Editing K2 (section)

==Climbing history==
===Early attempts===
[[File:View above Camp-IV of K2.jpg|thumb|upright|View above Camp-IV of K2]]
[[File:K2 West 1909.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The west face of K2 taken from the Savoia Glacier, on the 1909 expedition]]
The mountain was first surveyed by a British team in 1856. Team member [[Thomas George Montgomerie|Thomas Montgomerie]] designated the mountain "K2" for being the second peak of the Karakoram range. The other peaks were originally named K1, K3, K4, and K5, but were eventually renamed [[Masherbrum]], [[Gasherbrum IV]], [[Gasherbrum II]], and [[Gasherbrum I]], respectively.<ref>Kenneth Mason (1987 edition) Abode of Snow p.346</ref> In 1892, [[Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington|Martin Conway]] led a British expedition that reached "[[Concordia (Karakoram)|Concordia]]" on the [[Baltoro Glacier]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Houston, Charles S. |date=1953|title= K2, the Savage Mountain}}McGraw-Hill.</ref>

The first serious attempt to climb K2 was undertaken in 1902 by [[Oscar Eckenstein]], [[Aleister Crowley]], [[Jules Jacot-Guillarmod]], Heinrich Pfannl, Victor Wessely, and [[Guy Knowles]] via the Northeast Ridge. In the early 1900s, modern transportation did not exist in the region: it took "fourteen days just to reach the foot of the mountain".<ref name=confessions/>
After five serious and costly attempts, the team reached {{convert|6525|metres}}<ref name=k2climb/>—although considering the difficulty of the challenge, and the lack of modern climbing equipment or weatherproof fabrics, Crowley's statement that "neither man nor beast was injured" highlights the relative skill of the ascent. The failures were also attributed to sickness (Crowley was suffering the residual effects of [[malaria]]), a combination of questionable physical training, personality conflicts, and poor weather conditions—of 68 days spent on K2 (at the time, the record for the longest time spent at such an altitude) only eight provided clear weather.<ref>Booth, pp. 152–157 in chapter "Rhythms of Rapture"</ref>

{{anchor|Notable2}}The next expedition to K2, in 1909, led by [[Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi]], reached an elevation of around {{convert|6250|metres}} on the South East Spur, now known as the ''[[Abruzzi Spur]]'' (or Abruzzi Ridge). This would eventually become part of the standard route, but was abandoned at the time due to its steepness and difficulty. After trying and failing to find a feasible alternative route on the West Ridge or the North East Ridge, the Duke declared that K2 would never be climbed, and the team switched its attention to [[Chogolisa]], where the Duke came within {{convert|150|metres}} of the summit before being driven back by a storm.<ref>Curran, pp. 65–72</ref>

[[File:K2 East Face 1909.jpg|thumb|upright|K2 from the east, photographed during the 1909 expedition]]
The next attempt on K2 was not made until 1938, when the [[1938 American Karakoram expedition to K2|First American Karakoram expedition]], led by [[Charles Snead Houston|Charles Houston]], made a reconnaissance of the mountain. They concluded that the Abruzzi Spur was the most practical route and reached a height of around {{convert|8000|meters}} before turning back due to diminishing supplies and the threat of bad weather.<ref>{{cite book |title=Five Miles High|author1=Houston, Charles S|author-link=Charles Snead Houston |year=1939 |publisher=Dodd, Mead|isbn=978-1-58574-051-2|author2=Bates, Robert |edition=2000 Reprint by First Lyon Press, with introduction by [[Jim Wickwire]]}}</ref><ref>Curran, pp.73–80</ref>

The following year, the [[1939 American Karakoram expedition to K2|1939 American expedition]] led by [[Fritz Wiessner]] came within {{convert|200|metres}} of the summit but ended in disaster when [[Dudley Wolfe]], [[Pasang Kikuli]], Pasang Kitar, and Pintso disappeared high on the mountain.<ref>{{cite book |title=K2: The 1939 Tragedy|last1=Kaufman|first1=Andrew J.|year=1992 |publisher=Mountaineers Books|isbn=978-0-89886-323-9|author2=Putnam, William L.}}</ref><ref>Curran pp. 81–94</ref>

