K2 (8611m) in Winter is finally done. The only 8000er, that had remained stubborn for the last 33 years since the first Winter attempt finally let a team of Nepalese Sherpas reach the summit on 16th January, 2021 at 5pm (local time).
K2, from Duke of the Abruzzi's Expedition, 1909 [courtesy wikimedia]
On 15th January, 2021, at 3.30pm, Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, to our astonishment, reported that, he, with three others (Mingma Gyabu Sherpa a.k.a David, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, and Sona Sherpa) created history by fixing the ropes to Camp-4 (7800m) - the highest altitude, ever reached in Winter on K2 till date.
Chhang Dawa Sherpa reported that the other Sherpa-Only team (including Nirmal Purja, Gelje Sherpa, Pem Chhiri Sherpa, Dawa Temba Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Dawa Tenjing Sherpa) at Camp-3 were to start for Camp-4 at 1am of 16th January.
K2 Base Camp reports that the combined team were at the bottleneck (8200m) of the Savage Mountain at around 8.30am of 16th January. It is believed that they had already reached 8400m at approximately 2pm, only 211m below the summit. The lead team, led by Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, was reported to be waiting only 10m below the summit for the other members to catch up and make the final ascent together. Brotherhood of the Rope revisited and reconfirmed.
Notable Winter Attempts on K2
1987-88 - A 24 members Polish-Canadian-British team, led by Andrzej Zawada via Abruzzi Spur, reached up to 7300m.
2002-03 - A 14 members International team, led by Krzysztof Wielicki via North Ridge, reached up to 7650m.
2011-12 - A 9 members Russian team, led by Victor Kozlov via Abruzzi Spur, reached up to 7200m.
2017-18 - A 13 members Polish National Winter Expedition team, led by Krzysztof Wielicki via Cesen/Basque route, reached up to 6300m, and via Abruzzi Spur, reached up to 7400m. However in his solo attempt Denis Urubku reported that he probably reached up to 7600m.
2018-19 - A 7 members International (Kazakhstan-Russian-Kyrgyzstan) team, led by Vassiliy Pivtsov via Abruzzi route, reached up to 6800m. A 4 members Spanish-Galician team, led by Alex Txikon via Abruzzi route, reached up to 6800m.
2019-20 - A 4 members International team, led by Mingma G Sherpa reached up to 6600m.
This news was revised on 22-01-2021
