K2: Kaltenbrunner, Pivtstov, Zumayev and Zaluski safe in Base Camp

The four alpinists, who reached the summit of K2 shortly after 18.00 on Monday 23 August via the difficult north ridge after an almost two month expedition, immediately started their descent and while Kaltenbrunner and Zaluski managed to reach Camp IV at circa 8000m, Pivtstov and Zumayev spent the night at 8300m in their bivy tent, where they then descended early the next morning.

The descent continued all through 23 August and yesterday morning all four finally reached their gear deposit at the end of the heavily crevassed glacier, where they were met by Ralf Dujmovits and the other expedition member Tommy Heinrich who accompanied them down to the Chinese Base Camp, from where they will now begin their return to Europe.

Talking to her husband via satellite telephone, the Austrian had explained how happy she was to have reached the summit and had underlined that they had been extremely lucky, despite the difficult conditions during the ascent, to stand on the summit together in those fantastic weather conditions. A real present, a unique moment, a dream which comes true for all and which ends in the best possible way.

Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner 14 8000m peaks
2011 K2 8611m
2010 Mount Everest (8848m) – Tibet
2009 Lhotse – Nepal (8516m)
2008 Dhaulagiri I – Nepal (8167m)
2007 Broad Peak - Pakistan (8047m)
2006 Kangchendzönga - Nepal (8595m), SW Face)
2005 Gasherbrum II - Pakistan (8035 m, SW-Ridge)
2005 Shisha Pangma - Tibet (8013m, South Face)
2004 Gasherbrum I – Pakistan (8068 m, Japanercouloir)
2004 Annapurna I - Nepal (8091m)
2003 Nanga Parbat – Pakistan (8125m, Diamir face)
2002 Manaslu - Nepal (8163m)
2001 Makalu – Nepal (8463m)
2000 Sisha Panama - Tibet (Central summit, 8008m)
1998 Cho Oyu - Nepal/Tibet (8201m)