by John Stenderup | Jul 5, 2018 | K2
Disclaimer: For my Non-American citizen readers out there, I won’t blame you for skipping this journal but you might find it interesting to delve into the oxygen deprived mind of a proud American from a small farming town in California! Happy Independence Day to all...
by John Stenderup | Jul 5, 2018 | K2
Today was a great day full of 4 firsts: 1) We caught our first glimpse of the summit of K2. 2) We made our first trip to Advanced Basecamp (ABC). 3) We had our first Pakistani BBQ. 4) Last but far from least, I had my first shower! 1. Breakfast was moved up from 8 AM...
by Jordan Wells | Jul 3, 2018 | K2
You might remember the traditional Nepali ceremony, know as the Puja, from my climb of Everest and Lhotse. This tradition is meant to ask the mountain for safe passage and to bless the climb. It is held in very high regard by the Sherpa people and necessary before...
by Jordan Wells | Jul 3, 2018 | K2
Damn, I love routine! That might sound crazy coming from someone who intentionally puts himself into chaotic circumstances (E.g. trying to climb the “Savage Mountain”), but there is something incredibly satisfying about finding and creating order in these situations....
by Jordan Wells | Jul 2, 2018 | K2
Good evening from Pakistan, It’s John. It’s just wanted to call everyone and give everyone an update on what’s going on with our expedition. Last couple days been rest days, the weather is clearing up. It’s nice and sunny. Although the...
by Jordan Wells | Jun 30, 2018 | K2
Today was a relatively boring day, at least from a reader’s standpoint. It was our latest breakfast so far, as is normal with rest days, and we spent the majority of our time reorganizing camp. When we arrived yesterday, there was so much snow that we set everything...
by John Stenderup | Jun 29, 2018 | K2
8 Miles / 15,000>16,400 ft After 6 days, 65 miles, and 7,000 feet of elevation gain, I’m home! Our team arrived to our Basecamp around 11 AM today and despite sitting just a few hundred yards from the base of the 2nd tallest mountain in the world, we still have yet...
by John Stenderup | Jun 28, 2018 | K2
8 Miles / 14,050>15,000 ft (500 ft above the highest point in the contiguous 48 states) Jesse’s alarm went off at 5:20, again at 5:25, and then 5:30, our planned team wakeup time. It was eerily quiet in camp, compared to previous 5:30 starts, when the porters could be...
by John Stenderup | Jun 28, 2018 | K2
7.6 miles / 12,600>14,050 ft (Roughly the summit of Mount Shasta) I have no idea where Goro I is but if it was worth skipping for Goro II, it must be really lame because II is downright ugly. Talk about a stark contrast in campsites and views, Urdukas camp had without...
by John Stenderup | Jun 28, 2018 | K2
15 Miles / 10,600>12,600 ft Last night was the best sleep that I have had since arriving to Pakistan and I’m honestly feeling 100%. It couldn’t have come at a better time because about 8 hours of hiking over tough terrain lay ahead. Unfortunately, I found out that a...
