Meathead East Coast Skiing Adventure Movies & Films

Dave Watson leaves for Pakistan this Wednesday as a member of the K2 Tall Mountain Expedition. He plans to climb both Broad Peak and K2 (the world's second tallest mountain).

K2: The ultimate high altitude mountain

Watson has appeared in a host of Meathead movies, including Epoch, Born from Ice, and Wanderland. Dave was also a ski patroller at Smuggler's Notch, VT for several winters.

While thousands of people have climbed Mt. Everest (Dave has done it TWICE), fewer than three hundred have successfully summited K2. Watson plans to bring his tele skis along to ski portions of the K2 descent. Without a doubt this will be one of the gnarliest things ever done by any member of Meathead crew.

Dave’s team also includes Chuck Boyd, a ski patroller and AMGA member from Connecticut. Chuck helped supervise the park shoot we set up this April at Ski Sundown in New Hartford, CT. The remaining members of the expedition include Dr. Paul Alberti, Andy Selters, Brian Block, and Dan McCann. They will first climb Broad Peak (the 12th highest peak in the world) as a "warm up" and to get acclimatized.

Dave graciously took the time for a quick interview with us while he finished up last minute trip preparations:

Dave: We leave the US on June 11 and come home September 4. We'll be at the mountains from June 22 untill the end of August.

What modes of transportation will you use to reach the base of the peaks? How long will that take and how far will you travel after you arrive in Islamabad?

Dave: From Islamabad we drive 24 hours on the Karakoram Highway to reach the trailhead. From there it is 80 kilometers to walk to base camp.

Why is the weather on Everest better to summit with in May and K2 better in July/ August?

Dave: The weather on Everest is very stable and predictable so there is consistantly a window that opens mid May to June. K2's weather is crap all of the time and there are no predictable windows. So you go there to climb during the warmest months, June, July and August.

What are you most excited about on this expedition?

Dave: Skiing! I am so excited to be going to K2 to ski. The shoulder looks like an amazing slope perched high on K2. I think that I have now over taken McConkey as the "Most stoked person to ever have lived."

What are you most scared of?

Dave: Bin Laden's crew f***ing it up for us. Seriously, the Taliban. The mountain will be fine.

How sketchy is traveling in Pakistan?

Dave: I think it will be fine. It is always hard to get a hold of the true details from the American media.

What makes K2 more difficult than Everest?

Dave: The weather. The route I climbed on Everest was more tech than this route that I plan to ski.

Will you use oxygen to climb and ski? How is high altitude skiing different than normal?

Dave: I am bringing O2. I won't use it on Broad but will most likely use it on K2. High Altitude skiing is difficult because of fatigue and the fact that you can't breathe. Try doing a trampoline workout while drunk and holding your breath, then add in some no-fall ski terrain. It's a bitch, but incredibly rewarding.

Has anyone skied K2 before?

Dave: There have been a couple of guys that have skied lower parts of the mountain, but Hans Kammerlander is the only person to have skied up high. There is controversy about where he skied down from. Being the first doesn't matter to me, I just want to ski around on K2. The upper mountain looks so sweet!

What attracts you to the Himalayas?

Dave: The culture, the vibe, the raddest mountains on Earth.



We want to wish Dave and the whole crew the best of luck and a safe trip! Make some turns for us.

Learn more and show your support for the K2 Tall Mountain Expedition at: http://www.k2tallmountain.com/

Make sure to follow along all summer on the their blog: http://www.k2tallmountain.com/blog/K2%20Tall%20Mountain/Welcome.html