The K2 and Tommaso Lamantia

"Remember, it's a sacrifice not only for you who leave, but also for those who stay behind and wait. Always use your head—and make the summit yours."

 

In 2024, Tommaso Lamantia undertook the ascent of K2, the second highest mountain on Earth and one of the most challenging eight-thousanders. The feat is recounted by those who followed him from afar, step by step.

K2, known locally as ChogoRi in the Balti language, is the second highest mountain on Earth and among all the eight-thousanders, one of the most difficult. Since Lacedelli and Compagnoni reached its summit in 1954, with crucial support from Bonatti and Mahdi, K2 has become the mountain of the Italians, entering the dreams, stories, and collective imagination of mountaineers for generations. This summer, on the seventieth anniversary of the first ascent, the mountain attracted the attention of several Italian expeditions. They faced constant bad weather, battling strong winds and heavy snowfall. Among the few climbers who reached the summit without supplemental oxygen is 42-year-old Tommaso Lamantia from Varese: a skilled mountaineer and member of the Club Alpino Accademico Italiano, undertaking his first 8000-meter peak. The feat was covered by newspapers and specialized press, reaching even those not regularly familiar with mountaineering. We wanted to tell the story of those months in Pakistan, far from home, through the voices of those who, having organized the expedition or maintaining a connection with Tommaso, were physically distant from the mountain and the climber’s action, but close to the man in thoughts and emotions.

 

 

First, let's hear from Mauro Penasa, president of the Club Alpino Accademico Italiano, about who Tommaso Lamantia is:

"Tommaso is a passionate climber who appreciates challenges and adventure. He has climbed everything on home mountains and around the world: from exploratory expeditions to the most difficult big walls. Now he has further expanded his vast experience with a high-altitude expedition; he is definitely a well-rounded mountaineer. Being so versatile is not easy: it requires uncommon determination, which is certainly his greatest quality."

Has your perception of Tommaso changed after this K2 expedition?

"No, it has only confirmed his determination, the fundamental factor in achieving important goals. Also, his essential mindset, able to focus on what truly matters. Being able to do that at home is already not easy, but it is even more difficult and not taken for granted to bring this mentality to expeditions outside Europe: when thrown out of one’s comfort zone, you have to act decisively but without improvisation."

The expedition aimed to climb both Broad Peak and K2: an ambitious goal achieved as a team, since Tommaso Lamantia reached the summit of K2, while Gian Luca Cavalli and Cesar Rosales summited Broad Peak.

"I’m sure that by joining such an adventure, everyone dreams of reaching the summits of all the mountains, but it’s not easy because you have to respect acclimatization times. From what I understand, acclimatization is a delicate and very personal process, requiring proper timing and adequate rest, which at Base Camp altitude is neither obvious nor the same for everyone. But putting aside the difficulties of high-altitude stay, the mountain is ultimately in charge: good weather is something that has little to do with its true essence—being a decidedly inhospitable place, especially at high altitudes.
The idea of climbing Broad Peak and K2 one after the other is tempting and exciting, and it’s not wrong because it allows acclimatizing on a lower, simpler 8000-meter peak. Obviously, K2 is the real target, so if you don’t get off Broad Peak quickly enough, you risk missing the operational windows to climb K2. If you aim first for K2, it’s hard to maintain concentration for the other mountain, which is simpler and lower but by no means easy."

What success rate did you assign to this expedition?

"Despite the participants' limited high-altitude experience, I had no doubts about their abilities and that they would all reach the summit. The ambition of climbing both peaks was, in my opinion, justified, since the technical difficulties aren’t high and there’s no real isolation. However, a favorable season is needed, and everything must go well. If the weather turns against you, even with plenty of time at Base Camp, the chances of success drop quickly. In short, in the mountains you need some luck too, although as Pasteur said: luck favors prepared minds. From this point of view, experience plays an important role, along with some boldness and determination."

How did it go this year?

