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Conversation with Raphael Slawinski, Ian Welsted and Jesse Huey About K6 West

In 2013, Raphael Slawinski, Ian Welsted and Jesse Huey traveled to Pakistan on an expedition.

I an Welsted looking up at K6 West. Photo Raphael Slawinski
Ian Welsted looking up at K6 West. Photo Raphael Slawinski

After a terrorist attack at the Nanga Parbat basecamp, a series of events and decisions led to Huey returning to America.

Slawinski and Welsted continued and made the first ascent of K6 West. Their ascent impressed the Piolet d’Or jury in 2014, and, along with Ueli Steck for his Annapurna solo, were selected from a long list of achievements as the recipients of the award.

Listen to Gripped editor Brandon Pullan talk to all three climbers in this episode of Basecamp Radio, which Pullan records at The Banff Centre. For more episodes, visit here. To watch a film about the ascent, visit here.

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