Charles Houston returned to K2 to lead the [[1953 American Karakoram expedition|1953 American expedition]]. The attempt failed after a storm pinned down the team for 10 days at {{convert|7800|metres||-1}}, during which time climber [[Art Gilkey]] became critically ill. A desperate retreat followed, during which [[Pete Schoening]] saved almost the entire team during a mass fall (known simply as [[Pete Schoening#The Belay|The Belay]]), and Gilkey was killed, either in an avalanche or in a deliberate attempt to avoid burdening his companions. Despite the retreat and tragic end, the expedition has been given iconic status in mountaineering history.<ref>{{cite book |title=K2 – The Savage Mountain|last=Houston|first=Charles S|author-link=Charles Snead Houston |year=1954 |publisher=Mc-Graw-Hill Book Company Inc|isbn=978-1-58574-013-0|author2=Bates, Robert |edition= 2000 Reprint by First Lyon Press with introduction by [[Jim Wickwire]]}}</ref><ref>McDonald, pp. 119–140</ref><ref>Curran, pp. 95–103</ref> The [[Gilkey Memorial]] was built in his memory at the mountain's foot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/08/remembering-those-lost-on-the-savage-mountain/|title=Remembering Those Lost on the Savage Mountain|first=Vanessa|last=O'Brien|date=30 August 2016|website=Adventure Journal}}</ref>

===Success and repeats===
[[File:Compagnoni summit K2.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Achille Compagnoni]] on K2's summit on the first ascent (31 July 1954)]]
The [[1954 Italian expedition to K2|1954 Italian expedition]] finally succeeded in ascending to the summit of K2 via the Abruzzi Spur on 31 July 1954. The expedition was led by [[Ardito Desio]], and the two climbers who reached the summit were [[Lino Lacedelli]] and [[Achille Compagnoni]]. The team included a Pakistani member, Colonel Muhammad Ata-ullah, who had been a part of the 1953 American expedition. Also on the expedition were [[Walter Bonatti]] and Pakistani Hunza porter [[Amir Mehdi]], who both proved vital to the expedition's success in that they carried [[oxygen tank]]s to {{convert|8100|metres}} for Lacedelli and Compagnoni. The [[1954 Italian Karakoram expedition controversy|ascent is controversial]] because Lacedelli and Compagnoni established their camp at a higher elevation than originally agreed with Mehdi and Bonatti. It being too dark to ascend or descend, Mehdi and Bonatti were forced to overnight without shelter above {{convert|8,000|metres}}, leaving the oxygen tanks behind as requested when they descended. Bonatti and Mehdi survived, but Mehdi was hospitalised for months and had to have his toes amputated because of frostbite. Efforts in the 1950s to suppress these facts to protect Lacedelli and Compagnoni's reputations as Italian national heroes were later brought to light. It was also revealed that the moving of the camp was deliberate, apparently because Compagnoni feared being outshone by the younger Bonatti. Bonatti was given the blame for Mehdi's hospitalisation.<ref name="bbc_2014_0807" />

On 9 August 1977, 23 years after the Italian expedition, [[Ichiro Yoshizawa]] led the second successful ascent, with [[Ashraf Aman]] as the first native Pakistani climber. The Japanese expedition took the Abruzzi Spur and used more than 1,500 porters.<ref>Curran, Appendix I</ref>

The third ascent of K2 was in 1978, via a new route, the long and [[cornice (climbing)|cornice]]d Northeast Ridge. The top of the route traversed left across the East Face to avoid a vertical [[headwall]] and joined the uppermost part of the Abruzzi route. This ascent was made by an American team, led by [[Jim Whittaker|James Whittaker]]; the summit party was [[Louis Reichardt]], [[Jim Wickwire]], [[John Roskelley]], and [[Rick Ridgeway]]. Wickwire endured an overnight [[bivouac shelter|bivouac]] about {{convert|150|metres}} below the summit, one of the highest bivouacs in history. This ascent was emotional for the American team, as they saw themselves as completing a task that had been begun by the 1938 team forty years earlier.<ref name="aaj_1979_Reichardt" />

