Andrzej Bargiel completes first ski descent of K2. [Photo] Courtesy Marek Ogień/Red Bull Content Pool
Red Bull reports that Bargiel’s ascent to K2’s second base camp commenced on July 19. From there, Bargiel and his team—brother Bartłomiej, Janusz Gołąb, Piotr Pawlus, Marek Ogień and a group of experienced Sherpas—gathered themselves to support his climb to the third base camp at 23,760 feet the following day. And on Sunday, the final push started at four a.m. in favorable weather conditions.
K2 is widely understood to be the most deadly 8,000-meter peak. As of January 2018, it held a tally of 84 deaths for an estimated 367 summits—a 23-percent death rate compared to Everest’s 3.3 percent. Andrzej Bargiel defied these odds, starting his ski descent from the summit and linking the Abruzzi Route, Voie Normale and sections of the Polish Route, reports Gripped Magazine.
Bargiel, who was stymied in a 2017 attempt to climb K2, is now the 13th Pole to have climbed the second highest peak in the world. In comments directly following his achievement, Bargiel concluded, “I feel huge happiness, and, to be honest, it was my second attempt, so I’m glad that I won’t be coming here again.”
Wow this is amazing! Well done Andrzej and his team. What an incredible physical feat to have achieved!