As if reaching the summit of Broad Peak — the world's 12th tallest mountain at 26,414 feet — without using oxygen weren't enough, David Roeske helped save the life of a fellow mountain climber during an expedition to the Karakoram Range in Pakistan in July.
Mr. Roeske, associate portfolio manager at hedge fund manager Lyrical Asset Management LP, has the support of his New York-based employer for his mountain climbing obsession.
He and Swedish climbing partner Fredrik Strang initially were targeting K2, the world's second-tallest peak at 28,251 feet, but were stymied by bad weather.
On July 10, they were resting in Camp 3, high on neighboring Broad Peak prior to climbing that summit, when another group of climbers came into camp with news that pre-eminent British climber Rick Allen was lost on the mountain and presumed dead.
But a cook at K2's base camp, who was looking through a telescope at Broad Peak across the valley, spotted a backpack and a man who appeared to be in distress. Videographer Bartek Bargiel had a high-altitude drone with him at the K2 base camp and used it to find Mr. Allen on the opposite slope.
Messrs. Roeske and Strang were the only climbers on Broad Peak rested enough to attempt a rescue. They were led by the drone to a spot parallel to Mr. Allen's position on the steep snowfield.
Mr. Roeske tied himself to the permanent rope lining the climber's path and belayed Mr. Strang across the snowfield to Mr. Allen. Mr. Strang assisted Mr. Allen in climbing back to the climber's route and the trio made their way back to camp on foot.
Mr. Allen suffered scratches to his face from his fall and frostbite from his 36-hour ordeal on the mountainside, but otherwise was unharmed.
The drone video on YouTube shows the dangerous terrain on Broad Peak, Mr. Allen's position from the path and Messrs. Roeske and Strang just prior to the rescue.
Messrs. Roeske and Strang successfully climbed Broad Peak but did not have time to make another attempt on K2.
Mr. Roeske said he was "grateful to be in the right place at the right time to save another person, which is more important than summiting another mountain."
