K-2 is the second-highest mountain on the earth, at 8611 meters (28,251 ft.) above sea level. It is located in the Karakoram mountains range of Baltistan region in northern Pakistan. Climbers called it Mount Godwin Austen and inborn people of that region call it Chogori. Primarily this mountain exposed in 1856 by Col. T. G. in Karakorum mountain range. How much time it will take to reach the K-2 base camp? Well, it depends on your stamina and effort. But routinely it takes 4-5 days from Askoli village to K-2 base camp. It will take 1 day to reach Askoli from Skardu.
K-2 is daring because approximately 80% climbers reached on the summit and the death rate of summiteers was 10%. The mountain was first time surveyed by the European survey team in 1856. The first serious attempt to climb K2 was undertaken in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein, Allister Crowley, Jules Jacot-Guillarmod, Heinrich Pfannl, Victor Wessely, and Guy Knowles via the Northeast Ridge. After five serious and costly attempts, the team reached 6,525 meters (21,407 ft.).
The next expedition to K2, in 1909, led by Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, reached an elevation of around 6,250 meters (20,510 ft.) on the South East Spur, now known as the Abruzzi Spur. Attempt on K2 was not made until 1938 when the First American Karakoram expedition led by Charles Houston made a survey of the mountain. In 1954 Italian Karakoram expedition led by Ardito Desio finally succeeded in climbing to the summit of K2 via the Abruzzi Spur on 31 July 1954.
If we talk about recent attempts, in 2004, Carlos Soria from Spain became the oldest person (65 age) to summit K-2. In 2008, a group of climbers got trap in an avalanche, four climbers were rescued but 11 were confirmed death. In 2009, no one reached the summit. In 2010, Fredrik Ericsson intended to ski from the summit but fell from 1000 meters and died. In 2011, a team of four climbers reached the summit of K2 from the Northside. Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner became the first woman to complete all 14 eight thousand peaks without supplemental oxygen. In summer 2012, it was a recorded crowd 30 climbers standing on the summit in the whole season. In 2013, two New Zealand climbers (father and son) died because avalanche wiped out the whole camp. In 2014, the first Pakistani climbers scaled K-2. There were six Pakistani and three Italian climbers in the expedition, and called it K-2 60 Years Later, according to BBC.
Weather is very harsh on K2 which makes climbing much more challenging on the two technical sections, house’s Chimney and the Black Pyramid. Once safely pass those, climbers must navigate the narrow Bottleneck couloir, forcing themselves underneath a set of massive sera.
The author and filmmaker who is the only American to climb all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter mountains, including K2 in 1992, said in a phone interview. “As a mountaineer, it’s the total test of your ability, not only technically, but endurance, patience, and your willingness to get slapped in the face repeatedly by the mountain go down, regroup, and go back up.”
