reflections on 8000m mountaineering

[wineguy]

Awesome achievement. Mega congrats!

[cottonmountaineering]

Congrats Joe! Great to see you got G2 after the trip fell apart in 2021.
Climbing an 8000m peak in this style is not easy. I finally got to know that first hand last year when I got my a** handed to me on Manaslu.
I was talking to a friend the other day, going thru each of our friend's 8000m summit success rates. Two friends with the most success are 1 summit out of three 8000m expeditions each. I also have two friends that are 0 for 3. One friend is 0 for 2, and I'm 0 for 1. Add it all up and the odds of making an 8000m summit for your average Colorado climber in pure style is not good. But, there's more than just the summit I suppose .. the process .. going on an expedition to the Himalayas with old friends .. style and how you do it matters.
Well done on finally getting an 8000m summit without compromising the process.
Whats next for you?

thanks! i was motivated to make a trip work this year and everything fell into place. I also have had a string of failures, maybe they were necessary for my success on this trip though. i hope to be going back in a year or two for either k2/broad peak or some 7000er on skis

[Tornadoman]

When climbing in the Himalayas I think it’s ok if people choose to hiring Sherpas or HAP and it’s also ok if people choose not to, same with hiring someone to help with the cooking, but everyone should fly their own plane if flying there because you have to draw the line somewhere.

[XterraRob]

Joe, what was the most memorable part of your trip up the mountain?

[greenonion]

Way to go, Joe. That’s really cool what and how you did that

[cottonmountaineering]

Joe, what was the most memorable part of your trip up the mountain?

the people, pakistanis were very kind even though our two countries havent exactly had good relations. i had a lot of fun with the climbing crowd at gasherbrum as well, being a less popular mountain most people were not the typical "everest" personality which needs to conquer everything

[Conor]

how did you deal with the LO? I've always pictured they either go with you to base camp and return a couple days before you depart or they just lounge around base camp eating as much food as they possibly can.

[cottonmountaineering]

how did you deal with the LO? I've always pictured they either go with you to base camp and return a couple days before you depart or they just lounge around base camp eating as much food as they possibly can.

The LO was probably the worst part, on the way in we had to delay one day because he was out of shape and couldn't walk far enough, all the LO just lounged around base camp