Spanish-Mexico K2 2002!

Update 7/5/2002: Greetings from K2 base camp. I have been reading with interest the dispatches from the different teams along this thin glacial moraine we call home, an update for your readers from the Spanish/Mexican team attempting the so-called Spanish route, or the South-South-East Ridge, an unforgiving ridge of steep and technical terrain, bordered by deep serac couloirs. It is also breathtakingly beautiful.

We are a small team, four climbers, but a strong team. Our leader, Araceli Segarra from Barcelona, is making her second attempt on K2, having tried the North Ridge in 2000. She is again joined in her efforts by climbing partner and friend Hector Ponce de Leon of Mexico City, a man who has climbed and guided on some of the world’s highest and toughest mountains. Earlier this season, in his role as lead guide for Mountain Madness, he successfully led one client to the summit of Mount Everest (and one more to the south summit), in the process becoming one of the few climbers to ever summit the mountain via both the north and south routes. They are joined by friend and fellow technical climber Armando Dattoli de la Vega, a guide and climbing shop owner from Mexico City, who is making his second trip to the Karakoram, having climbed the Trango Towers in 2000.

I join the team as a friend, climber and this year, filmmaker, following Araceli’s attempts to become the 6th woman to climb K2, and if she does, the sole survivor. I and writer/co-producer Jennifer Jordan are working on “The Women of K2,” a documentary exploring the women who have pursued and perished on the world’s second highest mountain. A film that will, Inshallah, have a happy ending this year.

So far so good. In our two weeks at base camp, working in collaboration with two other Spanish teams, we have been able to establish Camp I at an usually high 6400 meters (the height of most Camp IIs). Tomorrow we will climb to Camp I and help push the route to Camp II and beyond. We plan on spending three or four days on the route before coming back to base. We are on schedule, feeling strong, and hoping the Mountain Gods continue to look favorably on us and our efforts on The Savage Mountain.

Cheers, Jeff Rhoads 

Jeff is the only westerner to summit Everest twice in the same season!

Armando, Araceli, and Hector

Update 5/30/2002: Our Spanish-Mexican K-2 Expedition 2002 is now confirmed and finally there are 6 members. Araceli Segarra from Spain (leader), Hector Ponce De Leon and Armando Dettole from Mexico, Jeff Rhoads, Jennifer J Gear and Jeffrey A Cunningham from United States. Araceli is arriving in Islamabad on 5th Jun, Jeff Rhoads, Jennifer J Gear and Jeffrey A Cunningham are arriving in Lahore on 4 Jun and Hector and Armando are expected to arrive on 6th Jun. Ghulam Muhammad

Update 2/23/2002: Expedition Members:

1.) Miss Araceli Segara Roca (Spanish, Leader of the expedition)
2)  Mr. Hector Ponce De Leon Gomez (Mexican)
3)  Mr. Jeffery Rhoads (American)

Source: Ghulam Muhammad