Indonesian Digital News Archive

On August 1, 2008, K2, the second tallest mountain mountain on the planet and arguable the most challenging to climb, was the scene of a horrific series of events that led to one of the most deadly days in the history of mountaineering. On that fateful day, a serac collapsed high on the mountain, sweeping the fixed ropes used by climbers off the mountain and killing several people in the process. The crushing ice and snow also stranded a number of others above an area known as the Bottleneck, leaving them scrambling for a way to descend out of the infamous "Death Zone." By the time the tragedy had completely played out, 11 climbers lost their lives and those that did survive, came back with harrowing tales to tell.

Two of those survivors were Chhiring Dorje Sherpa and Pasang Lama, two guides from Nepal whose paths had criss-cross in the past as they both traveled from small, remote villages in the Himalaya  to the very tops of the tallest mountains on the planet. The book Buried In The Sky, by Peter Zuckerman and Amanda Padoan, tells their story, starting in those tiny villages, then later to the streets of Kathmandu and on to a variety of Base Camps across the Himalaya and Karakoram, including K2.

In the summer of 2008, both men were with climbing teams on the mountain and on the first of August they were amongst those that went up to the summit and were making their way back down when the serac collapsed. Exhausted and alone, Chhiring was looking for a way to get down the mountain without the use of ropes, some that seemed nearly impossible to his oxygen deprived mind. He had very few pieces of gear with him at the time, although he was still in possession of his ice axe, which could potentially be used to arrest his fall.

While looking for a place to attempt a decent, Chhiring came across Pasang, still clinging to the mountain in his climbing harness. Pasang had given up his axe to another climber earlier in the day and at that point he was unsure how he would get down on his own and without his axe. Although their situation seemed bleak, Chhiring couldn't leave a fellow climber – a fellow human being – behind and the two men joined forces and made the incredibly difficult descent together.



Buried In The Sky gives a breathtaking account of their ordeal but not before first providing plenty of background on the two Sherpas, modern mountaineering and K2, the Savage Mountain itself. The two authors have certainly done their homework and it shows through in their writing. It isn't enough to just research the subject matter, you have to go deeper to make the story come alive, and Zuckerman and Padoan make the story of these two Sherpa come to life in amazing fashion.

Of all the big peaks, K2 is easily the mountain that fascinates me the most. It is an incredibly difficult climb and is particularly deadly as well. Reading this book I not only learned more about the legendary mountain, but at times I felt like I had been transported to its icy slopes as well. Thats a testament to how well written Buried actually is and the authors are to be commended for pulling that off. This is a book that can be proudly put on the shelf next to Krakauer's Into Thin Air, as the two cover similar ground at times, although their stories are very different.

If you're looking for a new addition to your mountaineering library than Buried In The Sky is a definite must have. With superb writing, hair-raising drama and two memorable protagonists, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat as you turn the pages as quickly as you can. On more than one occasion I found myself in the "just one more chapter" mode, even as the clock said it was well past bedtime. I think you'll be just as riveted as was and the story of these two Sherpas will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Buried In The Sky is a must read.

For most of the 2012 Pakistan climbing season I've been posting regular updates on the progress of the teams including some major success stories on Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I and of course K2. One of the climbers whose updates I always anticipated reading was Al Hancock, who first attempted to climb BP then moved over to K2. For the past week we've been waiting for word on his whereabouts as we knew that his team was preparing for a summit push. Today Al finally posted an update and it's a doozy.

I had speculated that Al, along with his porters and teammate Matt, were still on the mountain and attempting a summit bid. It turns out that was the plan, but K2 had other ideas. The mountain had been more than generous a few days before, allowing as many as 30 climbers to summit successfully. That's a big number for a peak that is known as the "Savage Mountain. " But while they were in Camp 1 the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse, closing the season in swift and dramatic fashion.

Al starts the update by describing the trek up to C1 where he and Matt decide that one of the three porters isn't experienced enough to be climbing a tough mountain like K2 and that he needs to be safely escorted back to Base Camp. Matt takes on that responsibility and sets off back down the mountain. Not long after he is gone, Al and the two remaining porters are hit by an avalanche that lets up just long enough to give them an opportunity to take shelter in their tent as the bad weather sets in. And what incredibly bad weather it was.

For five days the three men huddled in the tent, occasionally going out to dig snow off their shelter and to take care of other duties. A storm raged the entire time, with very high winds and blizzard conditions.   As the days passed, their fuel and food began to dwindle and Matt attempted to deliver supplies from BC but was turned back by the storm. There was no where to go, up or down.

