An American skier and climber aims to become the second person to ski down K2, the world’s second-highest mountain. She’ll do it during K2’s busiest season on record.
Sarah Strattan reached the base camp of K2 on June 24, and then started preparing to climb up the mountain — with a pair of skis.
Strattan plans to become the second person to ski down K2 (28,251 feet) after reaching the summit. She expects the endeavor to take about 2 months. Climbing via the standard route of the Abruzzi Ridge, she will take her skis with her so “I can ski what and when the conditions allow,” she wrote on Instagram.
Broad Peak Expedition ‘Lures’ Strattan’s Efforts
“Experiencing the raw and real beauty that can only come from a ski mountaineering expedition has captivated me and lured me in,” Strattan wrote on June 5. “Last summer I tried to take at least one picture of K2 every day.”
She became entranced with the mountain after seeing it from Broad Peak base camp in 2021. Then, she aimed to ski down the Pakistani peak, the world’s 12th-tallest mountain, after summiting.
But Broad Peak didn’t yield to Strattan’s plans.
“Despite not reaching the summit, I learned more about myself and my capabilities than I ever thought possible, and the beauty of the entire experience is almost indescribable,” Stratton wrote at the time.
However, looking at K2 from the adjacent mountain inspired her with “absolute awe,” and she returned to the Karakoram this year to try her luck on K2.
K2 Ski Descents, Current and Past
Strattan experienced a “challenging journey” to base camp this month, arriving with a sore throat and congestion — with some puking and coughing thrown in for good measure.
View this post on Instagram