{{anchor|Notable1}}Another notable Japanese ascent was that of the difficult [[#North Ridge|North Ridge]] on the Chinese side of the peak in 1982. A team from the {{Interlanguage link|Japan Mountaineering Association|ja|日本山岳協会}} led by Isao Shinkai and {{Interlanguage link|Masatsugo Konishi|ja|小西政継}} put three members, Naoe Sakashita, Hiroshi Yoshino, and Yukihiro Yanagisawa, on the summit on 14 August. However Yanagisawa fell and died on the descent. Four other members of the team achieved the summit the next day.<ref name="aaj_1983_K2_North" />

The first climber to reach the summit of K2 twice was Czech climber [[Josef Rakoncaj]]. Rakoncaj was a member of the 1983 Italian expedition led by Francesco Santon, which made the second successful ascent of the North Ridge (31 July 1983). Three years later, on 5 July 1986, he reached the summit via the Abruzzi Spur (double with Broad Peak West Face solo) as a member of Agostino da Polenza's international expedition.<ref name=aaj_1987_Rakoncaj />

The first woman to summit K2 was Polish climber [[Wanda Rutkiewicz]] on 23 June 1986. Liliane and Maurice Barrard, who had summited later that day, fell during the descent; Liliane Barrard's body was found on 19 July 1986 at the foot of the south face.<ref name=aaj_1987_Women /> On July 28, 2024, Japanese climber Naoko Watanabe became the first woman to summit K2 three times.<ref name="Annapurna">{{Cite web |last=Annapurna |first=Kris |date=2024-07-28 |title=Dozens of K2 Summits; Still No News About Hiraide and Nakajima » Explorersweb |url=https://explorersweb.com/dozens-of-k2-summits-still-no-news-about-hiraide-and-nakajima/ |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Explorersweb}}</ref>

In 1986, two Polish expeditions summited via two new routes, the Magic Line<ref name=aaj_1987_Magic_Line/> and the Polish Line ([[Jerzy Kukuczka]] and [[Tadeusz Piotrowski (mountaineer)|Tadeusz Piotrowski]]). Piotrowski fell to his death as the two were descending.

Thirteen climbers from several expeditions died in the [[1986 K2 disaster]]. Another six mountaineers died in the [[1995 K2 disaster]], while eleven climbers died in the [[2008 K2 disaster]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Haider|first=Kamran|date=3 August 2008|title=Rescuers reach Italian after 11 die on K2|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-climbers-korea/rescuers-reach-italian-after-11-die-on-k2-idUSPAT41292820080804|access-date=28 October 2021|website=Reuters}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last1=Ramesh|first1=Randeep|last2=South|first2=Asia c.|date=August 5, 2008|title=K2 Tragedy: Death Toll on World's most Treacherous Mountain Reaches 11: Ice Sheet Collapse may have Triggered Events that Led to Climbing Disaster.|work=The Guardian|via=ProQuest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Perlez |first1=Jane |last2=Masood |first2=Salman |date=2008-08-04 |title=11 climbers reported dead on K2 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/world/asia/04iht-05k2.14983120.html |access-date=2024-06-29 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240629101232/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/world/asia/04iht-05k2.14983120.html |archive-date=2024-06-29 }}</ref>

===Recent records, attempts and notable events===
{{see also|List of deaths on eight-thousanders#K2}}

