Nepali Sherpas break winter record in quest to climb K2.

Byline: Jamil Nagri and Jamal Shahid

ISLAMABAD -- Four Nepali Sherpas on Friday broke the previous record during winters of climbing as high as 26,000 feet while attempting to scale K2.

According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP), the maximum height achieved by teams in winters in the past was 25,320 feet.

'Tomorrow, Nirmal Purja, Mingma David, Mingma Tenzi and Mingma Gyalje will leave Camp 4 and try for a summit push if the weather remains good,' ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri said, adding their fifth climbing partner Sona Sherpa turned back.

Leader of the Sherpa winter expedition team Nims Purja said their combined effort made some remarkable progress on Friday afternoon.

Four Sherpas set to leave Camp 4, try for summit push if weather remains good today, ACP official says

'As per the mega plan, big well done to our team led by Mingma G with Mingma David Sherpa, Mingma Tenzi Sherpa and Sona Sherpa for successfully fixing lines up to Camp 4 at 7,800m, the highest altitude ever gained at K2 in winters,' he said.

'I will be leading the fixing team to the summit. We hope to stand on the summit together.'

Mingma said: 'Today (Friday) at 3: 30pm we made it to camp 4 on K2. We see the final route now.'

The international winter expedition team leader Chhang Dawa through an Instagram post said: 'I would like to appreciate all my Nepali team for showing their outstanding performance in this challenging weather and cold. We are on verge of creating history.'

He said at least 10 Nepalese climbers, including the fixing team, will start ascending from Camp 3 to Camp 4.

The team leader said they had a plan to get to the top by 1pm on Saturday.

According to the ACP official, a Nepali Sherpa was seriously injured while moving from the Japanese Camp to Camp 1 and was evacuated to Base Camp with the help of other Sherpas. 'He got serious head and eye injuries,' Mr Haidri said.

There are some 60 mountaineers attempting to summit the second highest peak in the world this winter that begins in December and ends in February.

Never before has the K2 base...