The second highest mountain in the world next to Mount Everest, K2 is located on the borders of Pakistan and China in the Himalayan mountain range. Only accessible through Pakistan, K2 is separated by 65 miles of rugged mountainous terrain from the nearest village.
Reaching the Summit
The first expedition to successfully reach the summit was led by Italian Ardito Desio in 1954. The second successful climb was not until 23 years later, in 1977, when 1,500 porters accompanied a Japanese crew to the summit. In 1986, three women successfully reached the summit and did so without supplemental oxygen, but two of them died during the descent.
K2 provides an exceptional challenge to climbers, as it experiences severe winter storms that can last several days. The mountain is a consistently steep pyramid and the exposed nature of any route to the summit means that once travelers commit to climbing, descent becomes difficult.
K2 News
Google News: K2 News
ExplorersWeb: Himalaya Winter Special: The Weather and the History (February 1, 2008)
448: K2 Resists To Mountaineers (September 7, 1007)
EverestNews.com: Five Pakistani Die in 50th Anniversary Ascent of K2
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References
Fast Facts
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Also known as "Mountain Austin Godwin"
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First surveyed in 1856Travel Himalayas: K2 Mountain
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2nd highest mountain in the worldTravel Himalayas: K2 Mountain
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Located in the region formerly known as Kashmir
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Local name is Chogori, which means "The Great Mountain"
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First climbed on July 31, 1954, by Italian climbersTravel Himalayas: K2 Mountain
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In 2007, 246 climbers successfully reached the summit using 10 different routesShared Summit: K2: Climbing the Savage Mountain
