Waiting in Northfield and on K2
Posted on August 11th, 2008 – 11:58 AMBy Chris Welsch
Minnesota climber Mike Farris continues the waiting game on K2, hoping for a clear spot in the weather. Over the weekend, his wife, Kathy Shea, a professor of biology at St. Olaf, gave me a call. She said that Mike is healthy and still hoping to get his chance to attempt the summit of K2. If the weather gives him a window, his small group will make an attempt.
She said that at the time the events happened leading to the deaths of 11 climbers, she knew Mike was OK. “He was at Camp 2, pretty far from the summit,” she said. “But he was able to help other climbers down from that point.”
Shea also said it has been difficult to watch the events of the past couple weeks from afar. “It’s tough, except he can call using a satellite phone — I’m really grateful for that sat phone.”
One response to "Waiting in Northfield and on K2"
Thanks much for these blog posts, Chris.
We’re following along in Northfield.
http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/archives/4771/
Griff
Kerri Westenberg has globe-trotted for National Geographic and other magazines. Now she zips around the region, on the lookout for travel news you can use.
Chris Welsch has traveled to more than 40 countries on six continents; he is as enamored of the Great Plains as he is of the Great Barrier Reef.
Elizabeth Larsen lived in Salzburg, Austria, and has traveled throughout Europe and the Americas. She can say "diaper," "bottle" and "crib" in four languages.
Troy Melhus has heli-skied on glaciers, dived alongside Monk seals and raced for 24 hours on a mountain bike. All this, and he rarely spends more than $500 on a trip.