July 25th
Camp 2.5 – Camp 3.5
Distance: 1.82 miles
Time: 7:17 hours
Starting elevation: 23,129
Ending elevation: 24,606
Elevation gain: 1,477
Oxygen: 1-2 Liters
I don’t exactly remember the time I woke up or much of the morning but I know I was doing my best to drink water as I could tell I was dehydrated from the previous day. We leisurely enjoyed breakfast and coffee before finally leaving our tent around 9:45 am. Thundu and I typically take our time to begin climbing, which suits us both well.
The route proceeded with a mix of rocks and ice. I navigated a challenging traverse, likely the renowned Black Pyramid, without feeling nervous or shaky, which brought me happiness. I noticed improvements in my footwork and reflected on how my recent climb on Nanga Parbat had prepared me for this. Remembering that many climbers who had summited K2 in the past had also reached the summit of Nanga Parbat, where they found the Kinshofer Wall more challenging than anything on K2, boosted my confidence.
After the traverse, we reached a resting point and took a much-needed break. Shortly after, we reached the snow and ascended into a cloud. The eerie reflection of sunlight in the cloud added a surreal touch to the environment. Seeing old orange ropes from previous climbs hanging there gave me a sense of security, as if we were within the boundaries of a ski area. However, this feeling was shattered when we stumbled upon the body of an Afghan climber who had passed away the previous year, reminding me how illusionary this feeling of security really was.
Next, we arrived at a plateau with tents, and I was flooded with relief since I assumed we had arrived at our camp, sadly, I soon realized this was the standard C3 and we were camping above this place. I saw a line of people but couldn’t tell which way they were moving (up vs down). I was sad to learn that “those people” were our teammates and they were moving up. We stopped for about 30 min to eat and drink.
Thundu and I proceeded upward while Lakpa stayed behind to melt water. The next section felt endless, with moments of deception where the destination seemed near, only to stretch further away. I recalled removing the top of my down suit briefly but quickly putting it back on as the cold set in. There were steep sections where I constantly thought the end was near, yet it continued. At times, I wondered about Thundu’s progress, but soon realized his strength as I tried turning off my oxygen supply, barely able to move. It always shocked me when I heard clients complain that the Sherpa, they were climbing with was “slow”, try carrying more weight and going without O2 and let’s see who is “slow”.
Eventually we arrived at a nondescript flattish area which would serve as our C3. No tents were set up but the Sherpas were digging platforms for them. Once a tent was up I crawled inside with PS and Kilu careful not to let my body temperature plummet the way I did the day before. Before long we had another tent erected and 4 us to share. I managed to secure a spot on the edge of the tent which is my preferred spot. The center of the tent is the warmest spot, but I get a bit claustrophobic in the center, so I try to sleep next to a tent wall whenever possible. This is also the easiest for getting up in night if you need to exit the tent to go the toilet. Men tend to pee in a bottle inside the tent but I struggle when the tent is so crowded to employ this technique.
We enjoyed some instant rice and ramen soup, a satisfying meal. Anticipating a rest day ahead, I felt relaxed, and sleep came easily.”
