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On August 4th, 2009, American ski mountaineer Dave Watson became the first person to ski the bottleneck and upper shoulder of Pakistan's 28,251-foot K2. German mountaineer Hans Kammerlander may have skied from the summit in 2001 (accounts vary), but for Watson, the accomplishment wasn't about claiming a first descent. "I was fully under the impression that he [Kammerlander] had already skied it," he says. "My main goal was to try and ski up high on the shoulder. To make turns up there would be the raddest thing I could do."

A native New Englander, Watson first tested his Himalayan climbing skills with a successful Mt. Everest bid in 2004. He summitted Everest again in 2006 via the North Ridge and skied from above 23,000-feet. He spends his winters at Gulmarg, a ski resort in Indian Kashmir, teaching guides about avalanche safety and guiding technique, and training in the high altitude mountains around the ski area.

In 2008, Watson returned to the high peaks and skied from 26,000-feet on nearby Broad Peak. Watson planned to return to Pakistan in 2010 to ski K2's Cesen route, but an unexpected invitation to the mountain early this summer bumped his plans up a full year. With only two weeks to prepare for the expedition, Watson had little time to ready himself—logistically, physically, mentally, or emotionally. "Even at base camp, I still couldn't get it into my head," he says. "My spirit wasn't really tuned in to the mountain."

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Although Watson's initial goal was to climb and ski the Cesen route, he and climbing partner George Dijmarescu decided on the northeastern Abruzzi route for two reasons: Heavy snow and strong winds had loaded the Abruzzi ridge for ideal ski conditions, and the 2009 season marked the hundredth anniversary of the Duke of Abruzzi's attempt on K2. After chest deep snow stopped the climbers less than 1,000-feet below of the summit, Watson readied himself to ski.

"I didn't think about the skiing until the skis were on my feet and I unclipped the rope. Even those thoughts were just looking at the terrain…gotta turn here, gotta turn there." Watson descended even the challenging bottleneck on autopilot, trusting his experience. "I didn't feel like I was in danger or in a sketchy place, and everything below [the bottleneck] was really mellow, manageable, and comfortable." It wasn't until his final turns into Base Camp that he realized the magnitude of his accomplishment. Many, including teammates, were making quite a big deal about his descent.

Watson speculates that calculated plans and the ability to walk away if necessary led to the success of his expedition. "I wonder if the only reason it did happen is because I wasn't really wanting it to happen? I wasn't forcing those thoughts on the mountain. Whatever happened, happened." Throughout his entire expedition, Watson chose to not push it and remain within his comfort zone, a philosophy that has clearly served him well.

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While Watson believes that ski mountaineering is about pursuing radical lines "on the most incredible mountains on the planet," he balances this desire to challenge himself with mindfulness of his wife, his future, and his climbing partners. For him, it's always been about combining skiing and climbing on a big mountain scale while working within an appropriate level of risk.

Watson will soon begin a speaking tour, sharing the story of his expedition with communities throughout the country. While he has no expeditions scheduled for next year, he plans to focus on rock and mixed climbing. He hopes to return to the Himalaya in 2011 for an expedition to Nepal's Makalu, the world's fifth tallest peak, which has never been skied. Follow Dave's next adventure at K2tracks.com.