While harsh weather conditions at high altitudes are making it difficult for three foreign expedition teams, which are attempting to scale the world’s second highest peak K2, the mountaineers are determined to achieve their goals.
The two K2 expedition teams are now teaming up to increase the chance of their success.
Photo credit: Alessandro Filippini (facebook)
According to sources, weather conditions at high altitudes are worsening with blowing winds and continuous snowfall creating hindrances for the climbers. They said the climbers were following weather forecasts to plan their moves so that incidents occurring due to snowfall, rock falling, avalanches and blowing winds could be avoided. There is also fear of high-altitude sickness, including frostbite and snow blindness.
The climbers of the two teams had moved to upper positions, but on Saturday they had to descend back to the K2 base camp due to bad weather.
One of the teams is headed by Vassily Pivtsov from Kazakhstan. Its other members are Artem, Roman Abildaev and Konstantin Shepelin from Russia, Michael Danichkin from Kyrgyzstan, Tursunali Aubakirov and Dmitry Muraviov from Kazakhstan.
The other team, headed by Alex Txikon from Spain, comprises Felix Criado from Spain, Marek Klonowski and Pawel Dunaj from Poland and five Nepalese Sherpas.
According to Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) secretary Karrar Haidri, the two teams are now working together. “Joining forces means sharing experiences and resources and knowledge to accomplish an extremely difficult goal. K2 can have its own weather system with hurricane strong winds and 30 to 40 degrees below zero temperatures, besides exhaustion that make up some of the intense challenges,” he said.
This article first appeared on https://www.dawn.com . The original can be read here .