2020 Winter K2

           

K2, the second highest mountain in the world doesn’t need any introduction.  The mountain was first climbed in July 31, 1954 by Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli and the record of summiteers reached approximately 460 by 2019 followed by 84 deaths but never been topped in winter. The winter history on K2 shows 6 different years of attempts in the past.  And K2 is the only 8000ers remained to be climbed in winter.

       Winter is a time of low barometric pressure which means less oxygen pressure.  The temperature can drop below -C. The legendary climber, Reinhold Messner described K2 as “The Mountain Of Mountains”.  The mountain is deadly itself and climbing in winter has to face strong and cold wind in extremely low temperature.

Successful routes on K2 are described as South East Ridge (Abruzzi) climbed in 1954 by Italian team, North East Ridge to Abruzzi Spur in 1978 by American team, West Ridge in 1981 by Japanese team, North Ridge in 1982 by Japanese team, North West face to North Ridge  in 1990 by Japanese team, South Face or Central Rib climbed in 1986 by Polish team, South West Pillar or Magic Line in 1986 by Polish and Slovak team, North West Ridge to North Ridge in 1991 by French team, South Ease Ridge climbed in 1994 by Spanish team and West Face by Japanese tam in 1997. 1997 was the year where first Nepalese made K2 summit with Japanese. The team was under the leadership of Watanabe Tanabe and Nepalese Dawa Tashi, Pemba Dorjee, Gyalbu and Mingma Tseri made to top.

   The Cappuccino Team will use Abruzzi route for winter 2019/2020.

Base Camp: 18,600ft/5669m

Camp 1: 19,965ft/6000m

Camp 2: 22,110ft/6700m

Camp 3: 23,760ft/7500m

Camp 4: 26,080ft/7954m

Summit: 28,251ft/8611m

 Team:

1.       Mingma G

2.       John Snorri

3.       Gao Li

1.       Mingma G

Mingma G started his climbing career in 2006 and climbed K2 in 2014 and 2017. He has finished 13 of 8000ers.

2.       John Snorri

John comes from Iceland. He has summited Ama Dablam(6812m) in 2016, Lhotse(8516m) in 2017, K2 (8611m) in 2017

3.       Gao Li

The Chinese climber Li has climbed Manaslu (8163m) in 2016, Everest(8848m) in 2018, Lhotse(8516m) and Makalu(8463m) in 2019.

Fact and Figure

   K2 has been only climbed by 460 climbers till now and 

   K2 is the only 8000m mountain remained to climb in winter.

   NO any Icelandic has ever climbed any winter 8000m peak

  No Chinese has ever climbed any winter 8000m peak.

4K2 was attempted 6 times in winter but never went above Camp3.