©Maksut Zhumayev
International expedition led by Kazakhstan alpinist Maksut Zhumayev reached the top of K2, Zhumayev’s wife Olga told Tengrinews.kz. She received the SMS from her husband from the top of Chogori. This is also confirmed by German alpinist Ralf Dujmovits who is watching the ascent from the base camp with a spy glass. Yesterday, August 22, at 01:00 p.m. Astana time the alpinists ascended 180 meters above the fourth camp. Deep and loose snow was hindering the ascent a lot. Zhumayev, Pivtsov and Kaltenbrunner, which are included into the list of top ten alpinists of the world, were laying the route up the Japanese Corridor and Darek was belaying them from above. At 08:30 p.m. yesterday, August 22, the alpinists decided to set camp at 8,300 meters. They found a perfect place for camp in the Japanese Corridor. There they made a platform for their small tent. They had tomato soup and tea for dinner. On midnight they started the ascent again. Despite of the rough weather (25 degrees below zero and deep snow), the alpinists managed to successfully reach the height of 8,611 meters. This victory is the finishing touch in a series of victories for 3 members of the team. Maksut Zhumayev, Vassiliy Pivtsov and Gerlinda Kaltenbrunner have now ascended all 14 8-thousanders of the world. Unlike the majority of alpinists, participants of this expedition have not been using bottled oxygen in their ascent. Until today K2 has been a stumbling mount for these Kazakhstan alpinists. Zhumayev and Pivtsov made five attempts to ascend Chogori as part of different expeditions. This is their sixth attempt. The expedition’s route laid along the northern, Chinese, face. This route is considered the most dangerous and complicated. During the time of the ascent that had exceeded 2 months, the climbers have faced many challenges, such as loss of a truck with equipment, rocks falling on the base camp, landslides, storms and snowfalls. Tengrinews.kz English congratulates the alpinists and wishes them a safe trip home.
International expedition led by Kazakhstan alpinist Maksut Zhumayev reached the top of K2, Zhumayev’s wife Olga told Tengrinews.kz. She received the SMS from her husband from the top of Chogori. This is also confirmed by German alpinist Ralf Dujmovits who is watching the ascent from the base camp with a spy glass.
Yesterday, August 22, at 01:00 p.m. Astana time the alpinists ascended 180 meters above the fourth camp. Deep and loose snow was hindering the ascent a lot. Zhumayev, Pivtsov and Kaltenbrunner, which are included into the list of top ten alpinists of the world, were laying the route up the Japanese Corridor and Darek was belaying them from above.
At 08:30 p.m. yesterday, August 22, the alpinists decided to set camp at 8,300 meters. They found a perfect place for camp in the Japanese Corridor. There they made a platform for their small tent. They had tomato soup and tea for dinner. On midnight they started the ascent again.
Despite of the rough weather (25 degrees below zero and deep snow), the alpinists managed to successfully reach the height of 8,611 meters. This victory is the finishing touch in a series of victories for 3 members of the team. Maksut Zhumayev, Vassiliy Pivtsov and Gerlinda Kaltenbrunner have now ascended all 14 8-thousanders of the world. Unlike the majority of alpinists, participants of this expedition have not been using bottled oxygen in their ascent.
Until today K2 has been a stumbling mount for these Kazakhstan alpinists. Zhumayev and Pivtsov made five attempts to ascend Chogori as part of different expeditions. This is their sixth attempt. The expedition’s route laid along the northern, Chinese, face. This route is considered the most dangerous and complicated. During the time of the ascent that had exceeded 2 months, the climbers have faced many challenges, such as loss of a truck with equipment, rocks falling on the base camp, landslides, storms and snowfalls.
Tengrinews.kz English congratulates the alpinists and wishes them a safe trip home.