Survivor Of K2 Avalanche Returns To Hermosa Beach

Tag : Italian Socks

There were reportedly up to seven other expedition teams on K2 asthe tragedy began unfolding above 25,000 feet elevation. Climbersfrom Pakistan, Nepal, South Korea, Serbia, Norway and Ireland areamong the dead from the avalanche and exposure to the harshelements.
Related: Mother Says Local Climber Survived K-2 Avalanche
In his interview with National Public Radio earlier this month,Rice recounted how spilling water on his socks delayed hisdeparture from Camp IV before the avalanche.
It was a mishap that might have saved his life. He headed back tothe base camp without reaching the summit, but insisted he wantedanother shot at it.
"It's always been a dream of mine to be up there," Rice told NPR inthe satellite phone interview. "And it's quite painful to havegotten so close to the summit and ... turn around.
"Maybe not next year, maybe not the year after that," Rice said."But I can say in my lifetime I will for sure come back here.There's something about risking your life ... for something youlove, and testing your body to its maximum that you can't do in acompletely safe environment. Without risk, we aren't living."
K2's summit stands at 28,251 feet elevation, making itsecond-highest in the world to Mount Everest. But K2's exposure tojet-stream weather systems, the rapidly changing snow, ice and rockconditions, and its steep upper reaches are considered a moredifficult and potentially deadly challenge than Everest.
Only a few hundred have made it to K2's summit since the firstsuccessful ascent in 1954 by an Italian expedition. Dozens havedied trying over the years, and the death rate for those who doreach the summit is still 27 percent, about three times more thanMount Everest.
As difficult as the ascent is, descent is considered even moredangerous. Many of the 11 reported killedhad made it to the top ofK2 only to perish trying to come down.
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