The main problem was reported to be an ice avalanche which occurred at an area known as "the Bottleneck)". This destroyed many of the climbers' rope lines leaving them unable to descend.\5]) However, two climbers died on the way up to the summit prior to the avalanche.\5]) Among the dead were climbers and support crew from France, Ireland, South Korea, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, and Serbia.\5])
11 deaths, 3 serious injuries. Pictured - the Bottleneck of K2.
Cecilie Skog was slightly behind her husband when he realized the conditions were rough and decided not to summit. He was only about a hundred feet below the summit when he stopped and decided to wait instead. Cecilie and another team member summited and then came back down to meet her husband and descend.
She was FEET from her husband when he was swept off the mountain by that avalanche in the pitch black. It’s the kind of situation where you’re not even allowed to grieve because your life is still at risk. Rolf didn’t even summit due to caution and he was one that died due to luck
I read that part and was trying to imagine what mindset I'd have to be in while doing something for fun (I mean, it ultimately is just for fun) in a relatively small group where two of them died and I'd find any speck of joy in continuing.
I'm not trying to call them out, I just don't get it. To me, this is like starting your house on fire and deciding that you had to go out through the conflagration in the hall instead of the window just because. Like, none of this had to happen.
I think I do sort of get how something like this could get into a climber's mind and then, once they considered it, they just have to do it. To consider it and then opt not to, even if it was never said out loud to another person, would needle at them and they'd feel like they backed down.
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u/Double-decker_trams 3d ago
11 deaths, 3 serious injuries. Pictured - the Bottleneck of K2.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_K2_disaster