He’s off…. Jason black and the team have started their summit push leaving basecamp they will be on a constant push to the top of the hardest peak in the world 28.328ft on K2. The last few days they have established camp 4 and now it’s decided to fix the final rope section in around the bottle neck and up to the summit just as they move with the Maddison fixing team. Expedition leader Garrett Maddison said conditions are good under foot but extremely technical and add in super high altitude it’s going to be a slave of five days of climbing higher and higher – the team are all in serious condition and so professional in their own personal approach.
Jason is under no illusion as to the challenge ahead, it’s huge beyond belief to understand the pressures exposures and the mental demand this will take on the body to survive.
Testing of oxygen before the Team leaves:
The idea is climb to advance base camp then camp one camp two camp three camp four and push for a final 8hours out of camp four to the summit and back to camp two which in that particular day could be as much as 18hrs if not more on hopefully 21st July – Forecast is light winds very cold at night fair by day and clear skies ..
speaking to Jason he is nervously excited and humbled to be in this position as an Irish man today “ this is the biggest climb of my life all the rest have just been preparation for this mountain ,K2 is the ultimate it doesn’t get much bigger than this , and I’m ready I’m so so ready” ,
Jason today was packing his kit and discovered his dad had stitched a fabric picture of his mum inside his summit suit over his heart “it nearly broke me today my Dad is my idol…. his love just beyond words”.
So for now it’s time for words to stop and it’s time for action – the training’s done the commitments are made the self belief is at an all time high .. l’m off to do Donegal and Ireland proud once again… let’s press play
Thank you to all my supporters for their honestly… and to my sponsors without whom this would not have been possible.
Finally my beautiful family & best friends ..
you’re my world you’re my inspiration carry me on your wings in prayer.
Jason