Exped Operators for K2

[champs_de_glacé]

climbing K2 is quite ambitious at this point as I just started rope climbing in 2023

Wow, if that's what it takes to get signed onto a commercial K2 expedition, I guess I really need to reevaluate the amount of admiration that I previously accorded to Karakoram 8000er climbers. I fondly remember the days when I was naive enough to believe that climbing an 8000er (other than Everest) meant you were a serious mountaineer.

What remaining high mountains (7k+) actually count as "hard" these days? G4, Masherbrum, Namcha Barwa, ??

most of the nepali guide companies will take anyone with money on an 8k expedition, i imagine a few of the more reputable ones want at least experience on an 8k mountain before k2. most of the western guide companies wont take you unless you have climbed everest. k2 is brutal compared to everest so i imagine most of the "money" clients will not succeed

I justed climbed Manaslu (8163m) with a 17 year old American girl with scant mountaineering experience — she did great — like me she comes to high altitude climbing from a long distance running background— meaning biomechanics — efficient graceful footwork with superb lung and heart capacity at extreme altitudes. There were a bunch of professional mountain guides (as client climbers) that could not summit due to exhaustion. That said, I’m always learning and have retained an IFMGA guide for the past year to advise me which has been very helpful.

[justiner]

Being serious for a second, I would think it essential to talk to Alan Arnette, who was the oldest to summit K2 @ 58 (which has now been surpassed). He may have some unique insights on age, and comparing different expeditions.

[cottonmountaineering]

Wow, if that's what it takes to get signed onto a commercial K2 expedition, I guess I really need to reevaluate the amount of admiration that I previously accorded to Karakoram 8000er climbers. I fondly remember the days when I was naive enough to believe that climbing an 8000er (other than Everest) meant you were a serious mountaineer.

What remaining high mountains (7k+) actually count as "hard" these days? G4, Masherbrum, Namcha Barwa, ??

most of the nepali guide companies will take anyone with money on an 8k expedition, i imagine a few of the more reputable ones want at least experience on an 8k mountain before k2. most of the western guide companies wont take you unless you have climbed everest. k2 is brutal compared to everest so i imagine most of the "money" clients will not succeed

I justed climbed Manaslu (8163m) with a 17 year old American girl with scant mountaineering experience — she did great — like me she comes to high altitude climbing from a long distance running background— meaning biomechanics — efficient graceful footwork with superb lung and heart capacity at extreme altitudes. There were a bunch of professional mountain guides (as client climbers) that could not summit due to exhaustion. That said, I’m always learning and have retained an IFMGA guide for the past year to advise me which has been very helpful.

manaslu is a joke compared to k2

[champs_de_glacé]

Being serious for a second, I would think it essential to talk to Alan Arnette, who was the oldest to summit K2 @ 58 (which has now been surpassed). He may have some unique insights on age, and comparing different expeditions.

most of the nepali guide companies will take anyone with money on an 8k expedition, i imagine a few of the more reputable ones want at least experience on an 8k mountain before k2. most of the western guide companies wont take you unless you have climbed everest. k2 is brutal compared to everest so i imagine most of the "money" clients will not succeed

I justed climbed Manaslu (8163m) with a 17 year old American girl with scant mountaineering experience — she did great — like me she comes to high altitude climbing from a long distance running background— meaning biomechanics — efficient graceful footwork with superb lung and heart capacity at extreme altitudes. There were a bunch of professional mountain guides (as client climbers) that could not summit due to exhaustion. That said, I’m always learning and have retained an IFMGA guide for the past year to advise me which has been very helpful.

manaslu is a joke compared to k2

I had a brief conversation with Alan that was very helpful as well as with some of staff at Elite Exped — but am likely to continue on as a client climber with SST — my guide for Manaslu is also a guide for K2 and we got along well — he was one the guys involved in the infamous fight on Everest where he was fixing ropes — crazy story but part of the fixed ropes were knocked out during our summit push on Manaslu which immediately followed the SST rope fixing team — and so we had to look carefully when free climbing at night to come back into the fixed ropes above — and we were leading the whole team (head lamps twinkling below) so I was tasked with looking to the right and my guide to the left — and we eventually found the upper pitches intact.

At the time I didn’t understand what was going on — i.e. a fresh avalanche had swept through since the ropes were set the prior day. Manaslu normal route is very avalanche prone — quite a few people swept away every few years and the true summit is a bit tricky — another hour on unstable cornice with 1,000m vertical drop — quite the experience.

I’m very excited about the prospect of K2 — so many variables — and basic plan remains to shadow the Nepali guide thus the project is very much about endurance, agility and nutrition rather than mountaineering know how as I will be paired with such a strong Nepali climber — “monkey see, monkey do” works well (so far). It is tremendously exciting — and would regret not taking advantage of these opportunities as they seldom occur!

[champs_de_glacé]

My experience is limited to Ama but I don't recommend summit climb, they are a budget company and while I don't seek luxury, they were mediocre at best unless that is what you are planning for up front and somewhat self sufficient. In that case they might be ok.

Agree 100%

[champs_de_glacé]

— accidentally double posted, see below for my reasons for NOT attempting K2 this summer

[champs_de_glacé]

After experiencing some setbacks in a solo winter alpine climb in the Swiss Alps, I’ve decided NOT to attempt K2 this summer and will instead attempt Lhotse (literally the “south peak”) this spring with SST with East Labouche being the warm up (would be my 3rd time climbing it).

The Swiss Alps trip in January near Gemmi Pass was designed to be a “proving ground” in terms of my managing my own equipment, navigation, and nourishment but immediately (or rather slowly) became a disaster after a confluence of bizarre glitches resulted in my calling for a rescue at 4am via Garmin sat phone the first night of a planned 5 day outing in a remote part of Bernese Alps.