Eventually Al and his guides decided they couldn't stay on the mountain any longer and that they had to dry to descend. Immediately after getting dressed and leaving the tent, it was ripped from the mountain by the gale force winds that were buffeting their camp. With no where to take shelter, the men started down and...

Obviously they made it as Al is filing this report. But the rest of their story is to be continued in a future dispatch. I definitely recommend you read Al's story as it is well written and tells the start of a harrowing tale. I'm sure the descent is going to be a wild read as well so hopefully he'll post it soon too.

If all of those summits amidst good weather last week led you to believe that K2's reputation is overblown, Al's account of his climb will remind you why this is the Mountaineer's Mountain. Crazy story.

The Pakistan climbing season is slowly grinding to a halt with just a few teams still active in the region. Unfortunately, there have been few updates over the past week or so as climbers continue to proceed with some major climbs.

K2 remains a focus of course with Al Hancock still on the mountain. In his last update, which came over a week ago, Al indicated that his team had been up as high as Camp 2 and that they were back in Base Camp, resting and preparing for a summit push. Since then there has been no word on the team's status and we can only assume that they may have started their ascent. For now we'll just have to wait for Al to re-emerge and fill us in on the expedition.

One climber who did successfully top out on K2 last week was Polish mountaineer Adam Bielecki who made the ascent without the use of supplemental oxygen. Adam has posted a debrief on his climb on PolishWinterHimaism.pl in which he shares some details on the climb and some great photos as well. Bielecki notes that July 31st was an unprecedented day on the mountain with 28 climbers reaching the summit. For K2 that is an unbelievably high number and gives us a good indication of how good the conditions must have been during that ascent. Thanks to ExWeb for sharing the link to Adam's debrief and be warned. If the link to the Polish website set off the malware warning in my browser. I'm not sure if the site will cause problems or not, but be aware before you head over to read the update.

Finally, the Trango Air Wall expedition should be proceeding on schedule as well, but there haven't been any updates on their progress either. The team did post the video below however which gives some insights into what they are hoping to accomplish on the climb and how the four members came together to make an attempt on the 6286 meter (20,623 ft) Great Tower which they hope to BASE jump off the top. Hopefully we'll get more news on their progress soon as well.

While I was away at the Outdoor Retailer convention last week there was more news trickling in from Pakistan where the good weather was producing successful summits on K2, a notoriously tough mountain that has eluded many climbers in recent years. We already knew that there were more than 25 people that topped out on the mountain, but there have since been a couple of notable additions to the list.

One of the climbers who added K2 to his already impressive resume is Austrian Christian Stangl. The "Skyrunner" is known for his speed climbs on the Seven Summits and other big mountains, but for the past few years he's been focused on his Triple Seven Summits project during which he has been slowly but surely climbing the three highest mountains on each continent. Last week he managed to knock off K2, without oxygen no less, to claim his 20th peak. That leaves him with just Mt. Shkhara, a tough 5193 meter (17,040 ft) mountain located in the Balkans of Georgia to reach his goal.

Also summiting without the use of supplemental oxygen was Polish climber Adam Bielecki and Spanish mountaineer Oscar Cadiach. Bielecki's team posted a video of him at the summit, which you'll find below and even if you don't speak Polish, I think you can still hear the exhaustion, relief and joy in his voice. It also gives you a good look at what the top of K2 looks like.

Finally, no updates from Al Hancock since I left last week, which leads me to believe that he may be on his summit push as well. If that's true, we should get word in the next day or two on his progress as well.

The Pakistani climbing season will be finishing up very quickly now and despite its rather slow and difficult start, it is start to look like a very successful one. At least on K2, which has seen more success this year than it has seen in the past five years combined. Congratulations to everyone who managed to stand on top. Impressive work on one very tough hill.

Yesterday turned out to be a historic day on K2, a notoriously difficult mountain and the second highest peak in the world. I reported early on that Tunc Findik and his climbing mates had topped out and were safely back in Camp 4, but with the weather window wide open there was hope for success out of other teams as well. In the end, a least 23 climbers stood on the summit, the most ever for a single day, putting a triumphant exclamation point on a Pakistani climbing season that has been difficult to say the least.

Late in the day yesterday I received news via email that the climbers who summited not only included Tunc, Azim and Fabrice as previously reported, but also a contingent of 16 Nepalese Sherpas led by Chhang Dawa Sherpa who claimed his 12th 8000-meter peak. Dawa relayed the news of the team's success to Nazir Sabir, who works with Pakistan's Expeditions Office and is handling the group while they are the country. At the time most of the climbers had already safely descended back to Camp 4 and were preparing to come down to Base Camp today. Dawa said that there were three other climbers on the summit as well, but their identities were not given at the time. (Big thanks to Clyde Soles for passing along this information, which he received directly from Nazir Sabir himself.)

