Irish K2 climber back at base
ONE of two Irish men who reached the summit of the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, at the weekend has returned to base camp.
Jason Black, from Co. Donegal, and Noel Hanna, from Dromore, Co. Down, ascended the 8,611-metre peak on separate expeditions over the weekend.
Mr Black is only the third person from the Republic ever to reach the summit of K2, doing so around 24 hours after Mr Hanna became the first person from the North to scale the mountain on the China-Pakistan border. He too made it back to camp.
Last night Mr Black took to Facebook to share his delight at making it back to basecamp. A picture of the climber holding a ‘Proud to be Irish’ banner was posted on Facebook, with the Donegal man sending the good news back to his family, writing: ‘After 30 days on K2, Daddy is safely back at K2 Basecamp. Our family can’t thank you enough for all the prayers & messages of support. Smile says it all.’
Athlete Mr Black climbed Everest’s north face in 2013, and made a previous, unsuccessful attempt to scale K2 two years ago.
However, he pledged to return on the tenth anniversary of the death of Ger McDonnell – the first Irishman to reach the mountain’s summit.
Mr McDonnell, from Kilcornan, Co. Limerick, died in August 2008 after reaching the summit and experiencing bad weather on the descent. He helped several other climbers before he was swept off the mountain. Mr Black paid tribute to Mr McDonnell, saying his legacy would ‘always live on’.
Fewer than 350 people have reached the summit of K2, which is known as the Savage Mountain because of the extreme difficulty of its ascent. As many as one in four people die while attempting to reach the summit.
Mr Black placed a plaque in Mr McDonnell’s memory at K2 base camp in Pakistan earlier this month – and there were plenty of good wishes for the Donegal man last night.
One friend wrote on Facebook: ‘Congratulations and jubilations Jason! An incredible, remarkable K2normous achievement! And to your family and team that got you there you guys rock! Well done! Stay safe and protected and looking forward to reading and hearing all about your epic journey to the top of the world!’