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History of K2 Climb

K2 Expedition

By SummitPublished 2 years ago 3 min read
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History of K2 Climb
Photo by Daniel Born on Unsplash

K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen or Chhogori, is the second-highest mountain in the world, after Mount Everest. It is located on the border of Pakistan and China. K2 is the highest point of the Karakoram range and the highest point in both Pakistan and Xinjiang. With a peak elevation of 8,611 meters (28,251 ft), K2 is part of the Himalayan Range system extending across Asia. K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of ascent and its high fatality rate also due to extreme weather conditions on its slopes.

The name K2 is derived from the notation used by the Great Trigonometric Survey of British India. Thomas Montgomerie made the first survey of the Karakoram from Mount Haramukh, some 210 km to the south, and sketched the two most prominent peaks, labeling them K1 and K2. K2 has about one-fifth of the number of successful summits as Mount Everest, but unlike Everest has never been "commercially" climbed and still retains a large degree of difficulty.

The first recorded expedition to attempt K2 was led by British Army officer William Martin Conway in 1892. The summit was finally reached in 1954 by an Italian expedition led by Ardito Desio. The summit party comprised Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. In 1978, a Japanese expedition led by Naomi Uemura became the first to reach the summit solo, without supplemental oxygen or support from porters. The mountain has been climbed successfully by more than 500 people; about 80 have died attempting it. It is more difficult and hazardous to reach the peak of K2 from the Chinese side; thus, it is usually climbed from the Pakistani side. Trekking poles, Ice axe with leash, 4 non-locking carabiners, 2 locking carabiners ( 1 large and 1 small), 6mm accessory cord and climbing harness are climbing equipment necessary for climbing k2. SummitClimb will provide meal three times a day in every trips. Manaslu, Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, Everest, Island Peak, Lobuche are some of the trips offered by SummitClimb.

K2 has been nicknamed "The Savage Mountain" because of its steep terrain and frigid temperatures. Many people see K2 as the ultimate goal of a mountaineering career.Because of the difficulty level, it is only advised that experienced climbers try to climb K2, and even those with experience can find themselves in extreme danger while climbing this mountain.

When you are preparing to climb K2, it is extremely important that you gather the right equipment. Although you will use similar equipment as when you climb Mount Everest, there are some small differences that can make a big difference during your journey. First, the oxygen tanks for climbing K2 should be larger and more plentiful than the ones used for climbing Mount Everest. This is because at higher altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air and more pressure on your body. While an oxygen tank may last one day on Mount Everest, it might only last a few hours on K2. Harnesses and ropes should be double-checked before departing on your expedition. It is important to have multiple pairs of crampons designed to help you grip the ice and snow when scaling the mountain and other equipment like locking carabiners (1 large and 1 small), Ice axe with leash, 6mm accessory cord, and trekking poles. (The equipments list source is from SummitClimb website.)

From the Pakistan side, the Abruzzi Spur (South East Ridge) is the normal route on mount k2. You have to go through camp 1 at 6050 m (20000 ft), camp 2 at 6700 m (22000 ft), camp 3 at 7200 m (23500 ft), camp 4 at 7600 m (25000 ft), and finally summit at 8611 m (28250ft).

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