K2 Against All Odds - Extended Version

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August 1st around 14:30

Time Is Passing

Alberto Zerain, the Basque independent climber, has been spearheading everybody, fixing ropes on his way through the first sections of the Traverse. He is concerned about the overall pace of those following him.

Alberto Zerain Basque Independent climber (Alpine style)

“The infamous ascent had already started with two people that had died, which I did not know at that moment. I should have guessed that something was wrong but I did not think it was that bad. I was waiting on the other side of the Traverse for a long time below the serac. It was really long.”

August 1st after 14:30

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

The first climbers reach the snowfield leading up to the summit.

Lars Flato Nessa Norwegian 2008 International Expedition

“I left the [emergency] rope after we’d finished the Traverse. I wanted to pick it up againwhenwe started on the Traverse on the way back. That was because we wanted to have a kind of individual rescue plan if something happened to the ropes, in case some other climbers caused a situation that could leave us alone out there. We wanted to have a plan B.” “We had agreed on staying together, which meant that we should stay close to each other − so that we could speak all the time. We could ask each other questions and see if our climbing partners started to get any symptoms of high altitude sickness or any other kind of trouble.”

August 1st around 15:00

The Summit

Alberto Zerain reaches the summit of K2 at around 15:00. He knows he is late and he turns around quickly. On his way back, he sees other climbers passing him, still full of excitement. The summit of K2 is in their grasp.

Alberto Zerain Basque Independent climber (Alpine style)

“I continued to the summit with no ropes at all. I mean up to the summit because the ascent took me about two hours and a half, I guess. I reached the summit at three, so in fact it was about three hours and a half to get to the summit. It was a difficult, a very difficult struggle against the snow, which was unstable and deep, but, well, once I found the route and went past obstacles I was finally at the top. I sat up there watching the people going up for about half an hour. They were not making progress; they came very slowly. So I thought that they, at least some of them, should quit the ascent, for they would not have enough time. I was really happy up there but of course I did not want to get carried away by my enthusiasm because I knew the descent was going to be complicated.”

Cas van de Gevel Norit K2 Dutch 2008 International Expedition

“I remember seeing Alberto on his way down, he was the only solo climber and nobody in the other expeditions knew that he would be part of the climb. He overtook everybody on the ascent and was one of the first to come down. Everybody started from Camp IV apart from Alberto. He started from another Base Camp and went straight up without much stopping. That is the biggest difference from ‘siege style’ mountaineering. You travel light and you are on your own.”