Meanwhile, there is news of further summit success on K2 today as Peter Hamor and Pavel Bem are now confirmed to have topped out as well. In a brief statement on Peter's website we're told that the duo reached the top at 11:15 AM local time and arrived safely back at Camp 4 a few hours later. The men completed the climb without the use of supplemental oxygen and are now resting before continuing their descent. Congratulations to Peter and Pavel on accomplishing their mission too.



Staying on K2 for a moment, Al Hancock posted an update on his progress yesterday as well and while he wasn't amongst the climbers topping out just yet, he and his teammates have been making steady progress. They've managed to shuttle gear up to Camp 2 and have now returned to BC for a rest before heading back up the mountain to supply Camp 3 and 4. If the weather holds, they could begin their summit push in the next few days. Al reports that he was very happy to see the sun and have the weather turn in their favor. After spending several weeks on Broad Peak he never really got the opportunity to make a true summit attempt on that mountain thanks to heavy snows and high winds. Hopefully the weather on K2 will hold out long enough for the squad to take a crack at the summit.

Speaking of Broad Peak, there was news of successful summits from that mountain yesterday as well. ExWeb reports that the Iranian team of Reza and Sohbatollah Bahadorani were able to finally complete their climb and Nazir Sabir says Chinese climbers Ms. Wang Jing and her partner Mr. Zhang Liang also summited with the assistance of their two Sherpa Guides.

In the same report mentioned above, ExWeb says that a team of Andalucia climbers have also managed to summit Gasherbrum II, another peak that had turned back all previous attempts this season. No details on that climb were given however so we'll have to wait to see if we learn more.

It appears that patience has payed off for the teams that were able to stay in Pakistan and wait for the weather to turn in their favor. Most of the climbers have headed for home but the few that had open travel plans were able to stay and take advantage of the shift in conditions. How long this current window will stay open remains to be seen, but it is great to see these dedicated men and women finally getting their opportunity.

Congratulations to all of the teams on their fantastic success. Please be careful on those descents and get down safely.

The details are still a bit light but it appears congratulations are in order for Tunc Findik and his entire team for a successful summit of K2 earlier today. The group included Azim Gheichisaz, Fabrice Imparato, an unnamed Singaporean climber and three Chinese guides.

Yesterday we had news that the squad was in place on Camp 4 and were resting before making the final summit push. The weather, which has been an issue in the Karakoram all season long, seemed to finally be cooperating and the plan was to set out for the summit at 10:00PM local time last night. Apparently that went as expected and the team was able to reach the top of the second highest mountain on the planet at 8611 meters (28,251 ft). They are now back in C4 and resting once again before proceeding back down the mountain tomorrow.

Tunc and company might not be the only ones to top out on K2 this week. Peter Hamor's team is currently in Camp 4 and planning on making their summit bid starting in the evening today. Apparently the weather remains calm, spirits are high and everyone feels good for heading up the mountain. If all goes as planned, we'll have a report of more summits tomorrow.

Still no word out of Al Hancock as to the progress of his K2 attempt. Since he had already acclimatized on Broad Peak, it is possible he's on a summit push at the moment as well. Al only just arrived in Base Camp last week but if his high camps were established perhaps he has decided to take advantage of this good weather too. We'll just have to stay tuned to find out.

It seems strange that so many teams were turned back all season long on Broad Peak, the Gasherbrums and other big peaks in the region, yet we have successful summits on K2 already and it appears that there will be more to come. It just goes to show you how bad weather can really stifle any opportunities to climb these mountains, but when good weather does appear, talented and bold climbers can take advantage of it.

Congrats to Tun, Azim, Fabrice and the rest of the climbers on a job well done. Get down safe.

It was a relatively quiet weekend in terms of updates from Pakistan as most teams are now abandoning Base Camps across the region and starting the trek for home. It has been a very difficult summer there as unusual weather weather patterns have kept most climbers from reaching their summits. But not everyone is finished yet and on K2 it seems that climbers are now moving into position to take a chance at topping out on the toughest mountain of all.

Tunc Findik and climbing mate Azim Gheychisaz have started their summit push. The team climbed up to C3 yesterday and then  up to Camp 4, located at the Shoulder today. According to their brief dispatches they'll rest at 7900 meters (25,918 ft) and proceed up to the summit starting at 10:00 PM local time tonight. The weather appears to be calm (for once!) and there is optimism in the group that they could top out sometime tomorrow. Lets keep our fingers crossed that this weather window remains open.