;2004
:In 2004, the Spanish climber [[Carlos Soria Fontán]] became the oldest person ever to summit K2, at the age of 65.<ref name=k2summiters />
;2008
: On 1 August 2008, [[2008 K2 disaster|a group of climbers went missing]] after a large piece of ice fell during an avalanche, taking out the fixed ropes on part of the route; four climbers were rescued, but 11, including [[Meherban Karim]] from Pakistan<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kamran|date=20 December 2020|title=Karim The Dream|url=https://www.kamranonbike.com/karim-the-dream/|access-date=9 February 2021|website=Kamran On Bike|language=en-GB}}</ref> and [[Ger McDonnell]], the first Irish person to reach the summit, were confirmed dead.<ref name=cnn_2008_0803/>
;2009
: Despite several attempts, nobody reached the summit.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
;2010
: On 6 August 2010, [[Fredrik Ericsson]], who intended to ski from the summit, joined [[Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner]] on the way to the summit of K2. Ericsson fell {{convert|1000|metres}} and was killed. Kaltenbrunner aborted her summit attempt.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stern.de/news2/aktuell/oesterreicherin-bricht-nach-tod-ihres-gefaehrten-besteigung-von-k2-ab-1590619.html|title=Österreicherin bricht nach Tod ihres Gefährten Besteigung von K2 ab|trans-title=Austrian cancels ascent of K2 after death of her companion|newspaper=Stern|language=de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100820034057/http://www.stern.de/news2/aktuell/oesterreicherin-bricht-nach-tod-ihres-gefaehrten-besteigung-von-k2-ab-1590619.html|archive-date=20 August 2010}}</ref>
:Despite several attempts, nobody reached the summit.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
;2011
: On 23 August 2011, a team of four climbers reached the summit of K2 from the North side. [[Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner]] became the first woman to complete all 14 eight-thousanders without supplemental [[oxygen]].<ref name="Exweb_2011_0826"/> Kazakhs [[Maxut Zhumayev]] and Vassiliy Pivtsov completed their eight-thousanders quest. The fourth team member was Dariusz Załuski from Poland.<ref name="Exweb_2011_0825"/>
;2012
: The year started with a Russian team aiming for a first winter ascent. This expedition ended with the death of Vitaly Gorelik due to frostbite and pneumonia. The Russian team cancelled the ascent.<ref name="Exweb_2012_0209"/> In the summer season, K2 saw a record crowd standing on its summit—28 climbers in a single day—bringing the total for the year to 30.<ref name="Exweb_2012_0803"/>
;2014
: On 26 July 2014, the first team of Pakistani climbers scaled K2. There were six Pakistani and three Italian climbers in the expedition, called K2 60 Years Later, according to BBC. Previously, K2 had only been summited by individual Pakistanis as part of international expeditions.<ref name=bbc_2014_0726/> Another team, consisting of [[Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita]], [[Maya Sherpa]], and [[Dawa Yangzum Sherpa]], became the first Nepali women to climb K2.<ref name="r+i">{{cite news|title=First All-Female Nepalese Team Summits K2|first=Chris|last=Parker|date=29 July 2014|magazine=[[Rock & Ice]]|url=http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/first-all-female-nepalese-team-summits-k2}}</ref>
:On 27 July 2014, [[Garrett Madison]] led a team of three American climbers and six Sherpas to summit K2.<ref name=outside_2014_0709/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://madisonmountaineering.com/dispatches/k2/k2-14/|website=Madison Mountaineering|title=Dispatches: K2 2014|date=2014}}{{Dead link|date=February 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> On this day, Alan Arnette became the oldest American to summit the mountain at the age of 58.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alan Arnette |url=https://www.alanarnette.com/#:~:text=Alan%20Arnette%20is%20a%20Coach,his%20birthday%20July%2027,%202014. |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=www.alanarnette.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Allan Arnette Biography |url=https://www.himalayanstoveproject.org/alan-arnette-bio |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=www.himalayanstoveproject.org |language=en}}</ref> On 31 July 2014, [[Boyan Petrov]] completed the first Bulgarian ascent, just 8 days after climbing [[Broad Peak]].<ref>{{cite web |title=With Diabetes to the Top |url=https://www.diabetes-m.com/blog/news/with-diabetes-to-the-top-campaign-starts-with-a-wall-climbing-competition-for-children/ |website=Diabetes:M |date=23 January 2018 |access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref>
;2017
