Nepali team creates record, climbs world’s second highest mountain K2 in winter

In a first, a team of climbers ascended the world’s second-highest mountain in the winter season. A team of 10 summiteers from Nepal has set a record by climbing K2.

Due to weather and geographical difficulties, the 28,251-foot summit of K2 had never been reached in winter before. Climbing to the top of K2, which is the second-highest peak after Mount Everest, requires technical skills.

The team members — Nimsdai Purja, Mingma David Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Mingma Tenzi Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Geljen Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Pem Chiri Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Dawa Temba Sherpa (Team Nimsdai), Mingma G, Dawa Tenjin Sherpa (Team Mingma G), Kilu Pemba Sherpa (Team Mingma G) and Sona Sherpa (SST) — reached the top of the peak on Saturday afternoon.

“THE IMPOSSIBLE IS MADE POSSIBLE ! K2winter — History made for mankind, History made for Nepal! At 17:00 hours local time @nimsdai and team summited K2, teaming up with @mingma.g and team and a member from SST, Sona Sherpa. A very special moment.

The whole team waited 10 metres below the summit to form a group then stepped onto the summit together whilst singing our Nepalese National Anthem. We are proud to have been a part of history for humankind and to show that collaboration, teamwork and a positive mental attitude can push limits to what we feel might be possible,” Nirmal Purja, also known as Nims Dai, wrote on Instagram.

“Nepali climbers have made history again. For the first time in the history of winter climbing, Nepali climbers reached the top of Mount K2 (the second highest mountain in the world). Congratulations to our Nepali climbers,” Mira Acharya, an officer in the Nepal Department of Tourism, wrote in her Facebook post.

Located in Pakistan part of Karakoram Range, K2 was the last amongst the world’s 14 tallest mountains — all higher than 8,000 metres that had not been climbed during winter.