"Let's Keep Them Alive Within Us," Prays Alex Txikon, for Friends Lost on K2

On his way home from a failed Winter ascent of Manaslu, Alex Txikon, in an exclusive chat with Dream Wanderlust, unburdens his heart on how "mistakes become suicides" and on "friends (who) died doing what they wanted to" and why one should "enjoy and live every second as our last".

Alex Txikon, Simone Moro, Iñaki Álvarez, along with four Sherpas - Chepal, Calden, Gelum, and Namja attempted Manaslu this Winter. The team reached 7050m on Manaslu by a partial new route from Camp-2.

DW: This has been a Winter of both success and tragedies and it is a relief that you are safely back with your team from Manaslu. We have been following and reporting your climb and remain grateful for granting us this interview.

This Winter K2 was the biggest prize among 8000ers and we have expected you to be there too, but you were not there, was it because:

- It was too crowded?
- Too many climbers with summit ambition had the potential of making it dangerously competitive?
- You followed your own philosophy of "being grounded" and had based your choice on the risk/success ratio of extreme alpinism.

Alex: I didn't go there because it was full of people as you could see. It was not expected, of course, but in Winter, in my opinion, there can be a little bit of competition. But the idea was to summit and the good thing is they summited and now, after the summit, there are some negative things coming out.

DW: Was your choice of Manaslu a case of wanting to finish an unfinished business and for Moro, the tying of a loose end, as you had to abandon your previous attempts in 2014-15 and 2018-19?

Alex: To answer your question, I think Manaslu is a nice mountain, which is what I really like. The previous abandonments were because of snow and this year, it was because of the wind. Very simple, and also, we wanted to stay there until March but it was complicated because of the permit rules.

DW: An "ugly crack", extreme temperatures, high winds and unsafe snow conditions forced you to turn back. Your thoughts.

Alex: Yes, this 'ugly crack' and the big crevasse made it impossible for us to follow along the normal route. That is the reason we wanted to open a new route through the right side. That route looked so nice and beautiful.

DW: You chose to set up pre-stocked camps before your summit push. But you did not get a long enough clear weather window. Now in retrospect, do you think you could have done better if you had chosen the Alpine style "climb-carry-camp"?

Alex: I could do better but we returned to the Base Camp. We slept there itself because we were told that the stronger wind was about to hit us. Finally it did come but couple of days later, not when we expected it in the beginning. We could have done better if we slept in the higher camp for one more night.

DW: Did you have plans for the Polish traverse to the east summit and descent by another route?

Alex: This wasn't expected because you can think about this when you're sure about other things but it was not the case.

DW: Though we fully realize that K2, this Winter, has been a personal tragedy for you too, we would appreciate your thoughts on what happened there.

Alex: I had been following what happened on K2. First of all, they finally summited K2. It was a brilliant ascent!

Then Sergi died, then Atanas, Juan Pablo, Ali, John Snorri. I think something unexpected happened. Maybe an avalanche. It might have been really windy and cold. That might have made everything way too complicated for them. There are so many rumours going on about the Nepalese Sherpas. But in my opinion, they have not cut any rope. I still think that everything was up there on the mountain. But, you know, in Winter, everything changes so fast.

Sergi Mingote, Atanas Skatov, JP Mohr, Muhammad Ali and John Snorri [L to R]

I suppose, about the clients, the Sherpas should put only a few of them, not all; maybe with some crampons and 4-5 bottles of oxygen. Then they could start moving to Camp-3 from Camp-2. The Sherpas are super strong but the climbers are not superheroes, you know. So, I think that's how mistakes become suicides.

DW: Nine Sherpas and a non-Sherpa from Nepal, summitted K2 together. They were from different teams, and they ensured that none of their ‘clients’ were in the summit party. The stated reason was national honor and Sherpa pride. What’s your thought on this?

Alex: I think that was too early when the Nepalese team tried to reach the summit, which is why nobody believed in them. I think that was the reason why they did not take any clients with them in the beginning.

DW: The cruel loss of Sadpara must be painful for you. What do you think may have happened? Was it too late in the season to try for the summit? Had they de-acclimatized having stayed too high too long? Did clients and/or sponsor’s expectations play a role in such decisions?

Alex: Ali and John at least did two or three rotations. And I think there were climbers from Seven Summits Treks trying to make it as well. I think even they were a little bit more excited. But the previous team probably started a bit late from Camp-3 and both Ali and John, with Juan Pablo had walkie-talkies. So, maybe there was an avalanche or something else. Also, there was very few oxygen. One for Ali and the other one for John. So, you know, I don't really know what must have happened there. All I know is they are not with us anymore.

DW: In retrospect, would it have made a difference if you were at K2 with Sadpara, more so if we recall your ascent of Nanga with him in the Winter of 2016?

Alex: In retrospect, I think of a lot of things. But for sure, I felt that I can't move with Ali in the mountains. Neither on K2 nor on Manaslu with us. Let's keep him alive within us.

DW: For Moro, this was his third attempt at Manaslu in Winter. Have you both made plans to come back again?

Alex: Yes, why not? It was super nice to climb Manaslu with him. He's 53 or 54 right now but he's like a kid, so enthusiastic about climbing the mountains.

DW: Even after Moro decided that conditions were dangerous and he left, you decided to stay for the last attempt. Why?

Alex: When Simone decided to move forward and finish the expedition, the weather became super clear and there were a number of sunny days. Before that, we were just waiting for the wind to become weaker so that we can make a summit push. Sometimes it can get very hopeless as well.

Alex with Simone Moro (Left)

DW: Do you have plans too for K2 in Winter, possibly a new route, possibly a Final salute to a close friend?

Alex: For right now, in Pakistan, I'm not thinking about it. I'm just enjoying the current moment.

DW: We, at Dream Wanderlust, offer our heartfelt condolences on the loss of your friend and climbing partner and wish you for many more years of safe and happy climbs.

Alex: Thank you very much. It's always a pleasure to talk. I'm still very saddened by what happened on K2 but also, it is the fact that my friends died doing what they wanted to do. This is simple. Each of us - we all know that when we are coming to the mountains, these things happen. That's why there is a reason that we need to enjoy and live every day, every single second as our last. Easy and simple.

Photo Courtesy: Alex Txikon / Phelipe Eizagirre