Similarly, Peter Hamor's team reached Camp 3 yesterday as well but there have been no updates yet on their progress today. Their last dispatch indicated that they would wait until this morning to decide what their next move would be but if we have to believe that if the weather window is open that they've proceeded up as well. K2 doesn't give the climbers many opportunities so they have to take them where they come. Hopefully we'll get update on their progress as well.

Al Hancock is also on K2 but he didn't update his blog over the weekend so his current whereabouts are unknown. Considering he only just arrived on the mountain late last week it is likely that his team is still shuttling gear to their camps. But Al and his crew shifted over from Broad Peak so they should be well acclimatized. It's hard to believe that they would be a part of this summit push, unless they're making an alpine style ascent, but at this point anything is possible. Until we get an update however, we'll just have to wait to see how things are progressing.

There were no updates from the Trango Air Wall team either. They should be arriving in BC on the towers in the next day or two however so hopefully we'll get a progress report from the team as well. The team had originally planned to scale Nameless Tower and make a BASE jump from the top, but they've actually shifted their focus to the Great Trango Tower, a 6286 meter (20,623 ft) granite spire that will test their technical climbing skills to the max. They'll use the opportunity to scout Nameless Tower however with the hopes of a possible climb and jump in the future.

Stay tuned for updates. We could have K2 summits as early as tomorrow.

The climbing season in Pakistan had seen a definite shift this past week as teams on Gasherbrum I and II, as well as Broad Peak, have elected to head home without a single summit amongst them. They were defeated not by the mountains themselves but by the weather, which has been persistently bad all summer long. But there appears to be some hope on the horizon as long range forecasts say there could be a shift in the weather in the early days of August. That is good news for the teams on K2 and a few other peaks.

Lets start this update off with a success story for change. A team of Slovenian and American climbers successfully topped out on K7 last week along a new route. According to Rock and Ice, Hayden Kennedy, Kyle Dempster, and Urban Novak went up the 6935 meter (22,757 ft.) mountain along its East Face. The summit push began when a weather window opened on July 16 and included a night spent in an open bivy as they pushed through incredibly tough mixed terrain and deep snow. The trio managed to force there way through those conditions however and topped out on the 19th before returning to Base Camp on the 20th. Congrats the whole team on a great effort in tough conditions.

On Gasherbrum I another team has decided to pack it in for the year. The Hungarian squad that had hoped to scale the 8080 meter (26,509 ft) mountain was turned back on their summit bid due to heavy snow and avalanche dangers. They posted an update yesterday that said they would depart BC today and begin their journey home. They report that GI Base Camp isn't completely deserted yet, but few remain to try to climb the mountain again.

For the next few weeks our attention will shift to K2 where the teams are gearing up for the tough climb ahead. The weather remains dicey there as well and Tunc Findik reports that attempts to climb up to C2 were aborted due to continued high winds and heavy snows. He is holding out hope that things will change after August 1st however and he and his teammate can start climbing in ernest.



Peter Hamor reports similar conditions and although his latest dispatch today is short and sweet, its meaning is unmistakable. The weather dictates the action at this point and for now the team remains in Base Camp. The same place they've spent most of the week.

Al Hancock arrived in K2 BC on Wednesday and has started getting comfortable for the challenges ahead. He and his teammates have already carried some gear up to ABC, with Al falling into a covered crevasse up to his armpits along the way. Their porters hoped to begin shuttling gear up to the high camps today but as with all things right now, that plan was "weather permitting." Al, who just shuffled over to K2 from Broad Peak, says that Base Camp is colder and more lonely, but it is his "office" for the job ahead.

Finally, the Trango Air Wall Expedition team checked in from the Baltoro Glacier yesterday. After arriving in Islamabad on Sunday and making their way to Skardu on Tuesday, they started the trek to Nameless Tower from Askole and will now take a few days hiking before getting to Base Camp. Most of their gear arrived safe and sound but they are missing one bag that contained solar panels and a tent. That means they could be limited on communications while on the climb and they may all have to squeeze into one tent or dig snow caves along the way. They do however have all of their climbing and BASE jumping gear, which is most important for the success of the expedition. They should arrive in BC early next week and start the tough climb up the Tower.

That's all for now. Lets hope the weather changes next week so there is actually some climbing news to report.

