K2 summit for Italian Da Polenza expedition and Spanish Al filo de lo imposible.

July 2004

At 13,30 CET Silvio Mondinelli and Karl Unterchirker reached the summit of K2, followed by Walter Nones, Michele Compagnoni and Ugo Giacomelli at 14.15 (17.15 local time). At roughly 17.50 (local time) four members of the Spanish "Al filo de lo imposible” expedition, Edurne Pasaban, Juanito Oiarzabal, Juan Vallejo and Mikel Zabalza, reached the summit, too. They needed 14-15 hours from Camp 4 to reach the summit. No mountaineer had managed to reach the summit since 2001.

K2 is Silvio Mondinelli's eleventh 8000m+ peak, while Karl Unterkircher has managed the double "Everest + K2" in two months. For Walter Nones and Ugo Giacomelli K2 is their first 8000er, while Michele Compagnoni, grandson of first ascentionist Achille Compagnoni (together with Lino Lacedelli) will no doubt never forget his ascent. Edurne Pasaban, with seven 8000m peaks under her belt, becomes the first Spanish woman to ascend K2.

There are other mountaineers currently engaged on the mountain and poised for a summit bid: Mario Dibona, Renato Sottsass, Marco Da Pozzo and Renzo Benedetti from the Scoiattoli expedition are at Camp 4 and will attempt top reach the summit of the world's second highest mountain tomorrow.

The successful summiters are currently descending and, as Silvio Mondinelli's wife wrote "We can't fully celebrate the summit joy until they're returned safely to Base Camp. The climb isn't over yet, the descent is always a demanding undertaking..." We'll wait for them return to Camp 4 and BC to celebrate.