Nepalese team makes first successful winter ascent of K2

One of my father's relatives commanded Gurkhas a while ago, but no stories to pass on other than how almost unbelievably tough they are.

It's a genuine disgrace how long it took to treat them as anything other than cannon fodder. We give them VCs but they couldn't actually guarantee residence in Britain until not long ago.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha_Justice_Campaign

Some of these articles describing the K2 'downclimb' seems crazier than the ascent; indescribably difficult, dangerous, skilled, exposed, etc.

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-re... https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload... https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload...

Imagine your brain being basically dead from lack of oxygen, medical danger like HAPE.

It looks like it there are even (? fully ?) vertical fixed rope pitches and going up actual technical climbing one article says a 5.9 offwidth ?!?! In -50F windy winter conditions wearing giant bulky winter suits.

If you've ever been sport climbing can you image descending multiple miles on a rope, even if kind of crawling backwards using feet/hands?

Climbers forget to tie knots in the end ALL THE TIME. Brad Gobright was one of the best climbers who was known for free soloing here in the Front Range (e.g. no ropes at all, like Honnold up El Cap) recently died on a rope descent.

Imagine on multiple miles of roped descent many knots, transfers, while you can't think from no oxygen. It's an truly impressive almost inhuman feat.

On one hand, I am truly inspired by the feat of achievement of this caliber, at the same time it leaves me with feeling of mournful contempt like a Gladiator fight where someone is going to die.

I think it's due to the style of climbing he is doing. Typically people become much more familiar with more 'alpine' style climbing (fast and lightweight). If he were climbing these peaks without fixed lines I'm sure he'd be much bigger. Not to take away from the accomplishments.

Yes, and still is attempting. He and his climbing partner used the weather window to make another acclimatization rotation up to camp 2. I believe they are at base camp now.

often, weather instability makes high alpine pursuits harder, not easier.

Makes it a lot harder. The snow and ice is far less stable. Mont Blanc for example, is treacherous with rockfall when temperatures are warm on the mountain.