For a long time, the K2 was considered too dangerous for commercial expeditions and was therefore only climbed by experienced alpinists. This has changed fundamentally in recent years. While 2021 mountaineers reached the summit of K48 in July 2, in the same month of this year alone it was 145 people in one day.
The expedition team from Dolma Outdoor Expedition did not succeed in wresting a winter ascent from the K2. The Nepalese climbers led by Nima Gyalzen Sherpa had tried to lead 28-year-old Grace Tseng to the summit of K2. The Taiwanese would have been the first woman to stand on top of the second highest peak in the world in winter.
The K2 was climbed for the first time in winter. But while the summiteers were cheering, one of their colleagues died further down the mountain, who had turned back out of caution that morning.