Avalanche on K2 claims life of local climber
High-altitude tragedy strikes near Camp I; Pakistan Army assists in recovery operation
Iftikhar Hussain
An avalanche struck near Camp I on Mount K2 (8,611m) at approximately 2:30 PM on Friday, claiming the life of a local climber and injuring a foreign mountaineer, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The incident occurred roughly 500 meters above Camp I as a four-member climbing team was en route to Camp II. Iftikhar Hussain, a seasoned climber from Skardu, lost his life in the avalanche. His body has since been recovered and transported to base camp.
The Alpine Club confirmed that one foreign climber sustained minor injuries and was promptly evacuated to Camp I for treatment. Two Nepali guides and a Pakistani high-altitude worker safely descended to Advance Base Camp to alert authorities.
Pamir Times, a local newspaper, reported that the Deputy Commissioner of Shigar — a district in Gilgit-Baltistan, where Mount K2 is located — confirmed that one local porter from Skardu remains missing. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, with support from the Pakistan Army.
In a statement, Major General Irfan Arshad HI (M), President of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, expressed his deepest condolences to Hussain’s family, friends, and the mountaineering community, and assured them of the Club’s full support during this time of profound loss.
Earlier this month, Czech climber Klára Kolouchová, died after falling off a rocky section into a ravine at the Nanga Parbat.
Mount K2, world’s second highest mountain, is known as Savage Mountain because of its extreme difficulty and high fatality rate.
This latest incident highlights the ever-present risks faced by climbers and support staff on some of the world’s most dangerous peaks.
Earlier, Mingma David Sherpa, co-founder of Elite Exped and aiming for a record seventh ascent of K2, told Everest Chronicle that conditions on the mountain have been especially hazardous. Rope-fixing efforts up to Camp II took nearly a month due to persistent rockfall and high winds.
Sherpa, who returned to base camp after reaching Camp I, said the combined expedition team plans to fix lines up to Camp III by Sunday.
He also noted that an ongoing heatwave has accelerated glacier melt across northern Pakistan, increasing the risk of rockfalls and avalanches after snowfall.
This year’s challenges on K2 reflect broader climate-related shifts impacting high-altitude regions. Rope-fixing efforts have been delayed across several peaks in the Karakoram due to persistent harsh weather and hazardous conditions.
Nevertheless, expeditions continue despite the risks.
According to Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, also known as Mingma G, the rope-fixing team on Gasherbrum I has successfully established lines up to Camp III. Meanwhile, the K2 rope-fixing team is expected to reach Camp III by Sunday.
The summer climbing season in Pakistan typically concludes by the end of August.