"The weather definitely didn’t help. The first useful window was at the end of July, and it turned out to be more or less the only one. Tommaso took full advantage of it, planning the ascent in the most appropriate way: not trying to make a single push from Base Camp to Camp 3, which isn’t easy, especially without high-altitude experience. Gianluca and Cesar were on Broad Peak during those days and rightly wanted to complete that climb. The lack of sufficient time afterward to attempt K2 was partly due to fate disrupting plans."

Do you think this achievement can add value to the Accademico and inspire others?

"Mountaineering is a very personal matter, even more so outside Europe. That said, adventures that inspire other climbers are definitely useful. However, I think the audience truly interested in K2 is quite limited, because the figure of the 8000-meter peak collector has somewhat gone out of fashion. Young climbers are certainly more interested in big rock walls, where they might feel more at ease.
I also have the impression that fewer people are pursuing extra-European adventures, perhaps due to organizational or budget issues... and also because there’s some fear in embarking on an adventure that, at least the first few times, strongly affects entire seasons and daily life. An expedition is obviously not for everyone and holds many unexpected surprises.
Climbing an 8000-meter peak is always an important experience that completes a mountaineer’s profile. Those who climb mountains, especially very high ones and in solitude and autonomy, come down with greater self-awareness. This is true also for those who participate in the organization and the climb, regardless of whether they reach the summit. So these adventures and successes are very welcome. Having people in the Accademico so committed to pursuing a dream can only be beneficial and keeps the group vibrant."

 

Stefania Modica, Tommaso’s wife, closely followed every phase of the expedition. She supported Tommaso’s training and sacrifices prior to departure, and was able to experience the climb remotely thanks to satellite communications. Were you able to receive accurate and timely updates?

"Yes, I would say so. Fortunately, thanks to the satellite system, we were able to exchange several text messages that were always clear and concise. We had to keep them short, otherwise the messages would arrive fragmented and difficult to understand. There were perhaps only two calls over the course of two months, each lasting just a few minutes — but it was better than nothing."

What did you tell him before he left, and what did you say once he returned home?

"Even before he left, I told him: this has been your dream ever since we met, so you need to fully commit to the training and preparation, because nothing about this will be easy. Remember, it’s a sacrifice not only for you who are leaving, but also for those who stay behind waiting. Always use your head, and bring that summit home. Then, just two days before Tommaso’s departure, I found out I was pregnant and I told him. So there would actually be two of us waiting at home — one more very good reason to be cautious. During those times when the weather conditions seemed to offer no opportunity at all, I would write to him: even Bonatti didn’t make it to the summit, and yet he remains one of the greatest mountaineers in history. When he came back home, I didn’t say anything particularly emotional, because I’m quite reserved and not very expressive. But I never doubted his abilities. I know exactly how stubborn he is, and I knew he would make the most of even the last narrow window of sunshine to reach the summit."

How did you experience these months?

"These months actually went by quite quickly. Fortunately, work kept me busy all day, so my daily routine didn’t change much. In my free time, I would go climbing with friends or meet them for a pizza. I have to say they were very supportive, and I’ll always be grateful for that. The only difficult part was the first medical appointments for our baby. I felt sad not to have him by my side and to not be able to share those emotions with him — but we’re making up for it now."

What kind of emotions did you experience during the crucial hours of the summit attempt?

"When he told me he was setting off for the summit push, I was filled with hope that luck would be on his side. I'm not religious, but in moments like that, you find yourself praying — to whoever or whatever — that everything goes well. Those were very tense hours: I tried to keep myself busy, but I would rush to my phone with my heart pounding every time a message came through. When he wrote that he had reached the summit, I was happy, but not yet at ease — I’m well aware that most accidents happen during the descent. I told him he had done something incredible, and to gather every last bit of strength and focus to make it down safely. When he finally messaged from base camp, I could truly relax."

Even Tommaso’s father, Lino Lamantia, and mother, Luisa Franzetti, followed their son’s adventure from afar. On a scale from 1 to 10, how worried were you?

"10! Although we were fully aware of his preparation and good judgment, we were always afraid of unforeseen events."

How did you experience Tommaso’s expedition?

