It is the highest mountain in the Karakoram and the second highest on earth after Mount Everest. K2 fascinates mountaineers all over the world. It is the last 8000 peak on earth that has not been summited in winter! Tamara wants to change that now.
An ice axe and friendship
EXPED-supported mountaineer Tamara Lunger will attempt K2 this winter together with the Romanian alpinist Alex Gavan. "I thought about it a lot and then I called Alex Gavan, who immediately told me that he already knew the reason for my call," Tamara said.
The 34-year-old met Alex in 2014 during her acclimatization phase for K2. At the time, he was climbing the 8051m Broad Peak. Tamara's loan of an ice axe to Alex, who then reached the summit with it, was symbolic of the beginning of a relationship that was both professional and friendly.
Tamara wants to make history
With this possible first ascent of K2, Tamara could not only become the first woman ever to climb an 8000er in winter, but also the first woman in history to climb the same 8000 in two different seasons. In July 2014, at the age of 28, she became the second Italian woman in history to reach the summit of K2 - without oxygen.
On 20 December, Tamara set off on the long journey towards the Himalayas. It is still uncertain exactly when she will return. That depends on the conditions. However, the 34-year-old wants to use the entire winter period until 20 March to make the seemingly impossible possible. The ascent of the mighty K2 will be made without oxygen, on the Via Abruzzi, the route Tamara climbed in 2014.
An ambitious goal
With their expedition, Tamara and Alex have set themselves an ambitious goal. In the last 30 years, dozens of the world's best mountaineers have already tried to conquer K2 in winter, but so far without success.
For Tamara personally, the difficult climb means not only an attempt to solve the so-called "last Himalayan problem", but first and foremost the fulfillment of a personal wish that she has had inside her for a long time. "For weeks I thought about this project and tried to understand if this is my path, my real dream," says Tamara.
On 21 December, Tamara addressed her followers with a video message from the plane, as Tamara would like to share this very special expedition with her community via her social media channels. "I want to show appreciation to my virtual rope team and thank them for the motivation and courage they give me." We will also be reporting on Tamara's time on K2 on Instagram and providing you with updates. We wish them both the best of luck and above all: come back home safe and sound!
About Tamara Lunger
Tamara Lunger was born in 1986 as the daughter of a well-known ski mountaineer in Bolzano and was already on the move in the mountains as a little girl. Although Tamara tried out many sports in her childhood, her passion for the mountains remained unbroken. In 2002 she started ski mountaineering and was already able to celebrate great successes. As a member of the Italian national team, she became national champion in 2006 and 2008 and vice national champion in 2007. In 2007 and 2008, Tamara also won the Pierra Menta, a race competition in ski mountaineering. Soon, however, the now 34-year-old aspired to new challenges in the high mountains. Even at the age of 14, the desire to climb an 8000m peak lay dormant in her.