Broad Peak 2024

8/4: Trek to BC
We started our trek to Broad Peak Base Camp around 8 AM, having just arrived the night before from Camp 2 on Gasherbrum I. Exhausted and with most of our gear still wet, Kili and I were the only ones heading over to Broad Peak, where we would meet Mingma G, Pasang, our cook Hussein, and the Broad Peak liaison officer. We bid farewell to Pemba, Daddy, and Ang Du, who were trekking directly from Gasherbrum Base Camp back to Askole. Since we would be joining the team at Broad Peak, we only needed to carry our personal equipment.

The remaining tents at Broad Peak basecamp.

Sunset on Broad Peak as viewed from BC.

The trek proved to be exhausting, especially since Kili and I had been climbing for five long days without a rest day. Many climbers choose to take two days for this journey, but we opted to tackle it in one day, as the weather looked favorable for starting our ascent of Broad Peak the following day. There is no defined trail; instead, we walked on a glacier, navigating loose rocks and uneven terrain with constant ups and downs. We even tried to see if we could buy Coca-Cola at one of the army camps near Concordia, but with most people having gone home for the season, there were no drinks available.

Upon arriving at Broad Peak Base Camp, we were warmly greeted by Mingma G and Hussein. It was a relief to see their smiling faces, especially since the camp felt almost deserted, apart from a Pakistani cleanup team working to take trash down the valley. Hussein had managed to secure a chicken and prepared it for us, which provided the much-needed protein that we had run out of at Gasherbrum Base Camp. This hearty meal was a welcome boost after our exhausting trek, lifting our spirits and replenishing our energy just as we needed it.

8/6: BC -> C2
The weather had been unpredictable the previous day, so we decided to take a much-needed rest day. Kili, Pasang, and I set out around 5 AM to tackle the route to Camp 1, enjoying perfect conditions with clear skies and no wind. The route was every bit as challenging as I remembered from last year, featuring steep, loose rock alongside cascading water. Thankfully, we were the only people on the mountain, which meant there was no one above us to dislodge rocks, although we knew that some could still fall spontaneously as the day warmed.

The rock on the way to C1 (notice all the scratches from peoples crampons).

Lunch break C1 (2023).

After several hours, we finally made it off the rocks and onto the snow, taking a break at Camp 1. After resuming our ascent, we encountered steep snow with ongoing rockfall hazards. While the old ropes aided our climbing, some appeared to be over a year old and showed significant signs of wear, making it essential to maintain good footwork and use the ropes only as a backup.

After navigating a tricky traverse and scrambling over rocks, we finally reached Camp 2. Anticipating the availability of tents left by climbers from earlier in the season, we chose not to bring our own, allowing us to lighten our load by utilizing one of the abandoned tents. By this time, the weather had worsened significantly—it was windy and snowing. We began melting snow for water and preparing our meals, and before long, exhaustion overcame us, and we were all sound asleep in the tent.

View from C2

Thundu on the way to C3 back in 2023 with K2 behind him.

8/7: C2->C3

Sleep was elusive due to the strong winds buffeting our tent throughout the night. At 5 AM, Kili and Pasang decided we had rested long enough and began heating water in preparation for our departure. After conferring with Mingma G about the weather, we decided to delay our start until after 10 AM. When we finally began climbing, the wind continued to howl and snow was falling, but we knew the forecast indicated an improvement, giving us a promising summit window for the following day. Consequently, we chose to move up to Camp 3.

The route was not particularly technical, but the challenging weather made it feel more difficult. Both Kili and I were experiencing some gastrointestinal distress, and overall, none of us were in great spirits. Eventually, we reached the lower Camp 3 area, where we selected the best of the abandoned tents. We got to work melting snow, eating, and resting for a few hours before starting our summit push later that night.

8/8: C3->Summit->C3
We left for the summit at around 9:50 PM. Progress was slow, as we were all exhausted from previous climbs—Kili and I had stood on the summit of Gasherbrum I just six days earlier, and Pasang had summited Broad Peak about a week before that. Thankfully, the conditions were good, with only a few sections of deep snow that required trail-breaking; most of the route was on firmer snow consolidated by the wind. We traveled together on a main rope until we reached the ridge.

Pasang and Kili breaking trail above C3.

Tracee BP summit with K2 behind.

After five hours of climbing, we reached the area below the V where we had turned back last year due to deep snow and high avalanche risk. I was grateful that conditions were much better this year; I had no desire to revisit this dangerous mountain a third time. I was surprised by how much further we had to go to reach the scrambling that takes us to the summit ridge, and I felt vindicated that last year’s decision to turn back had been the right one.

Once we reached the ridge, the sun came out, lifting my spirits. We checked in with Mingma G, who told us we still had time to reach the summit and that the weather looked favorable. I noticed a text from a friend tracking my progress, encouraging me by saying I was doing well and expressing happiness that I had made it to the ridge. Ordinarily, I don’t check my InReach while climbing, but I was glad to see her message, as it gave me a boost of confidence.

The remainder of the climb followed the summit ridge and took over four hours. It was a mix of corniced snow, rocks, ice, and steep snow, stretching for over a mile and culminating at a false summit, followed by a descent and then another ascent to the true summit. The three of us stayed roped together and clipped into the old fixed rope on the more technical sections. When we reached the true summit, I was completely exhausted and focused on the descent, knowing it would be arduous. After snapping a few photos, we headed down.

I found myself agonizingly slow on the descent as fatigue caught up with me, and I didn’t want to risk making a mistake. Once below the ridge, I kept wanting to sit down and glissade, but Kili patiently reminded me that it was dangerous. Eventually, we made it back to Camp 3 just as the sun was setting. We crawled into our tent, where we discovered another group of climbers had arrived on the mountain. Kili and Pasang spoke with their group, but I was too tired to join in. It sounded like they planned to attempt the summit the following day.

Kili, me, and Pasang

8/9:C3->BC
We woke up around 7 AM and were on our way down the mountain by a little after 8. The descent was uneventful, but it required careful footwork as we wanted to avoid relying on the old ropes more than absolutely necessary. As the day warmed up, rockfall resumed, increasing our vigilance.
Later, we learned that Murad, a Pakistani high-altitude guide working as a porter, was tragically killed the following day while descending this same section when a rock struck him. This news has weighed heavily on my mind; it’s profoundly disturbing to consider someone losing their life while working in such perilous conditions, especially when others, like us, are climbing these mountains for recreation. The stark contrast between our pursuit of adventure and the risks faced by those who support us highlights the inherent inequalities within the world of high-altitude climbing. While I am grateful that our team is safe, it underscores the sobering reality that many dedicate their lives to this dangerous work, often at great personal risk