RP114 K2

RP114 K2

K2, Qomolangma's dangerous little sister, is the highest peak in the Karakoram Mountain Range of Pakistan. At 8,611 meters, it is the second highest mountain in the world. In addition to being the second highest mountain, K2 also has the second highest fatality rate among mountains over 8,000 meters. K2 is deadly. It is nicknamed Savage Mountain because of its fearsome weather. K2 is so dangerous that it has never been climbed in winter.

K2 is a rocky mountain up to the 6,000-meter point. After that, it is covered in snow. It rises very steeply on all sides, making it stand out dramatically in its mountain range. Its steepness, of course, adds to its great difficulty. Anyone attempting to climb K2 must truly climb; this is not a mountain you can hike up.

Who has actually climbed K2? Far fewer people than have tried, that's for sure. The first people known to summit, or reach the top of K2, were Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni. They stood on top of the Savage Mountain on July 31, 1954. This was the fifth serious attempt to climb the mountain, though teams had been trying since 1902!

The next group to summit K2 didn't make it to the top until August 9, 1977. As of today, 302 people have reached the top of K2. However, 31 of those people died on the descent. A total of 80 people have died trying to climb K2, meaning that about 26% of those who attempt K2 never make it back. They are killed by avalanches, rock falls, falling, cold and exhaustion, or they disappear into snowstorms. Mountain climbing is a dangerous sport, and K2 is one of its greatest challenges. Despite its cruelty, there is something about this great mountain that keeps drawing people to it.