The K2 is a mountain that is located in the Himalayan system, specifically in the Karakoram mountain range, marking the border between Pakistan and the People's Republic of China. It has a height of 8.611 meters above sea level, which gives it the title of the second highest mountain in the world.
It is geographically located on the Asian continent, south of Pakistan and north of the People's Republic of China, marking the border. Although India claims the region on the grounds that the k2 mountain is completely located in its territory.
The river rises more than 2 km above sea level, remaining only 8 meters above sea level. The highest mountain in the world, said record, is held by the imposing Mount Everest with 8.848 meters above sea level. It also has a high failure rate, which has made it one of the most difficult mountains to climb.
Name
The name has generated intrigue and debate since its creation in 1856, since many people think that he was the leader of the topographical expedition team (Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen) that in the first investigation of the karakorum baptized the mountain. But he was actually a member of that British team.
When Thomas George Montgomerie saw the peaks of the mountain range, he drew them, calling the first ones ¨k1¨ and ¨k2¨, while the others received the name ¨k3¨, ¨k4¨ and ¨k5¨. Shortly after, it was discovered that K1 had the name Masherbrum, so it was also learned that K2 did not have any name.
It was believed that the k2 mountain It did not have any name of local origin because it was really complex to know about its existence, since it was only visible from an area of difficult access, such as the Baltoro glacier. Later the other peaks would be renamed Broad Pea, thus displacing their original names.
The mountain, not having any name of local origin, the idea arose of naming it in honor of the explorer Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen, as Mount Godwin-Austen. Later this idea would be disapproved by the Royal Geographical Society.
However, the Godwin-Austen name would over the years be used on many maps of the area. Even today it is still used on several occasions, both by locals and tourists,
Topographical features of the K2 mountain
One of the most impressive characteristics of the K2 mountain is its imposing height, which with its 8611 meters places it as the second highest mountain in the world, being surpassed only by Mount Everest, which has a height of 8.848 meters.
However, several experts place it in position number 22, among the Mountains higher, arguing that the park is in a very high area. This area is also made up of several mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas (which includes Mount Everest), the Tibetan Plateau and the Karakoram.
Its location is on the continent of Asia, on the border between the People's Republic of China (to the north) and Pakistan (to the south), northeast of the Karakórum mountain range (this being its highest point), forming part of the Himalayas.
The most striking thing about the mountain is perhaps its peculiar almost perfect pyramidal shape and its irregular relief. The river rises to more than 2 meters (approximately) above the glacial valleys located at the base, on its highest side (north side) about 3.000, while on its other sides it rises about 3.200 meters.
In its entirety, it has large snow-covered peaks and constant and steep slopes. The top has a thick layer of snow and glaciers, which added to its extreme climate increases the chances of avalanches that are more frequent in the winter time.
The river has many access routes to the top, with the Abruzzo Spur and the Magic Line being the best known. The first being the most used and the second is perhaps considered the most dangerous mountain route in the world.
Its icy climate, difficult access, height and slopes full of rocks and glaciers mean that your climb to the top is full of possible accidents. Its difficulty in both climbing and descending have made it one of the most dangerous mountains in the world.
Despite its height, it is almost impossible to see it from some towns in the area, due to its location in the mountains. It is also very complex to reach it, because it does not have easily accessible areas, the best option so far is through the Baltoro Valley.
The country does not have a great natural life, due to its extreme conditions it is almost impossible for animal and flora life to occur. At the summit it is already impossible to even see any species of plant or bird due to the low temperatures and little oxygen.
It should be noted that the glacier named after Godwin-Austen (in honor of the explorer) is located in the vicinity of the mountain K2 and from there you have an excellent view of the other mountains.
Experts have concluded that the K2 was formed more than 40 million years ago thanks to the collision of 2 tectonic plates (the Indian and the Eurasian), this is also a product of the fact that the Karakorum is located on the limit of both plates, specifically on the edge of the Eurasian.
history of k2 mountain
Regarding its history, it is taken into account that the K2 mountain was visited by an English topographical group who were exploring the Karakorum mountain range for the first time, taking into account the characteristics that stand out and stand out in the mountainous area.
It receives the name of k2 because it is the second peak in the order, along with other mountain ranges that, following the order, were named k1, k3, k4 and k5. The latter were later assigned a different name.
It is known that in the countries where this imposing natural resource of great magnitude is located, it has different names according to the authorities of the country that considers it part of its territory.
In the People's Republic of China it is daily called Qogir (Chogori), which was maintained as the local name, however this denomination was not used in a generalized way.
