A 10-member team of Nepali climbers become the first mountaineers to reach the summit of world’s second highest peak K2 (8,611m).
They achieved this milestone today afternoon at 17:00 Pakistan Standard Time (PST). K2 was the last of the fourteen 8,000-meter peaks not summited in winter.
The climbers team include, Nirmal Purja, Gelje Sherpa, Mingma David Sherpa, Mingma G, Sona Sherpa, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Pem Chihiri Sherpa, DawaTemba Sherpa, Kili Pemba Sherpa and Dawa Tenjing Sherpa. The team was led by Chhang Dawa Sherpa.
The group stopped 10m below the top, and took the final steps together to be on the top simultaneously.
The expeditions this year have been battling extreme cold and high winds that last week blew away tents and equipment stored at Camp 2 for the summit push.
Adventure enthusiasts climbers from United States, Iceland, Spain and Nepal arrived in Pakistan to scale the mountain this year despite the risk of avalanches, powerful winds, and temperatures falling as low as minus 65 degrees.
On Friday, while the four climbers made it to Camp Four, Pakistani Ali Sadpara and Nepal’s Nirmal Purja were also on their way to the same altitude from Camp 3.