Fredrik Ericsson Dead: Climber Reportedly Killed At K-2

STOCKHOLM — The Austrian News Agency says Swedish climber and skier Fredrik Ericsson has fallen to his death on K-2 while trying to conquer the world's second highest peak.

The agency cites members of his expedition as saying the accident occurred Friday during a sudden warm spell that increased the danger of the climb.

Fellow climber Christian Stangl told APA that fog also interfered with the climb.

At 8,611 meters (28,250 feet), the peak in the Chinese-Pakistani border region is the second highest after Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters (29,030 feet).

Sweden's Foreign Ministry was informed about the accident by Ericsson's family, but was waiting for local authorities to confirm his death, ministry spokesman Anders Jorle said.

Swedish news agency TT said Ericsson was 35.

A posting by a colleague on Ericsson's official website on Aug. 4 said the warm conditions had prompted a lot of movement on the mountain and that "avalanches and rock fall could be heard all day."

The site described Ericsson as an avid climber and skier who traveled to mountain peaks worldwide to do photo shoots for ski magazines, websites and sponsors.

He had made several trips to the Himalayas and was working on a project to ski the world's three highest peaks, Mount Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga.

___

Online: Ericsson's website http://www.fredrikericsson.com

Comments

[PresidentRobertBooth]

12:23 AM on 08/09/2010

RIP Fredrik



I don't expect the bile posters to understand.

For them "adventure" consists of clicking on a NSFW article while their boss isn't looking.

[ufopp]

06:27 PM on 08/08/2010

In this day and age, climbing mountains for one's personal achievement is pointless. K2 has been climbed before. Leave these places alone. Go and get your kicks elsewhere, where it's safer or less environmentally destructive if you happen to not survive the attempt.

[SuperRyan]

05:40 PM on 08/08/2010

A lot of haters posting on this thread today. I'm sure you think your comments make you look intelligent, but it just makes you look pathetic.

This man lived his life the way how he wanted to live it. He probably had more excitement, happiness, adventure, and memories in his shortened life then most people get in 90 years.
I would much rather live a shortened life of adventure, then a long life of fear.

RIP Fredrik Ericsson, you were a true adventurer.

[AZterritory]

08:44 PM on 08/08/2010

Nice.

[SaraNader]

04:29 PM on 08/08/2010

FORMER expert mountain climber ...

[Mikeeee]

06:08 PM on 08/08/2010

It's ok. We understand your idea of stepping outside the box is signing up to facebook.

[jukesgrrl]

04:27 PM on 08/08/2010

When these climbing accidents occur, no one ever mentions the Sherpas.

[I Make Stuff]

11:25 PM on 08/08/2010

Nope, just the rich white guy who hired someone to carry their bags.

[Clemgo3165]

10:54 AM on 08/09/2010

Did the Sherpas die?

[The Scientist]

11:37 AM on 08/08/2010

You know who else were experts?

Every race driver who ever died in a crash.

Pretty much if you can do anything dangerous once, you are thereby hailed an "expert."

Bravo for that and condolences to the friends and family. Obviously this guy was a selfish yutz, but he probably didn't bore you at all with tales of his adventures.

[Clemgo3165]

10:56 AM on 08/09/2010

I don't see how climbing mountains is a selfish activity - solitary, sure - but not selfish.

[BlueIndependent]

11:35 AM on 08/08/2010

Is it just me or is the use of the word "killed" misleading? He died doing something he chose to do. The mountain didn't actively "kill" him in the same way I wouldn't be actively "killed" if I say, decided to walk through the desert with little food and water for an extended distance. Someone could be skateboarding, jump to slide down a railing, fall on their head and die. He didn't intentionally "kill" himself or get "killed" by the pavement.

[olivia]

03:48 PM on 08/08/2010

If I were driving down the road and missed a sign and accidentally drove off a cliff, I would have been "killed" in an accident.

I don't see the difference.

Dying from lack of water, food, etc. is a passive death. This climber's death was not passive. Something collided with his body and the collision killed him.

[slithers]

11:33 AM on 08/08/2010

He was killed?

kill 1 |kil|
verb [ trans. ]
1 cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing) : her father was killed in a car crash | [ intrans. ] a robber armed with a shotgun who kills in cold blood.

[Jimmy Boy]

10:38 AM on 08/08/2010

50 years ago, only the most skilled climbers attemted these climbs. They practiced for years. Only the best of the best attempted.

Now it seems everyone and anyone is trying to climb these mountains. Everest is littered with dead boddies. You die at 28,000 feet you stay at 28,000 feet.

Not sure the skill level of Fredrik Ericsson. But I would say a lot of people die on these mountains that have no business being there.

[BlueIndependent]

11:37 AM on 08/08/2010

Well it sounds to me like he was more capable than most if he was planning to ski down the world's 3 highest peaks. To me that seems to indicate much greater skill level than I would ever have even attempting to climb smaller mountains here in the U.S.

[gouge]

03:55 PM on 08/08/2010

K2 is notorious as the most difficult big mountain, an extremely dangerous climb. Many expert, famed climbers have fallen trying to climb it. No matter how good you are - there is a good chance you aren't going to make it off this mountain. Cannot believe some of the ignorance about this on this thread -look up the mountain people -look up the history of people trying to climb it! Everest is a stroll on the beach next to K2.

[lee4]

09:11 AM on 08/09/2010

Not only is Everest littered with bodies, it is littered with litter! I understand the trash left behind, by climbers, on these beautiful mountains, is appalling.

[PALFEY]

09:02 AM on 08/08/2010

"....and the Timothy Treadwell Award goes to......."

[cloudmaker]

08:54 AM on 08/08/2010

Am I supposed to feel sorry for people who go on death-defying adventures only to die?

[olivia]

10:19 AM on 08/08/2010

that is, "does not make his death less sad" (mistake in my above post)

[cloudmaker]

11:01 AM on 08/08/2010

Sorry, but I think it does.

[liberalbug]

11:05 AM on 08/08/2010

Not any more sorry than anyone other than your family would feel if you got taken out by a city bust the next time you step into a cross walk. This kind of stuff makes headlines precisely because this guy was on a death defying adventure and lo and behold the defy part failed.

[Trapster]

07:58 AM on 08/08/2010

I wish for him beautiful mountains among the multiverse.

[aDelphinium]

05:47 AM on 08/08/2010

So many insensitive comments here. I thought this would be more like a tribute/memorial page -
not a debate the concept of mountaineering.

I've read the "Into Thin Air" several times.

For his family, especially parents, it's a horrific loss. I wish them peace.

[pammiethekid]

07:12 PM on 08/08/2010

Creepy, isn't it? They come in knowing that it's all about a climber's death, only to swagger around telling us how much they don't care. Hope they find better consolation when someone they do care about dies. If there are people they care about besides themselves, that is.

[iRock]

12:35 AM on 08/08/2010

At....least he died doing what he......loved?

[yoyodyne666]

11:57 PM on 08/07/2010

Now before I scroll down and read some of the posts i want to say to all of you out there who I KNOW have posted 'well at least he died doing what he loved" i want to say HE DIDN'T, he died falling at terminal velocity and bouncing off ledges, and he did not love that. With that said we can return to our regularly scheduled program. Thanks for your time.

[Seafarer61]

12:12 AM on 08/08/2010

True, but he also could have fallen off a ladder while reaching for a can of beans on the top shelf. You're missing the point. It's the moments leading up to the tragedy that people are referring to, not the tragedy itself.

[olivia]

10:22 AM on 08/08/2010

THANK YOU

That lame phrase must be infuriating to the dead person looking down. The living say it to make themselves feel better.