ISLAMABAD: Japanese climber Akira Oyabe and his expedition have arrived in Pakistan after spending the last two years planning and preparing to summit K2, the second highest peak in the world.

Mr Oyabe has faced the 8,611 metre peak twice before.

He was forced to turn back at 7,900m due to strong winds in 2009, and was unable to summit the mountain again in 2013 due to heavy snowfall.

“But now we are back again,” Mr Oyabe told Dawn on Saturday. “This time we are a week to 10 days early and the first team to reach Pakistan to climb K2. We have time on our side and intend to make the best of the clear weather windows, and that’s what increases our chances of success this year.”

Other than Mr Oyabe and one other team member, no one on the expedition has climbed an 8,000m plus peak before. Takashi Higashiyama, the youngest member of the team, attempted to climb K2 five years ago but was forced to abandon his ascent after an avalanche blew away camp three, killing two climbers from New Zealand.

“The time spent climbing a mountain isn’t subtracted from the lifespan. We are well prepared. We have arrived early to avail clear weather windows and that increases our chances of success,” said Mr Higashiyama.

In response to a question, Mr Oyabe said that the fact that the team is made up mostly of first-timers had not weakened their spirit.

“We intend to make gradual progress on the mountain. We will be fixing ropes since we are the first to arrive to climb K2 this season. This does make our work harder and probably more difficult but it sounds like more fun. We have three Pakistani high altitude porters to assist us and that is a plus point,” he said.

In response to a question, Mr Higashiyama described K2 as the most magnificent peak in the world.

“Despite predicted clear weather, strong winds will be our biggest concern. Strong winds do not let the body to warm up and that can cause fatigue and frostbite,” he explained.

The group is part of veteran climber Nazir Sabir’s tour company, said Alpine Club of Pakistan Secretary Karrar Haidri.

“K2 is one of the hardest peaks to climb, throwing more unexpected challenges at climbers than other 8,000m plus mountains. In summer time, the risks of avalanches and rock falls become frequent,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2018