"At first, we were quite calm, but when we learned there would be a weather window and that he would attempt to reach the summit, we started losing sleep at night. We were most worried about the descent, which is more dangerous than the ascent. We truly followed the key moments of his expedition live. It was different from usual because the other times he undertook major adventures or challenging climbs, we found out only after the fact, so with relatively little concern. But you understand well that with such a daring son, one can never be fully at ease!"

And then came the news of the summit! How did you feel?

"The emotion we felt was great joy because his happiness is also ours. It’s also, let’s be honest, a great pride—such an important achievement doesn’t happen every day. Now there is another joy coming into our lives: we are expecting our granddaughter Olivia!"

 

We also spoke with Matteo Della Bordella, a skilled climber from the Scarpa® team, who is usually in the field during expeditions — not following from home.
Matteo, you’ve known Tommaso for a long time and have climbed together in the Alps. When he told you he was going to attempt K2, what was your reaction?

"I thought he was finally ready to try and make one of his biggest dreams come true. Ever since I’ve known him, he’s talked about K2, so I said to myself: ‘Ah, finally he’s going for it!’ I thought: Time is now! I’m not involved in the world of 8000-meter peaks, but I knew that Tommy also had no prior experience at such high altitude. It was highly likely he wouldn’t succeed, but I figured that even so, he would gain a valuable experience for the future."

Did you give him any advice on how to approach the expedition?

"My advice was to stay calm, take his time, and conserve energy at the beginning, because the expedition would be long and physically and mentally demanding."

How did you support him while he was in Pakistan?

"When a friend is on an expedition, I often check the weather and conditions in the area, because it helps me better understand what they’re facing. With Tommy, it was exactly like that — I followed most of the expedition from home, and we messaged each other frequently. I tried to put myself in his shoes and offer whatever advice I could from the perspective of an outside alpinist — not directly involved, but still well-informed about the conditions and what was happening on the mountain."

And then you left for Greenland.

"Yes, I left for Greenland just before his summit attempt, and at that point I was fully immersed in my own expedition. In the last few messages we exchanged before his summit push, I was honestly a bit concerned. I knew their acclimatization had been far from ideal and full of challenges, but at the same time, I sensed a tremendous determination in Tommy. I tried to test him a little, saying: If I were you, I’d go for Broad Peak instead. He didn’t flinch and simply replied: I’m here for K2 — I’d rather try K2 and fail. That was a true show of determination, and I completely understood where he was coming from. So I told him to stay calm, that his moment would eventually come. After Tommy reached the summit, I was still in Greenland, and we kept in touch. My team and I were facing our own difficulties — we’d already turned back two or three times without success. Then Tommy wrote to me: Hang in there, your moment will come. Looking back, we had a good laugh about it. When I found out he had actually made it to the summit, I was incredibly happy for him. I knew he had fulfilled a lifelong dream. I was also genuinely a bit surprised, because given his limited high-altitude experience and the tough conditions, what he achieved was truly remarkable. He went beyond his limits and showed real skill and class as a mountaineer. But above all, I was — and still am — happiest for a friend who accomplished something that meant so much to him."

Fabrizio Manoni, an Alpine Guide with extensive Himalayan experience, has shared several mountain adventures with Tommaso:

"I met Tommy not long ago. Together with him and Luca Moroni, I opened the challenging Rück&Roll route on the east face of the Mittelrück — an iconic wall for us from Ossola. Later, we were on Monte Rosa together for another project that we have yet to complete. I was already familiar with his impressive resume: through sharing demanding climbs, I had the chance to appreciate his temperament."

Was there anything about K2 that worried you, but you didn’t have the courage to tell him?

"When he told me he was going to attempt K2, I was worried. I don’t know K2 personally, but I do understand the commercial dynamics and all their harmful effects on mountaineering. I gave him some recommendations based on my experience and the cynicism I have encountered at those altitudes. I wanted to tell him: The Himalayas are amazing, but don’t go to K2. Go climb one of the thousands of other mountains nearby! But I stayed quiet because I feared taking away the great enthusiasm he showed. Besides, I believe everyone needs to form their own opinion, and to do that, they need to experience it for themselves."

