[dillondoyle]

Some of these articles describing the K2 'downclimb' seems crazier than the ascent; indescribably difficult, dangerous, skilled, exposed, etc.

https://www.alanarnette.com/blog/2014/09/04/k2-descending-re... https://i1.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload... https://i0.wp.com/www.alanarnette.com/blog/wp-content/upload...

Imagine your brain being basically dead from lack of oxygen, medical danger like HAPE.

It looks like it there are even (? fully ?) vertical fixed rope pitches and going up actual technical climbing one article says a 5.9 offwidth ?!?! In -50F windy winter conditions wearing giant bulky winter suits.

If you've ever been sport climbing can you image descending multiple miles on a rope, even if kind of crawling backwards using feet/hands?

Climbers forget to tie knots in the end ALL THE TIME. Brad Gobright was one of the best climbers who was known for free soloing here in the Front Range (e.g. no ropes at all, like Honnold up El Cap) recently died on a rope descent.

Imagine on multiple miles of roped descent many knots, transfers, while you can't think from no oxygen. It's an truly impressive almost inhuman feat.