As climbers return to Base Camp from Gasherbrum II, they recount the grueling conditions of their ascent, which included long hours in fog, high winds, and challenging trail-breaking on both summit days.
On Broad Peak, the situation is marked by frustration. Many climbers have abandoned their attempts, while a few remain hopeful for a final push, despite adverse weather conditions and concerns about the state of the fixed ropes.
Druelle Falls Short of Fastest Known Time
Vadim Druelle, who made a rapid ascent of Gasherbrum II under difficult conditions, returned to Base Camp yesterday. Druelle set off from Base Camp at 4:55 PM and reached the summit in 17 hours and 17 minutes. He began the climb solo, catching up with another team around 7,000 meters. Druelle then broke trail through fresh snow, reaching the summit on July 22 at 10:12 AM local time.
Although Druelle’s climb was notably swift, it does not set a new Fastest Known Time (FKT). The difficulty in establishing an official FKT is compounded by the lack of precise start times in previous record attempts and the variable conditions on the route. The current record, set by Anatoli Boukreev in 1997, stands at 9 hours and 30 minutes from Advanced Base Camp (5,800 meters) to the summit.
Base Camp on Gasherbrum II, located on the moraine, varies in altitude. Uta Ibrahimi’s tracker recorded the altitude of this year’s Base Camp at 5,100 meters.
Summit Success and Challenges
Ibrahimi and Sanu Sherpa completed a remarkable 30-hour round-trip from Camp 2 (approximately 6,400 meters) to the summit and back, reaching the top at 7:00 AM Pakistan time on July 21. Their ascent marked the first summits of the year on Gasherbrum II. Ibrahimi, from Albania-Kosovo, has now achieved all the 8,000-meter peaks in Pakistan.
Dorota Rasinska-Samocko, climbing with Seven Summit Treks, reported reaching the summit at 10:00 AM on July 21 after nearly 23 hours of pushing from 6,500 meters. She described challenging conditions, including strong winds and numerous crevasses on the ridge. The team had to find a route from Camp 3 due to the absence of fixed lines and hazardous traverses.
According to Seven Summit Treks, additional climbers reached the summit today.
No attempts have been made on Gasherbrum I, also known as Hidden Peak, this season. Seven Summit Treks still hopes to lead an expedition to its summit in the coming days.
Broad Peak Climbers Confront Difficulties
Broad Peak’s climbing scene is fraught with uncertainty. Base Camp reports indicate that the rope-fixing team has retreated without plans to return. Several climbers, including Andres Vilalta and Cristobal Cuello of Spain, have abandoned their expeditions.
Anonymous sources have informed ExplorersWeb that the rope-fixing team collected gear and supplies on their descent. Social media posts criticizing the rope situation have been removed, suggesting underlying tensions.
Expedition leaders convened in Base Camp yesterday evening and agreed to make one final attempt if weather conditions improve. However, the fixed ropes currently end below the Col, and there are no ropes on the extended summit ridge. Climbers will need to assess the situation as it evolves.