Not a whole lot has changed since our last update from Pakistan a few days ago. The teams are mostly in a holding pattern at the moment as they wait to see what the weather will give them. Some have called it quits for the season and started the long journey home, while others are simply trading one Base Camp for another.

One of those climbers who is switching peaks is Al Hancock who left Broad Peak yesterday and is now en route to K2 where he'll hope to have better luck. Al was climbing as part of the Field Touring Alpine team, who made a summit bid on BP last weekend but were turned back due to heavy snow and avalanche dangers above 7000 meters (22,965 ft). It'll take a few days for him to reach BC on K2 where he'll no doubt continue sharing his excellent dispatches once he's had the opportunity to get settled.

Speaking of the FTA team, they posted an update on their status yesterday and their weather forecasts say that there will not be another window in the near future. With that in mind and as they recover from their previous efforts, the rest of the squad will now return to Skardu and start to head home. They gave the expedition all they could but Mother Nature simply had other plans for the mountain this year.

While one expedition comes to a close another is just getting under way. I mentioned the Trango Air Wall project awhile back and it seems the team is now in Pakistan and making its way from Islamabad to Skardu. For those who don't remember, this is the group of four climbers who intend to scale Nameless Tower and BASE jump from the top. The Tower stands 6240 meters (20,472 ft) in height and features a massive 800 meter (2524 ft) wall that is amongst the most difficult high altitude climbs in the world. If successful in their bid, Liv Sansoz, Jérôme Blanc-Gras and Manu Guy, all of France, as well as Brit Tim Emmett, will be the first to BASE jump from the massive rock spire that is part of the Trango Towers.

Finally, there has been no news on K2 from either Peter Hamor or Tunc Findik. That can only lead us to believe that the weather remains bad and that the climbers are still biding their time in BC while they wait for an opportunity to shuttle more gear up the mountain. The next few weeks will be very telling on that mountain, the most difficult in the region if not the world.

The summer climbing season in Pakistan is starting to grind toward the finish line as the weather continues to take its toll on the teams across the region. It seems that all the reports are the same as climbers cite an unusually high level of snowfall, strong winds and dangerous avalanche conditions. This past weekend several teams hoped to top out on their respective peaks, but unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans. Now, many of those teams are left to ponder whether or not its time to go home or give it another go.

Teams on Broad Peak were set to make summit bids this weekend but were stymied by heavy snow above Camp 3. As a result, they've all retreated back to Base Camp where the Field Touring Alpine squad reports that their group is starting to break up. Two of the members of the team, including Al Hancock, will now move on to K2, where they'll face even more formidable challenges. Others on the team are waiting to see if they'll get another crack at the summit, while the majority of them have decided it is time to go home. They reached an altitude of 7000 meters (22,965 ft) but had no chance to go higher. Perhaps those who are persistent and patient, and are lucky enough to have more time to stay, may yet stand on the summit.

A Dutch Team on BP is essentially having the same experience. They managed to climb up to Camp 3 as well, but turned back when they found the snow above that point to be too difficult to climb through. As of their last dispatch they are all back in BC as well and watching the forecast. There are some indications that things could improve near the end of this week, but for now everyone waits to see how things develop.



On K2 there has been no change in the past few days and at the moment both Peter Hamor and Tunc Findik are in Base Camp awaiting an opportunity to go back up the mountain. Having established Camp 2 and spent a few nights there, the two squads, which are climbing independently of one another, are off to a good start on the world's most challenging mountain, but they've only just begun to work and there is a lot of difficult climbing ahead. They'll have some new neighbors soon however as more teams will join them in BC.

Things are no better on Gasherbrum I where a German team has been relegated to Base Camp where they await their fate as well. They had hoped to be in Camp 2 now on an acclimatization rotation, but like everyone else they've been left watching the weather. They report that no teams have reached Camp 3 on the mountain this year and that ropes are only fixed  halfway between C2 and 3. They also indicate that avalanches have been a persistent problem as well, which is making it even more of a challenge to go up. They hope to gain access to the higher sections of the mountain in the next day or two as they attempt to fix lines and establish their next camp, but the chances of that happening seem quite slim.

Finally, Louis Rousseau has announced that he is done with GI after being denied a summit bid last week. He isn't just done for the season however. The experienced climber says he'll never return to the mountain that claimed the lives of his friends this past winter. Louis has topped out on 13 of the 14 8000-meter peaks, but he'll leave this one off his resume as he no longer thinks the rewards outweigh the risks. He says the mountain is too dangerous and has too much snow this year, creating avalanches and hidden crevasses. As a result, he leaves Base Camp tomorrow and begins his long journey home. Gasherbrum I has brought him nothing be heartbreak.

