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the mountain k2
the mountain k2 is the second-highest
mountain on Earth (after Mount Everest). With a peak elevation
of 8,611 metres (28,251 ft), the mountain k2 is part of the
Karakoram segment of the Himalayan range, and is located on
the border between Pakistan's northern territories, and the
Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China. the
mountain k2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the difficulty
of ascent and the fact that for every four people who reach
the summit, one dies trying. Among the eight-thousanders,
the mountain k2 has the third highest climbing mortality rate.
The mountain k2 was first surveyed by a European survey team
in 1856. Thomas Montgomerie was the member of the team who
designated it "K2" for being the second peak of
the Karakoram range. The other peaks were originally named
K1, K3, K4 and K5, but were eventually renamed Masherbrum,
Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II and Gasherbrum I respectively.
In 1892, Martin Conway led a British expedition that reached
'Concordia' on the Baltoro Glacier. The first serious attempt
to climb K2 was undertaken in 1902 by Oscar Eckenstein and
Aleister Crowley via the Northeast Ridge, but after five serious
and costly attempts, the team could only reach up to 6525
meters (21,410 feet). The failures are attributed to a combination
of questionable physical training, personality conflicts,
and poor weather conditions — of 68 days spent on K2
(at the time, the record for longest time spent at such an
altitude) only eight provided clear weather.
The next expedition to the mountain k2 in 1909, led by Luigi
Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi, reached an elevation of around
6,250 m (20,500 ft) on the South East Spur, now known as the
Abruzzi Spur (or Abruzzi Ridge). This would eventually become
part of the standard route, but was abandoned at the time
due to its steepness and difficulty. After trying and failing
to find a feasible alternative route on the West Ridge or
the North East Ridge, the Duke declared that the mountain
k2 would never be climbed, and the team switched its attention
to Chogolisa, where the Duke came within 150 m (500 ft) of
the summit before being driven back by a storm.
The next attempt on the mountain
k2 was not made until 1938, when an American expedition led
by Charles Houston made a reconnaissance of the mountain. They
concluded that the Abruzzi Spur was the most practical route,
and reached a height of around 8000 m (26,250 ft) before turning
back due to diminishing supplies and the threat of bad weather.
The following year an expedition led by Fritz Wiessner came
within 200 m (650 ft) of the summit, but ended in disaster when
four climbers disappeared high on the mountain.
Charles Houston returned to K2 to lead the 1953 American expedition.
The expedition failed due to a storm which pinned the team down
for ten days at 7800 m (25,590 ft), during which time Art Gilkey
became critically ill. A desperate retreat followed, during
which Pete Schoening saved almost the entire team during a mass
fall, and Gilkey was killed, either in an avalanche or in a
deliberate attempt to avoid burdening his companions. In spite
of the failure and tragedy, the courage shown by the team has
given the expedition iconic status in mountaineering history
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