re: Deadly climbing season in the Himalayas

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Wow. And K2 hasn't contributed. Yet.

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While K2 is the statistically hardest most dangerous climb of all the 8000m peaks it sees fewer attempts by far. There were 2 attempts at winter accents this year and both were weathered off, winter accents are thus far considered "impossible". I think there are only two current spring attempts in progress. K2 generally attracts only the most experienced climbers.

I spent 17 years as an active mountaineer and summited 3 of the 8000m peaks including Everest. I was never involved in any of the modern "guided climbs" and all the guys I climbed with were very capable climbers who spent years slowly building up the technical skills and decision-making skills that are required to climb "safely". The biggest issue today is the big business of guided climbs which puts a lot of people that have no business on big mountains out on the sharp edge as well as causing traffic jams at the choke points on the major climbs. Sitting for two hours in the death zone waiting for your climb through a choke point is very bad juju. The good thing is after the Hilary step collapsed a few years ago Everest may see less of this.

Mountaineering is not for everyone and I decided that it was no longer for me. Looking back I had 4 very close calls and 3 of them only dumb luck saved me. After watching/having strangers, friends and best friends die I figured I had pushed my luck far enough especially since the crowding was only getting worse, the more tragedy the more media and the more new climbers with the classic case being the post-1996 increase in Everest attempts.

There are old climbers, there are bold climbers but there are no old bold climbers.

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Would you happen to have gone to Louisiana Tech and live in Washington State now?

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You are correct. I knew this was him when I read it. We graduated together

He was kind of my role model for a while. I never did anything as notable as him but he inspired me to bag a few peaks.

What mountains, Cosmo? No troll. I’m in the middle of finishing Colorado’s 14ers. I’ve got ten left. Hoping to do Whitney in California next year.

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I grabbed this sweet vintage ski coat off a dude when I was going up

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I laughed.

I’d rather make Hermalyas my life’s work.

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Ive climbed 14000’ mountains 

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And it's just over double that at the summit.

“Highest I have climbed is Humphries Peak in Arizona at 12,600 or somewhere thereabouts. Literally almost shite my pants the last hour to the summit. Luckily I was the only one up there for about 30 minutes and was able to take a dump to end the crisis. It will be hard for me to top that in a “weirdest place you have taken a dump” discussion.”

Hah! Reminds me of when I was dating my wife. I was flew her to Colorado to do a 13er with me. Everything was going great til half way down and four miles to go when like you..I had to take a dump so badly it hurt to walk. Eventually I told her I’d catch up. Pretty sure she turned around and saw my shitting on the side of the mountain. She married me though. Oh..the good old days.