And then, quietly, without favorable forecasts or fanfare, Tommaso reached the summit.

"When I heard he had reached the summit despite the failure of the Italian expedition that was about to pack up, I told my friends: if there was one person I would have bet on to make it to the top, it was definitely Tommy. A stubborn guy who hardly ever gives up."

 

Finally, we reached out to Andrea Formagnana, President of CAI Biella and one of the expedition organizers. Although Tommaso reached the summit alone, mountaineering often has a strong social component, and his success was a joy shared by an entire community.

Do you think Tommaso’s achievement can inspire—or at least bring closer—the people of Biella to the mountains?

"The people of Biella have always been passionate about mountains and mountaineering. Biella lies at the foot of the Alps, and for many locals, being forced to leave the city for work or study and not seeing the skyline of their Alps is a source of melancholy. Let us not forget that Quintino Sella, founder of the CAI, was born here — as was his nephew Vittorio, a pioneer of mountain photography (note: Tommaso Lamantia himself works as a professional photographer and designer). Since then, a long tradition of mountaineering and exploratory climbing has taken root here. This tradition includes legendary names like Father Deagostini, Mario and Guido Piacenza, up to Guido Machetto, and more recently Enrico Rosso, Mauro Penasa, and Gian Luca Cavalli. He was the one who involved Tommaso in the K2 expedition.
I am confident that Tommaso, along with the young Matteo Sella — who reached 8200 meters on K2 — will inspire younger generations and engage them in this wonderful discipline that is mountaineering."

Do you believe the success of this expedition can add value to the city of Biella?

"Certainly. Since 1954, K2 has been the mountain of the Italians, but it is also the mountain of the people of Biella. Today, after the 2024 expedition strongly supported by our CAI, it is even more so. In 1909, following the Duke of the Abruzzi, there was Vittorio Sella who produced extraordinary photographic documentation of the mountain and the Baltoro Glacier. These images are preserved here at the Sella Foundation. The success of the 1954 expedition was partly based on the study of those photographs. Let us not forget the key role of the Biella academic Ugo Angelino in that expedition, which ended with the first ascent of K2 by Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. That was a collective achievement, a team effort. Angelino was a team man, fundamental in managing the logistics. With the 2024 expedition — with Tommaso on the summit, Matteo reaching 8200 meters, stopped only by a toothache, and Gian Luca Cavalli and Cesar Rosales summiting Broad Peak — I would say Biella reinforces its historic bond with K2 and the magnificent mountains of Baltoro."

What emotions did you experience following the expedition step by step, from preparation to return home?

"I followed every phase of the expedition together with Gian Luca Cavalli, an academic of our section. Actually, even before the idea was fully formed. Gian Luca had just returned from an expedition to the Peruvian Andes where he met the Andean guide Cesar Rosales. Cesar was trained as a guide through the Mato Grosso international cooperation projects. An important role in his training was played by the Biella native Enrico Rosso. So, we can say Cesar can be considered a Biella native by adoption. Back from Peru, Gian Luca told me: 'I’m ready for K2.' Well, for a CAI president, having a climber from the section say something like that can only generate enthusiasm. Driven by that enthusiasm, we set to work to make a dream come true. Moreover, we involved a Biella artist, Paolo Barichello, who is currently exhibiting at Forte di Bard, and who wanted to create a work dedicated to peace to bring to base camp. For us in Biella, mountaineering is an ethical choice and must always carry a message to contemporaries and future generations. I had the fortune to visit Broad Peak and K2 base camps and to welcome our climbers back from their exploits on those mountains. The emotions experienced are unforgettable."

Did you know Tommaso before the expedition?

"I knew of Tommaso’s reputation as a climber and member of the Accademico, and as a photographer, but I didn’t know him personally. He is truly a unique climber, with a distinctive personality and a great deal of charm. It’s impossible not to like him—he has a strong empathetic presence!"