: On 28 July 2017, [[Vanessa O'Brien]] led an international team of 12 with Mingma Gyalje Sherpa of Dreamers Destination to the summit of K2 and became the first British and American woman to summit K2, and the eldest woman to summit K2 at the age of 52 years old.<ref name="vanessaaugust2017thenation">{{cite web|author=Staff Reporter|title=Vanessa thanks Pakistan govt for help in scaling K-2|url=http://nation.com.pk/sports/16-Aug-2017/vanessa-thanks-pakistan-govt-for-help-in-scaling-k-2|website=The Nation|date=16 August 2017|access-date=17 August 2017}}</ref> She paid tribute to [[Julie Tullis]] and [[Alison Hargreaves]], two British women who summited K2, in 1986 and 1995 respectively, but died during their descents. Other notable summits included [[John Snorri Sigurjónsson]] and Dawa Gyalje Sherpa who joined his sister (Dawa Yangzum Sherpa), becoming the second set of siblings to summit K2.<ref name="sigurjonssonaugust2017thehim">{{cite news|last1=Pokhrel|first1=Rajan|title=Vanessa O'Brien, John Snorri set record as 12 scale Mt K2|url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/vanessa-obrien-john-snorri-set-record-as-12-scale-mt-k2/|work=The Himalayan Times|access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> Both Mingma Gyalje Sherpa and Fazal Ali recorded their second K2 summits.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}
;2018
:2018 became the record year for highest number of summits in a season, at 62.<ref name="LessSavage"/>
:On 22 July 2018, [[Garrett Madison]] became the first American climber to reach the summit of K2 more than once when he led an international team of eight climbers, nine Nepali Sherpas, four Pakistani high-altitude porters, and two other Madison Mountaineering guides to the summit.<ref>{{cite web |title=K2 2018 Summer Coverage: Record Weekend on K2 and a Death |url=http://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2018/07/23/k2-2018-summer-coverage-record-weekend-on-k2-and-a-death/ |website=The Blog on alanarnette.com |access-date=2 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://madisonmountaineering.com/dispatches/k2/k2-2018/|title=K2 2018 Archives|website=Madison Mountaineering|access-date=13 November 2019|archive-date=13 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191113002343/https://madisonmountaineering.com/dispatches/k2/k2-2018/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
:On 22 July 2018, Polish mountaineer and mountain runner [[Andrzej Bargiel]] became the first person to ski from summit to base camp.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreamwanderlust.com/news/first-ski-descent-on-k2|title=First Ski descent on K2|date=22 July 2018|work=dreamwanderlust.com}}</ref>
;2019
:On 25 July 2019, [[Anja Blacha]] became the first German woman to summit K2. She climbed without the use of supplemental oxygen.<ref>{{Cite web|title=K2 summiteer Anja Blacha: "More flexible on the mountain without breathing mask"|url=https://abenteuer-berg.de/en/k2-summiteer-anja-blacha-more-flexible-on-the-mountain-without-breathing-mask/|date=7 August 2019|website=Adventure Mountain|language=en-GB|access-date=14 May 2020}}</ref>
;2022
:On 22 July 2022, 145 summits on K2 were recorded in a single day, making it a record for the highest number of summits in a single day ever on K2. The 2022 season also saw the highest number of summits in a season at 200, taking over the previous record of 62 summits in 2018.<ref name="LessSavage"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2023/08/01/k2-2023-coverage-sherpas-dominate-k2/ |title=K2 2023 Coverage: Sherpas Dominate K2 |first=Alan |last=Arnette |date=1 August 2023 |access-date=11 July 2024}}</ref>
:On 28 July 2022, [[Adriana Brownlee]] became the youngest woman to climb K2 when she summited at age 21.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-08-02 |title=Adriana Brownlee: 'Russian roulette' for youngest woman to climb K2 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-62391945 |access-date=2024-09-30 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>
;2023
:2023 was also a busy season like 2022, with an estimated 112 summits on the only viable weather window of July 27. Norwegian mountaineer [[Kristin Harila]] and her guide, Nepali mountaineer [[Tenjen Sherpa]] successfully completed their summit of K2 on the same day, and set a record for the fastest climb of all 14 eight-thousanders in 92 days.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/tenjin-sherpa-from-field-to-summit-of-14-peaks-in-92-days-with-kristin-harila |title=Tenjin Sherpa from field to summit of 14 peaks in 92 days with Kristin Harila |author=Sangay Sherpa |date=29 July 2023 |website=The Himalayan Times |access-date=10 August 2023}}</ref>

