K2

The Savage Mountain • 8,611 meters • Pakistan

Just one year after nearly dying on the descent from the summit of Broad Peak, I returned to the same valley, to complete a long-established ambition to scale the second-highest mountain in the world.

I had committed to the expedition with a high degree of secrecy – doubtless I would have received much well-meaning, sensible advice that it was too soon to tackle any eight-thousander, and especially the legendary ‘Savage Mountain’, given my new disability. But only the challenge of K2 truly interested me, and I judged that it would be sufficiently inspirational to reignite the spark of purpose and desire that had been lacking in my life for the previous few months.

Helped by a superb guide, Mingma David, we tackled the well-known challenges of House’s Chimney and the Bottleneck. I had to adapt my climbing style to accommodate the reduced grip in my left hand, but my fitness was good and by the time of this expedition I was able to tackle the most difficult sections. A tricky traverse at high altitude on the descent won praise from Mingma, which was immensely rewarding to hear. At the summit, I gave an impromptu speech, recorded on video, about the importance of seeking to recover from setbacks and trauma. The video attracted attention via social media around the world. 

I felt immense joy at being able to reach the summit, as the video clearly shows; but perhaps the greater satisfaction was in simply being able to climb again after the injury.