The next few days should prove interesting as the hold-outs wait for good news from the weatherman. I'm not expecting much to change however and now time is no longer on their side. The weather will change for the worse soon and it won't let up for some time. The season is rapidly coming to a halt and it appears that there will be very few, if any, summits in Pakistan this summer.

Just a brief update today on the climbing expeditions currently under way in Pakistan. All week long we've heard from various sources that teams were moving up the slopes to get into position to take advantage of a possible weather window, but now that they are there it doesn't appear that the window has opened. At least not yet.

Al Hanock hasn't updated on his progress since setting out on his Broad Peak summit bid but the Field Touring Alpine team has posted several dispatches. There latest came yesterday when they reported that their squad was holding tight in Camp 3 amidst steady snow fall. The update says that as much as 20-30cm (7-11 inches) of fresh powder had fallen on the mountain, although steady winds were blowing most of it off as quickly as it came down. There are now some concerns about avalanches higher up however, so the climbers are hoping to assess the challenges and make a decision from there.

If the weather improved today they hoped to move up to C4 and make an attempt on the top tomorrow. If not, several of the climbers still have time before they need to head home, so it is possible that they'll descend, wait out the weather and have another go next week.

Snow is making progress on K2 a difficult proposition at the moment as well. As a result, both Peter Hamor and Tunc Findik are back in Base Camp where they wait for the next opportunity to go up. Both squads have been making solid progress so far, having established Camp 2 and spent a few nights there to acclimatize. For now, all they can do is wait for the weather and the mountain to give them an opportunity to proceed.

Finally, we did receive official word from the Mazeno Ridge team that after reaching the summit of Nanga Parbat on July 15 all members of the group have now safely descended and are back in BC. Communication had been a bit spotty, so it's good to know that everyone got up and down in one piece.

Update: Reader Kristian posted this link in the comments below, but I thought it was most definitely worth adding here as well. Climber Fredrik Strang posted this update to his Facebook page that says a lot about the conditions on Broad Peak and the Karakoram as a whole this season. Fredrik says the weather is horrible and has been all summer long. He has pulled the plug on his BP expedition and says that the other team leaders feel this is the worst season on the mountain that they can remember. His comments are especially interesting to read as he says that it isn't worth climbing in the unsafe conditions and that the forces of nature are just too strong, even for the best, most experienced climbers this year.

Fredrik does say that he saw the FTA team on C3 and was set to meet up with them at Camp 4 today, but there was no way for them to go higher. He returned to BC on his own, but arrived to find out that the FTA squad was aborting their attempt as well. Whether or not it is over for them remains to be seen, but it sounds like BP is about to shut down for the season as well.

It is beginning to look like there may not be a single 8000 meter summit in Pakistan this year. We all know how difficult K2 is, even under the best of conditions.

The news out of Pakistan continues unabated today with the confirmation of the successful summit of Nanga Parbat along the Mazeno Ridge route and updates on the progress of other teams in the region.

For nearly a week now we've had conflicting reports on the status of the Mazeno Ridge team. First they summited, then they didn't and now they have once again. This time for real. Although one of the team members, Cathy O'Dowd, elected to descend back to Base Camp, her companions, Sandy Allan and Rick Allen, stayed on the mountain and persisted to the summit despite bad weather and awful snow conditions. The duo topped out at 6:12 PM local time this past Saturday, becoming the first to complete the incredibly long and tough Mazeno approach which includes eight sub-summits in excess of 7000 meters (22,965 ft) in height. At the time they were running low on both food and fuel but refused to give up their one chance at success while the weather was still tolerable enough to allow access to the top.

This news puts an end to the speculation about the team's whereabout and safety. Glad to hear that everyone is okay and that success was achieved on this very difficult climb. Congratulations to Sandy and Rick for such an outstanding effort.

Elsewhere, the Field Touring Alpine team is in the midst of their summit push on Broad Peak where they've reached Camp 3 today. They're currently camping at 7000 meters in high winds and snow, and tomorrow they'll actually dismantle their camp and move it higher before making an attempt at the summit. The team will likely establish Camp 4 at 7400 meters (24,278 ft) where they'll keep an eye on the forecasts and wait for a window to open this weekend.

