25-8-2023 (SINGAPORE) In a remarkable feat of strength and determination, two Singaporean women have etched their names in the annals of mountaineering history by successfully reaching the summit of K2. Vincere Zeng, 31, and Sim Phei Sunn, 47, conquered the treacherous peak on July 27, becoming the first women from Singapore to achieve this extraordinary feat.
K2, standing tall at an awe-inspiring height of 8,611 meters, is nestled in the Karakoram mountain range within the Kashmir region, under the administration of Pakistan. While it may not claim the title of the tallest mountain on Earth, it is widely regarded as one of the most challenging and perilous to conquer due to its steep slopes and unforgiving terrain. Since 1954, approximately 90 climbers have tragically lost their lives while attempting to master this formidable summit, earning K2 the ominous moniker of “The Savage Mountain.”
The triumph of Zeng and Sim is particularly noteworthy as they shattered gender barriers and defied the odds. Prior to their achievement, only two Singaporeans, both men, had managed to reach the pinnacle of K2, accomplishing this daunting task in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
Zeng, sharing glimpses of their arduous journey, posted a photo album on Facebook documenting their expedition. One image displayed her at the Base Camp of K2, while another captured the steepness of the ascent to a camp on the mountain. She vividly described the challenges they faced, emphasizing the relentless nature of K2’s terrain. “On a good day. But K2 is never flat,” she wrote.
Climbing K2 demands unparalleled physical resilience and mental fortitude. Climbers brave perilously low oxygen levels, hazardous winds, unpredictable avalanches, and intricate landmarks that pose significant navigational challenges. Zeng acknowledged the strenuous nature of their endeavor, noting that they reside at sea level and train at altitudes ranging from 0 to 163 meters. Yet, they persevered, enduring extreme cold and aridity as they ascended to the dizzying heights of 8,000 meters.
Their ascent was not without its share of adversity and tragedy. Pakistani porter Muhammad Hassan tragically lost his life after slipping off a narrow trail just shy of K2’s peak. Moreover, adverse weather conditions, including snowfall, wind, and fog, impeded the climbers’ progress, causing delays and adding to the already demanding nature of the expedition. Zeng and Sim found themselves among a queue of approximately 200 mountaineers, patiently waiting on an almost vertical incline for hours before they could make the final push towards the summit. However, their unwavering determination ultimately paid off.
Zeng, the younger of the two, reached the summit first and expressed overwhelming emotion when she heard Sim’s voice calling her name during the descent. “I knew she would reach the top in no time,” Zeng shared in a poignant post. She expressed hope that their remarkable achievement would make Singapore proud, coinciding with the nation’s forthcoming 58th birthday on August 9, just two weeks away.
Sim, an endurance athlete with two decades of experience, trains extensively by participating in ultra-marathons. She had already conquered Mount Everest in May 2019, adding K2 to her illustrious list of accomplishments. Zeng, on the other hand, describes herself as a versatile adventurer, engaging in mountaineering, ultra-running, paragliding, and high-altitude speed ascent. Remarkably, she had recently triumphed over Mount Everest a mere 70 days before summiting K2.
Zeng and Sim’s awe-inspiring conquest of K2 not only makes them trailblazers for women in Singapore but also positions them as the first two Singaporean women to conquer the world’s highest peaks, Everest and K2. They follow in the footsteps of veteran mountaineer Khoo Swee Chiow, who stands as the first Singaporean man to conquer the world’s three highest summits: Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga.
