influence people and the surroundings. My main wish is to approach this expedition in a confident and cam manner. I also wish to involve all those who follows me with great affection. I’d like to let you take part in this undertaking, and in doing so honour this virtual climbing partnership and thanks everyone for the motivation and courage they give me."
Should Lunger succeed, she will become the first woman to summit an unclimbed eightthousander in winter. It’s worth recalling that in winter 2016 she turned back shortly below the summit of Nanga Parbat. It goes without saying that the road that now leads towards the summit of K2 is long and extremely perilous, for everyone.