Over on Gasherbrum I, Louis Rousseau and the rest of his team are safely back in BC and sharing the details of their failed summit bid. From the sounds of things, the mountain wasn't exactly kind to the climbers who saw five of the six teammates knocked over by an avalanche just below Camp 3. After evaluating the conditions and seeing an increase in winds and snows, the group decided to turn back, but it still took two days for them to safely descend back to Base Camp. Several of the climbers now see their departure dates looming and are currently weighing their options. They're keeping a close eye on a summit push that is currently underway on Gasherbrum II, which has yet to see a summit this year as well. If the 15-man squad that is attempting that peak is successful, then Rousseau and the rest of his teammates may shift their plans to make a quick summit bid on GII instead.

Finally, over on K2 the teams are moving again. Tunc Findik and his climbing mate Azim Gheychisaz are currently in Camp 2, while Peter Hamor and his mates have gone up to C1 today. Everyone appears to be doing well as they continue their acclimatization rounds. The real challenge is ahead.

It was another busy and dramatic weekend in Pakistan where the climbing teams continued to chase their respective summits, which have proven to be elusive thus far.

Last week was a roller coaster ride for those following the Mazeno Ridge team. First it was reported that they successfully summited Nanga Parbat along the extremely long approach and a few days later we learned that they hadn't topped out at all and the reports of their success were a translation error. At that time they were low on food and fuel and the weather conditions were not very cooperative in allowing them get to the summit. Over the weekend the team actually split into two groups, with Cathy O'Dowd and the support Sherpa's electing to head down the mountain along an unknown route while Sandy Allan and Rick Allen decided to attempt to go back up the mountain for another attempt on the summit. Since then there have been no updates and now after three days there has to be some concern over the team's condition and whereabouts. Lets keep our fingers crossed that they are able to descend safely.

Meanwhile, over on Gasherbrum I , Louis Rousseau's team was turned back from their summit bid this weekend as well. On Friday they were in Camp 2 and hoped to climb to Camp 3 on Saturday with the hope that a predicted weather window would open today. But the route to C3 was covered with heavy snow, making it impossible for them to reach that point. On top of that, the window hasn't opened at all and GI is now reported being hit with a storm. As a result, the team turned back and is now on its way to Base Camp, where they hope to evaluate the situation and decide if there is hope for another summit bid. It doesn't sound very promising at this point.

Things are looking a bit better on Broad Peak where the Field Touring Alpine squad and Al Hancock are reporting that their summit bids should begin today or tomorrow. They're watching the weather as well and the forecast says that the summit should be accessible between the 19th and 21st of July, so they hope to be in position to take advantage of the situation by Thursday of this week. They still need to fix ropes up to Camp 4, but things are looking good for a late week summit attempt.

On K2 Tunc Findik moved up the mountain to Camp 1 over the weekend, but has since retreated back to BC due avalanche dangers and changing weather conditions. He has already established C1 and may have been hoping to go up to C2 on an acclimatization rotation and gear carry, but for now Tunc will have to be patient. K2 will certainly test those patience in the weeks ahead.

Findik isn't alone on the mountain. Peter Hamor is also attempting K2 this summer and is currently in Base Camp as well. Peter hasn't wasted any time on the mountain however as he has already climbed up to C2, established camp there and spent a night for acclimatization purposes. So far everything seems to be going well and on schedule.

Seems like it's been a tough season in Pakistan so far. Lets hope there is some summit success for these climbers soon.

More news from the climbing scene in Pakistan today where some climbers are heading up, others are heading down and a new season begins on the world's most challenging mountain.

First up, the Mazeno Ridge team has sent out an audio dispatch in which they talk about their difficult summit of Nanga Parbat in very windy conditions. It took them seven days to follow the ridge to the top of the mountain and one of their biggest issues at the end was the lack of food and gas for their stove. Going without food is one thing but the stove is usually necessary to melt snow for drinking water, so Sandy, Rick and Cathy are no doubt feeling the strain of their expedition at this point. A week is a long time to spend on a summit push and as you can imagine, but Rick and Sandy aren't finished quite yet. They've joined another climber on an attempt to open a new route, while Cathy prepares to go down the mountain to BC and a much deserved rest.

Over on Gasherbrum I, the team that includes both Louis Rousseau and Annalisa Fioretti have now left BC on their summit push. Three members of the team went up to Camp 1 yesterday and the plan is to continue the ascent to C2 today. Their watching the weather at the moment and hoping for a predicated window to open on schedule this weekend. If all goes as planned, they should top out on Saturday or Sunday.

Finally, the K2 climbing season is officially underway as Tunc Findik and his Iranian partner Azim Gheychisaz have already arrived in BC and established Camp 1. They're currently back in Base Camp after their acclimatization round and they're getting settled in for the long, tough climb ahead.

