K2: Kazakhstan Expedition is done

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Update: 24 August, 2005 In АВС guys have found out, that someone has stolen all their equipment, including crampons. They decide that Maxut and Vassily will remove camps. The climb won't be.

Update: 23 August, 2005 The team has rested and began the second attempt of the summit bid. "We start today to ABC, then to higher camps . The weather's stable. Greetings!" The team's problem with Thuraya's accumulator - it's very hard charged because the adapter on the solar battery has broken. Therefore they had to buy the same from the Polish team, but here's the NOTE: Polish take away the charged device with themselves, but Kazakhs device doesn't approach to this accumulator. So guys won't be able to charge accumulator after it dies. We hope two batteries will be enough for the connection during the climb and in BC after it.

Update: K2/G1/G2-Weather:(Be Careful on Wed-Evening/Afternoon):

The weather is still better except some isolated clouds formation at evenings/afternoons; But High Winds are heading towards Northern Areas of Pakistan, likely to approach on Wednesday Evening, Thursday will be Bad/Hard for all Peaks. Weather is expected to improve again from Friday.  Weather will be Very Bad from “Last Few Days of Aug to First Week of Sept.”

No news on the Kazakhstan Expedition...

Update: Pakiatani Weather forecast: K2/G1/G2-Weather (Last Good Window of 5/6 days… starting from Saturday). The prevailing clouds are leaving the areas of K2/G1/G2,Saturday will be much better with normal winds from SW. Some local clouds formation likely at evening/afternoon, but No Stormy conditions expected to develop in next few days. A good & last window (5/6 days) of this month is starting from Saturday...

Update: 18 August, 2005 Maxut Zhymayev from BC: "We started to the top at midnight, as planning. Too much snow at the Mount. All of us trailed break in turn. We turned back about 7 p.m., at the altitude 8500. There were four of us, so when Eross Zsolt said he saw three climbers - that's wrong.

Next day the weather's very bad, so we managed to descent only to Camp 3. Our phone's battery died, and we couldn't relate with anybody. Now we're resting in BC. Hungarian expedition has left for home, Polish will leave the day after tomorrow. And we'll rest some days and then decide what to do further... All are fine".

Update 8/17/2005: No news, the hope is their batteries are not working...

Update: The 2005 K2 Kazakhstan Expedition has not yet reported in..... Tuesday evening is forecasted to be slightly Hard. Wednesday is forecasted to be bad. They need to get down.... fast...

Update: The 2005 K2 Kazakhstan Expedition team began to climb up from Camp 4. There're a lot of stars on the sky! They had planned to leave at midnight.

Update: Be Careful on Tuesday Evening.. Evening may be slightly Hard. Wednesday/Thursday again bad.

Update: The weather report from Pakistan: "K2/G1/G2-Weather (Avail this window of 2/3 days): Weather is clear, Upper Winds are still high but falling gradually. Sunday/Monday and almost Tuesday are much better, Try to avail this window of 2/3 days. Weather will be bad again on Wednesday/Thursday. Good Luck for All Climbers."

For the first time this season they call for a "window" on K2. Note this is K2 weather, NOT great weather, ASSUMING the weather holds a climber would still need to be fast and strong enough to climb in not great conditions and get back DOWN before the bad weather moves in. This is a very high risk sport...

No Climbers should depend solely on a forecast and must be aware of changing conditions, especially on K2!!!

Update 8/13/2005: The Kazakhstan climbers are moving to Camp 3.

Update 8/12/2005: The Kazakhstan climbers are in Camp 2 and are having dinner! It is warm with strong winds. The Polish climbers are coming up to join them and they plan to Camp 3 together.

The Pakistan weather forecast predicts: Upper Winds are still high (from SW) making weather bad, Wind likely to decrease gradually from Saturday. Sunday/Monday much better, even first half of Tuesday is also good. Weather will be bad again from Tuesday-Evening till Thursday-Evening. Good Luck.

Update: Kazakhstan climbers yesterday early morning started their summit bid. They were in Camp1 (reached yesterday at 12-30 local time). The Kazakhstan climbers are heading up to Camp 2. "The weather's still acceptable."

Update: Kazakhstan climbers are in Base camp resting. they are thinking of beginning the summit bid tomorrow or day after.

Update: K2: Will the Kazakhstan Expedition steal the show? (for our Russian readers, that is a good thing!)

The Kazakhstan Expedition has descended to base camp after their acclimatization push, which was quick work of the mountain after just arriving.

Update: No news in on the Kazakhstan Expedition, however it appears most of the others have turned back, some making it back to base camp and others still on the way down. The weather is forecasted to be bad until Tuesday, which is forecasted to be clear.

Update: The Kazakhstan Expedition appears to have moved out in front. After just arriving at K2, the team is climbing up to Camp 3. They said the way to camp 2 "was easy." Others are camp 2 including 2 Japanese climbers and others at camp 1.

Mick Parker is at Camp 2 helping others...

But the big news is the weather as always on K2:

So the concern will get getting down IF one reaches the summit. Unstable conditions, one must be very strong and fast..

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