===Winter expeditions===
* 1987/1988&nbsp;— Polish-Canadian-British expedition led by [[Andrzej Zawada]] from the Pakistani side, consisting of 13 Poles, 7 Canadians and 4 Brits. 2 March [[Krzysztof Wielicki]] and [[Leszek Cichy]] established camp III at {{convert|7,300|metres}} above sea, followed by Roger Mear and Jean-Francois Gagnon few days later. Hurricane winds and frostbite forced the team to retreat.<ref name="altitudepakistan.blogspot.com">{{cite web|url=http://altitudepakistan.blogspot.com/2014/11/history-of-winter-climbing-k2.html|title=History of Winter Climbing K2|website=altitudepakistan.blogspot.com|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref>
* 2002/2003&nbsp;— Netia K2 Polish Winter Expedition. The team of fourteen climbers was led by [[Krzysztof Wielicki]], and included four members from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Georgia. They intended to climb North Ridge. Marcin Kaczkan, [[Piotr Morawski]] and [[Denis Urubko]] established camp IV at {{convert|7,650|metres}} above sea level. The final ascent started by Kaczkan and Urubko failed due to the destruction of the tent by harsh weather in camp IV and Kaczkan's [[cerebral edema]].<ref name="altitudepakistan.blogspot.com"/>
* 2011/2012&nbsp;— Russian expedition. Nine Russian climbers attempted K2's Abruzzi Spur route. They managed to reach {{convert|7,200|metres}} above sea level (Vitaly Gorelik, Valery Shamalo, and Nicholas Totmyanin) but had to retreat due to hurricane-force winds as well as [[frostbite]] on both of Gorelik's hands. After their descent to base camp and an unsuccessful call for Gorelik's evacuation (helicopter could not reach them through the worsening weather), the climber died of [[pneumonia]] and cardiac arrest. Following the incident, the expedition was called off.<ref name="altitudepakistan.blogspot.com"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web12w/newswire-vitaly-gorelik-dies-k2|title=Vitaly Gorelik Dies On K2 - Alpinist.com|website=www.alpinist.com|date=6 February 2012 |access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref>
* 2017/2018&nbsp;— Polish National Winter Expedition led by [[Krzysztof Wielicki]], consisting of 13 climbers, started in the end of December 2017. The team initially attempted to summit via the south-southeastern spur (Cesen route), switching to the Abruzzi Spur after an injury on the previous route.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/K2-mountain-winter-climb-poland-spd/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229155557/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/K2-mountain-winter-climb-poland-spd/|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 December 2017|title=Climbers Set Off to Be First to Summit World's Most Notorious Mountain in Winter|date=29 December 2017|website=nationalgeographic.com|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://gripped.com/routes/polish-heading-k2-first-winter-ascent-attempt/|title=Polish Heading to K2 for First Winter Ascent Attempt |work= Gripped Magazine|date=29 December 2017|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/2102469/how-polands-ice-warriors-aim-become-first-team-summit-k2-savage|title=Poland's 'ice warriors' risk life and limb to be first to summit K2 in winter|website=scmp.com|date=13 July 2017|access-date=5 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.camp.it/blogPost.aspx?CAT=32&ID=427&T=CB |title=&#124; CAMP |publisher=Camp.it |access-date=13 November 2019}}</ref> Via the Cesen/Basque route they reached up to {{convert|6300|metres}}, while on the Abruzzi Spur route they reached up to {{convert|7400|metres}}. However, Denis Urubko reported that during his solo attempt he probably reached up to {{convert|7600|metres}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dreamwanderlust.com/news/k2-remains-notoriously-savage-during-winter|title=K2 remains notoriously savage during winter|date=6 March 2018|website=dreamwanderlust.com}}</ref> 
