GILGIT: After struggling for two months, a 31-member team of mountaineers has ascended K2, the world’s second highest and most dangerous peak.

This is the first summit of K2 this summer.

The team members were: Jianjonh Li and Changjuan He (China), Noel Hanna (Ireland), Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Imtiaz Sadpara, Fida Ali and Ali Musa (Pak­istan), Yoshiharu Nakamura and Naoko Watanabe (Japan), Gangaamaa Bada­mgarav (Mongolia), Viri­diana Alvarez Chavez (Mexico), Sophie Lavaud (Switzerland), Dimarescu (USA), Marek Novotony (Czech Republic), Paul Hegge (Belgium) and Min­gma Gyabu Sherpa, Chhiji Norbu Sherpa, Dawa Gyal­jen Sherpa, Lhakpa Temba Sherpa, Krishna Thapa Magar, Pemba Thinduk Sherpa, Ngima Thenduk Sherpa, Ngima Dorchi Sherpa, Dawa Sangay Sherpa, Lhakpa Nuru Sherpa, Pastemba Sherpa, Mingma Tenjen Sherpa, Furba Ongdi Sherpa, Gheorghe and another climber from Nepal.

The Seven Summit Treks team — comprising five foreign women mountaineers and four Pakistanis — was led by Dawa Sherpa from Nepal.

Alpine Club of Pakistan spokesman Karar Haidari told Dawn that the climbers had been trying to scale the peak for two months. The mountaineers will start descending on Sunday.

According to foreign media, 20 more members of various expedition groups — including the first Arab mountaineer Saeed and Pakistani mountaineer Mirza Ali — are expected to summit the peak on Sunday.

According to Seven Summit Treks manager Thaneswar Guragai, at least 24 climbers from the expedition had successfully climbed the mountain via the Abruzzi Ridge.

“Two months of hard work has finally paid off,” said team leader Sherpa, adding that his expedition showed that a successful ascent was possible.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2018