Standing 8611 meters (28,251 ft) in height, K2 is the second tallest mountain on the planet, but it just might be the toughest to climb. The legendary peak, located in Pakistan's Karakoram Range, is brutal and deadly, earning it the moniker of "The Savage Mountain." A team of climbers that attempted K2 back in 2009 are hoping to release a documentary of their expedition. As such, they've released a trailer for what they hope to produce and have set-up a Kickstarter page where they are now accepting donations to the cause. You can checkout the trailer below and if this looks interesting to you, contribute to the cause. Looks great to me!

Thanks to The Goat for sharing.

The Adventure Journal has published an interesting little top ten list today, giving us their picks for the ten deadliest mountains. Their selections range from the Alps to the Himalaya and beyond. In once case, way beyond.

I'm sure the list was created to spur discussion and debate but I can't help but feel some of their choices are a bit controversial. It is hard to argue with K2 and Annapurna making the list, and anyone who follows the mountaineering world will probably expect them to be there. Both are incredibly challenging to climb and have proven extremely deadly over the years. For me personally, they are numbers 1 and 1A.

But AJ doesn't even have either of them listed as the deadliest mountain on the planet. They bestow the top spot on their list to Mont Blanc, which has had an estimated 6000-8000 deaths over the years. That's an incredible stat, which is partly inflated due to the sheer number of people who climb it every year. It is estimated that more than 30,000 attempt the European peak on an annual basis, which puts a lot more climbers on its slopes that most of the other mountains on the list. With that massive number of climbers on its slopes, the relatively few that die each year is quite small, percentage wise, than those on some of the more deadly 8000 meter mountains.

Some of the other selections will likely come as surprises as well. For instance Kilauea in Hawaii is listed as the Most Dangerous Volcano in America and it seems that it earned a spot on the AJ list because it has killed numerous people over the years, mostly through eruptions. Of course, that doesn't diminish the fact that it is indeed a potentially deadly mountain, but that seems to be an altogether different category than those peaks that are being examined for their challenge to climbers.

The last mountain on the list is definitely one that is open for speculation. Coming in at number ten is Mount Olympus on Mars, which is estimated to be roughly 21km (14 miles) in height – perhaps the tallest in the entire solar system. That is of course an astounding size, although it has rather gentle slopes and is believed to not be particularly challenging from a technical standpoint. Of course, anyone who attempted to climb it would have to deal with all kinds of atmospheric challenges, but provided your equipment doesn't fail, it's possible that Olympus isn't even the most challenging peak on Mars. And no matter which ones you climb, provided you could actually get to Mars, you'd still have to deal with those same atmospheric issues.

So, what do you think of the Adventure Journal list? Good? Bad? What should be added in your opinion?

The Everest season is barely over and it is already time to look forward to Pakistan and the upcoming climbs in the Karakoram. While the summer season isn't nearly as busy as spring in the Himalaya, it will still be filled with plenty of drama and intrigue as some of the top climbers in the world take on the toughest peaks on the planet.

As usual, ExWeb has the definitive list of expeditions and they've begun updating that list to reflect the new season ahead. Most are scheduled to take place in June and July, with Gahserbrum I (8080m/26,509ft) and II (8035m/26,362ft), a well as Broad Peak (8051m/26,414ft) getting the early attention. After that, K2 (8611m/28,251ft) will take center stage with no fewer than three expeditions currently set to take on the toughest climb in the world.

Climber Sophie Denis has big plans for the months ahead. Not only is she scheduled for K2 in July, but she'll warm up on Gasherbrum I and II first. She's also stenciled in Shisha Pangma (8013m/26,289ft) for the fall as well, which seems like quite an ambitious scheduled at this point. She'll be joined on K2 by Canadian Al Hancock and a large Korean team as well.

Elsewhere, 73-year old Carlos Soria has plans to climb Kangchenjunga (8586m/28,169ft) in September as he continues his quest to nab all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks. In addition to this peak, he'll also attempt Annapurna and Dhaulagiri this year.

Interestingly enough, ExWeb also has two expeditions listed for the Trango Towers in July as well, both by Korean teams. One is listed as a "Free Climbing" expedition, which should be quite the challenge to follow. The Towers are made up of some of the most dramatic rock faces you'll find anywhere on the planet and are a difficult mix of high altitude mountaineering and technical rock climbing. The tallest, known as the Great Tower, is 6286 meters (20,623ft) in height, but features a prominence of 800 meters or about 2625ft leading to the top.

Of course we'll be following all of these and more once the Karakoram season gets into full swing. The first of these expeditions is scheduled to get underway next week, so stay tuned for updates.