First successful K2 Winter ascent has finally been made!!!
At 16:58 local time, Saturday the 16th of January 2021, a team of 10 Nepalese mountaineers made the first successful winter ascent of K2, the second highest mountain in the world and the last 8000er to be climbed in winter. An emotional moment was shared when the Sherpas waited for each other until they were all assembled a few meters below the summit before summitting together singing the Nepali national anthem.
“For decades, Nepalis have assisted foreigners to reach the summits of the Himalayas, but we’ve not been getting the recognition we deserve,” said Kami Rita, speaking to AFP.
With this heroic achievement by this team of Sherpas, they have written a Golden Chapter in the history of climbing, and rightfully laurelled all the Sherpa climbers, living and dead, who have contributed to the “Mountaineering Glories” and also to those Sherpas who lost their lives in paving the Glories for others.
Big congratulations to my fellow brothers Gelje Sherpa, Mingma David Sherpa, Mingma G, Sona Sherpa, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Pem Chhiri Sherpa, Dawa Temba Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Dawa Tenjing Sherpa and Nirmal Purja.
Previous winter Attempts
1983 Reconnaissance: Pol Andrzej Zawada and Canadian-resident Polish national Jaques Olek
1987/88 Attempt: 13 Poles, seven Canadians, and four Britons / made Camp 3.
2002/03 Attempt: 14 climbers from Poland, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Georgia / made Camp 4.
2011/12 Attempt: nine climbers from Russia / made Camp 2
2014/15 Near Attempt: Denis Urubko and team lost permit from the Chinese side
2017/18 Polish/International: Abandoned due to conditions and team dynamics, Also Spanish with no summit
2018/19 Kazakhstan-Russia-Kyrgyzstan and Spanish/Galician Team 2018/19: poor conditions
2019/20 Mingma G./Snorri: only two weeks
