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ExWeb series: The future of K2
Dec 5, 2004 20: 28 EST
“It’s just the anniversary” most climbers figured this past summer at the sight of a packed K2. “Next year will be different, K2 is just too hard for the regular Everest crowd,” was the general opinion.
But the impressive amount of summits on August 2004 changed that. All of a sudden, K2 showed a far more accessible side.
A safer mountain at a price
At ExplorersWeb, we analyzed the situation and concluded that the commercial outfitters could have been the difference.
Kari Kobler, the Swiss mountain guide, proved last year that it was possible to apply to K2 the methods used on Everest: ropes, camps, O2 and strong Sherpa support. He spared no cost to provide a ‘safer’ mountain for his clients. More than half of them would end up on the summit.
The next big E for big bucks?
So did we tame the Savage Mountain? Well, the big expedition companies have not yet announced trips to K2. At the present we know of three teams going next summer: from Russia, Ireland and Norway - all of them ‘independent’.
So what will it be? We have asked both climbers and outfitters. First up is a veteran K2 climber, someone who knows the mountain at its best – and at its worst.
The veteran climber: Juan Oiarzabal
If you’re looking for experience on 8000ers, Basque climber ‘Juanito’ Oiarzabal is your man. He has summited the 8000ers 21 times – and K2 twice. He was also part of the first team who reached the summit last summer: They opened the trail for those who followed - and paid a high price for it.
Juan is still suffering the consequences; all his toes are gone. Recovering at home, he chatted with ExplorersWeb (don’t miss our interview next week) about the future of K2:
Last summer something changed
“I wouldn’t expect the crowding we saw on summer 2004, but there will always be teams on K2. I mean, why not? For every challenge there is someone out there ready to face it.
Even before 2004, each summer there would be teams seizing the mountain. Last summer something changed though. After two years without a single summit, a lot of people made it to the top, most tied to a fix rope.
All you need is proper strategy
Now, people have seen that it can be done, that anyone can climb through the scary ‘Bottleneck’ relatively easily - once someone has fixed ropes for you.
Knowing that, I wouldn’t be surprised if many others around the world can see the climb as ‘doable’ and therefore plan an attempt. All they need is a proper strategy.”
"K2 is easier than Everest"
His climbing-mate, Ferrán Latorre, had a rather skeptic point of view. In an interview with ExplorersWeb some months ago, he said: “With the fixed ropes and O2, do you know what I think? I think K2 is easier than Everest.
Once you’ve got a rope to clip on, K2 is much better, as it is much more straight forward. You don’t have to climb the Khumbu ice fall up and down; you don’t have to walk for 12 km each time through the Valley of Silence, and don’t have to climb up the Lhotse wall even before you have the chance of seeing the summit.
Yeah, you gain altitude very fast - and steep slopes at altitude are exhausting. But that’s what O2 is for. Isn’t it?”
The question then is: Being so “easily” doable, why aren’t commercial expedition outfitters jumping into it? We will try to find the answer in this ExWeb series.
Image of Juan Oiarzabal climbing on K2’s Abruzzi Spur last summer, courtesy of El Correo Digital.
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2004
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