* 2021&nbsp;— Ten climbers made the first winter summit on 16 January 2021. The group summited together, and consisted of Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, [[Nirmal Purja]], Gelje Sherpa, [[Mingma Gyabu Sherpa|Mingma David Sherpa]], Mingma Tenzi Sherpa, Dawa Temba Sherpa, Pem Chhiri Sherpa, Kilu Pemba Sherpa, Dawa Tenjing Sherpa, and Sona Sherpa. The summiting group consisted entirely of indigenous climbers from Nepal. [[Nirmal Purja]] was the only one who reached the summit without the use of supplemental oxygen. The summit temperature was {{convert|−40|°C|F}}. On the same day, Spanish climber [[Sergi Mingote]] died on the descent from Camp III; he fell somewhere between Camp I and Advanced Base Camp.<ref name="winter-k2" /><ref name="National Geographic"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/all-nepali-winter-first-on-k2/|title = All-Nepali winter first on K2| date=16 January 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Parsain |first1=Sangam |title=Mission possible: Ten Nepalis become first to climb Mt K2 in the dead of winter |url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2021/01/16/mission-possible-ten-nepalis-become-first-to-climb-mt-k2-in-the-dead-of-winter |access-date=17 January 2021 |agency=The Kathmandu Post |publisher=The Kathmandu Post |date=17 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Nepali climbers script history scaling K2 in winter season |url=https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/nepali-climbers-script-history-scaling-k2-in-winter-season/ |access-date=16 January 2021 |agency=The Himalayan Times |issue=16 January 2021 |publisher=The Himalayan Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Geiger|first=Stephanie|title=Aufstieg bei minus 40 Grad: Nepalesische Bergsteiger erreichen erstmals im Winter den Gipfel des K2|language=de|work=FAZ.NET|url=https://www.faz.net/1.7150612|access-date=17 January 2021|issn=0174-4909}}</ref><ref name="SP">{{cite web |author=Sangam Prasain|title=My body was freezing. I told my teammates I couldn't move.|url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2021/01/19/nirmal-purja-announces-he-climbed-k2-without-supplemental-oxygen |website=kathmandupost.com|publisher=The Kathmandu Post|date=19 January 2021|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Nirmal Purja|title=Update 11 – With or without O2 ?|url=https://www.nimsdai.com/post/k2-winter-update-11-with-or-without-o2|website=www.nimsdai.com|date=18 January 2021|access-date=29 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2021/01/19/winter-k2-update-oxygen-update-next-chapter-in-winter-k2/ |title=Winter K2 Update: Oxygen Update. Next Chapter in Winter K2. |work=alanarnette.com |date=19 January 2021 |access-date=26 August 2021 }}</ref> Four other climbers would die during the 2020–21 winter season: [[Atanas Skatov]],<ref name="Anadolu">{{cite web|url=https://nation.com.pk/06-Feb-2021/bulgarian-alpinist-skatov-dies-during-k2-expedition|title=Bulgarian alpinist Skatov dies during K2 expedition|work=The Nation|date=5 February 2021|access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/bulgarian-climber-dies-k2-expedition-3138722 |title=Bulgarian Climber Dies On K2 Expedition |agency=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP News]] |date=5 February 2021 |access-date=2 June 2021 |work=[[International Business Times]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2282795/bulgarian-climber-dies-during-expedition-on-pakistans-k2 |title=Bulgarian climber dies during expedition on Pakistan's K2 |agency=[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]] |date=5 February 2021 |access-date=2 June 2021 |work=[[The Express Tribune]]}}</ref> [[Ali Sadpara]], [[John Snorri]], and [[Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explorersweb.com/2021/02/07/k2-the-fallen-five/|title=K2: The Fallen Five
|date=7 February 2021|website=explorersweb.com|access-date=12 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/02/sadpara_snorri_and_mohr_missing_on_k2_rescue_mission_temporarily_suspended-72708|title=Sadpara, Snorri and Mohr Missing on K2; Rescue Mission Temporarily Suspended
|date=9 February 2021|website=ukclimbing.com|access-date=12 February 2021}}</ref>