Polish National Winter K2 Expedition

On December 29th Polish National Himalayan Team left the country for Pakistan. Their goal is to reach the top of the last 8-thousander unclimbed in winter – K2. The mountain is 8611 m tall, 2nd largest peak on Earth. It is located on the border between China and Pakistan I the Karakoram mountain range near Baltoro glacier. Some call it the hardest mountain in the world. Steep slopes make each route a dangerous one. K2 is shaped like a pyramid.

Winter conditions in Karakoram are harder compared to Nepal with temperatures going as low as – 50 C Another obstacle is very strong wind, especially in the top section – jet stream. Climbers are going to need a few days of a good weather in a row to have a chance at the summit. Such favorable conditions may not come every year.

Just reaching the base camp in wither is a challenge requiring a lot of effort and money to accumulate supplies necessary for 2-3 months of living there. So far there have only been 4 winter attempts, 3 of which were organized by Poles. For comparison the last but one 8-thousander, Nanga Parbat, was climbed after around 30 winter expeditions.

Will they be successful? The chances are slim, however the head of the expedition Krzysztof Wielicki remains optimistic. “Who does not try to reach the unconquered does not write history”

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