Two Italian climbers coming back down Nanga Parbat after losing their leader last week are spending another night on the mountain after running into a blizzard, rescue services said Monday.
The snowstorm has forced them to pitch tent but they have enough food and heating to get along, sources at base camp said.
''They should be OK. They're in good spirits and we're waiting confidently,'' said the head of Italy's Himalayan operations, Agostino Da Polenza.
He said they were ''starting to get a bit tired'' but had shown they were thinking clearly in deciding to take refuge rather than trying to get through the blizzard.
The duo will heat another meal on their camp stove before settling in for the night in the classic heat-conserving 'huddle' position, he said.
The only downside is they had to leave their GPS behind because it was too heavy so they'll have to wait for the weather to clear to make out exactly where they are, Da Polenza added.
There was fear for the pair's lives late last week after they went ahead on a new route up the peak and lost radio contact.
But they are now back in touch and attempting to reach a point on the mountain where they can ski down.
Walter Nones, 34, and Simon Kehrer, 29, told mission radio Sunday they were in good shape and ready to take to their skis.
Last Wednesday Karl Unterkircher, 38, one of Italy's most famous climbers, lost his life when he fell into a ravine on the peak, one of the world's deadliest.
