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ISLAMABAD: The spokesman of Pakistan’s Foreign Office has congratulated Nepali climbers on setting a record for climbing the world’s second-highest peak for the first time in winter.
On a social website Twitter, the spokesman of Foreign Office, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said, “Heartiest congratulations to the team of #Nepali mountaineers on a first-ever winter ascent of #K2, world’s second-highest mountain — one of the most coveted achievements in mountaineering”.
“We wish them a safe return. the ultimate destination for mountaineering. #K2winter2021,” he wrote. Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Chief Minister Mohammad Khalid Khursheed Khan had also congratulated the team on their K2 ascent.
He also expressed his hopes that GB mountaineer Mohammad Ali Sadpara and his son Sajid Ali Sadpara, among others, would reach Camp 3 soon. He further said he wished for the continued success of the country’s mountaineers.
Heartiest congratulations to team of #Nepali mountaineers on first-ever winter ascent of #K2 🇵🇰, world’s second-highest mountain — one of the most coveted achievements in mountaineering. We wish them a safe return.
🇵🇰: the ultimate destination for mountaineering. #K2winter2021 pic.twitter.com/rF8XmTkrsD
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) January 17, 2021
On Saturday, a team of Nepalese climbers broke the previous record during winters of climbing as high as 26,000 feet while attempting to scale K2, according to a trekking company leading one of the expeditions.
As per the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), the maximum height achieved by teams in winters in the past was 25,320 feet. Dozens of mountaineers have been competing over the past few weeks to summit the world’s second-highest mountain, the last peak above 8,000 metres to be topped in wintertime.
“WE DID IT,” tweeted Seven Summit Treks. “The Karakorum’s ‘Savage Mountain’ been summited in most dangerous season: winter. Nepalese climbers finally reached the summit of Mt K2 this afternoon at 17:00 local time,” it added.
Since the maiden attempt in 1987-1988, just a handful of winter expeditions have been attempted on the storied 8,611-metre (28,250-feet) mountain in the Karakoram range along the Chinese border.
None had got higher than 7,650 metres until Saturday when the good conditions allowed the climbers to push ahead. This winter an unprecedented four teams totalling around 60 climbers converged on the mountain, more than all the previous expeditions put together.
Known as the “savage mountain”, winds on the peak can blow at more than 200 kilometres per hour (125 miles per hour) and temperatures drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 Fahrenheit).
16 Jan 2021🇳🇵🏔🇵🇰
WE DID IT, BELIVE ME WE DID IT- JOURNEY TO THE SUMMIT NEVER DONE BEFORE
🦾The Karakorum's 'Savage Mountain' been summited in most dangerous season:WINTER
Nepalese Climbers finally reached the summit of Mt. K2 (Chhogori 8611m), this afternoon at 17:00 local time. pic.twitter.com/O530X3WgKh— Seven Summit Treks 🇳🇵 (@sst8848) January 16, 2021
