Gasherbrum II

According to the Pakistani expedition operator Alpine Adventure Guides, there was this summer’s first summit success on Gasherbrum II. The two Frenchmen Mathieu Maynadier and Jeremy Rumebe had reached the 8,034-meter-high summit in the Karakoram, the agency said on Twitter. Further information is not yet available. The two mountain guides from France had planned to climb G II on the normal route and to ski down afterwards. The goal of his first eight-thousander expedition was to gather experience at high altitude for an attempt on a technical route on an eight-thousander over the next few years, Maynadier had said ahead of the trip.

Bargiel is waiting for his chance

Andrzej Bargiel on K 2

The Pole Andrzej Bargiel who wants to ski down K 2 – with 8,611 meters the second highest mountain on earth – is more experienced on eigth-thousanders. The 29-year-old has succeeded already three ski descents from eight-thousanders: Shishapangma (in 2013), Manaslu (in 2015) and Broad Peak (in 2015). Andrzej has just returned from an acclimatization climb. Bargiel and his countryman Janusz Golab spent two nights in Camp 3 at 7,100 meters. “A few days of rest are now ahead of me and the other team members,” Andrzej writes in his blog. “We’ll be watching the weather all the time to catch the right moment for the summit push.”

No new track of Zerain and Galvan

Accident site below the Mazeno Ridge

On Nanga Parbat, the new search for Alberto Zerain from Spain and Mariano Galvan from Argentina has finally been abandoned. The rockfall and avalanche risk below the Mazeno Ridge was too high to reach the point from where the last GPS signal of the two climbers had been received, writes Mirza Ali, head of the search action, on Facebook. Finally, Mirza had flown in a rescue helicopter another five laps over the accident site. His summary: “1. The climbers were swept off the ridge into the crevasse below and buried in heavy avalanche. 2. The avalanche triggered above the climbers at around 6,200 meters. 3. After the avalanche there is no further foot track on the ridge.” R.I.P., Alberto and Mariano!

Update 18 July: Along with the two French Maynadier and Rumebe, the American Colin Haley also reached the summit of Gasherbrum II. The three climbers have meanwhile returned to the base camp. “We are happy that we were alone on the mountain and that we were able to succeed the first ascent this season,” the trio said.