The name that the English topographer Thomas George Montgomerie gave to the mountain is still valid today without presenting any type of modification.
The first test of Ascent was registered in the year 1902, carried out by Oscar Eckstein and Aleister Crowley who took the initiative to climb and rise towards the glaciers that characterize this mountain.
It is taken into account that no member of the team managed to reach the summit. Over the years, numerous attempts have been made by various expeditions that sought to reach the top of the K2 mountain.
In 1909, an expedition led by Amadeo de Bayona (Duke of the Abruzzos) was carried out, who managed to climb a height of 6.666 meters. For the time it had been a feat, since no one had been able to reach such a height.
In view of the achievement achieved by the team, the name "the spur of the Abruzzos" was given to the route they decided to choose for the ascent. Through this experience, many climbers followed suit and opted for the route used by Amadeo de Bayona.
Thus discovering that it was the most feasible route to the top. Today, it bears the name of that explorer and is still the route most used by climbers on their way to the summit.
Another of the popular ascent routes of the river is the Magic Line (Magic Line), recognized not precisely for its level of ease of access, but for the difficulty it presents. Route that has undoubtedly claimed numerous lives of climbers when deciding to take this path.
Over the years, this route has been considered one of the most dangerous mountain climbing routes in the world. It is currently considered the most dangerous route of any mountain worldwide.
In an expedition carried out in the year 1939 the k2 obtains its first victims, their names Fritz Wissner, Dudley Wolfe, Pasang Kikuli and Pasang Kitar die during the ascent on the Abruzzo spur.
This expedition manages to overcome the challenging challenges offered by the mountain, reaching 8.300 meters high, becoming the first expedition that was a few meters from reaching the top.
For the year 1953, at 7.800 meters high, a team led by Charles Houston is located, who are forced to give up the mission due to the bad weather conditions that did not allow them to advance.
One year later specifically, on July 31, 1954, against all odds, two climbers from an Italian expedition named Lino Lacedelli and Anchille Compagnomi, achieved their desired goal and reached the top.
They were the first two men to reach the top by stepping on the last piece of ice that covers the tip of K2, and thus conquer the second highest mountain on the planet and one of the most dangerous mountains.
The notorious participation of a Pakistani named Hunza Mahdi is taken into account, who had the task of supplying oxygen through cylinders, which allowed the ascent of the expedition to transcend towards the triumph of the conquest of the top.
For the year 1977, the second feat is carried out, a man named Ashrasf Amman, a Pakistani climber, manages to reach the top following the path of the Abruzzo spur. A new route was deployed on the ascent of the new feat being recorded.
This made it the third time the world had been conquered. Carried out by an American team led by James Whittaker, who is known for being the first man of American origin to climb Everest. Who managed to reach the top with total success in the company of John Roskelley and Rick Ridgeway. Until that time, there were many attempts by American climbers but they failed to reach the summit.
For the year 1979 an expedition directed by Reinhold Messner, manages to accomplish what is counted as a fourth feat. This team managed to enter a privileged position, since to date not many expeditions had reached the top.
The 2 expeditions that failed to use the Magic line were British and were led by Chris Bonington. Due to this, many climbers discarded that path as a possible ascent option.
Another expedition from Japan successfully ascended through the north side of the mountain in 1982, led by Iso Shinkai and Masatsugo Konishi, who managed to lift three of their members to the top.
Naoe Sakashita Hiroshi Yoshino and Yurkihiro Yanagisawa were the first 3 men of that expedition to reach the top, while the remaining 4 men of the team managed to step on the top of the summit the next day.
Unfortunately, during the descent, a member of the 7-Japanese team, Yukihiro Yanagisawa, lost his life. Ending like this, only 6 climbers made the descent.
Two Spanish expeditions approached each other trying to reach the top, recorded in 1983 unfortunately both without any success. Tiredness and poor conditions made the expeditions give up their attempt to reach the top.
The year 1986 brought with it a wave of popularization, with the arrival of numerous expedition teams captivated by the complexity of conquering the summit and the intention of opening new routes. Most try the most feasible route (the Abruzzo spur).
This event brings as a consequence the discovery of multiple routes of ascent, most of them are complex and not very feasible, due to this, they did not obtain as much fame nor were they the main options when it came to climbing the mountain.
In the midst of the wave of popularization, the first two Spaniards who managed to reach the top through the spur and Abrozzos stand out, their names were Mari Abrego and José María Casimiro. Those who manage to conquer the world through the Magic Line, thus achieving, against all the difficulties and challenges that the route presented, demonstrate that it was possible to reach the summit by that path. Another expedition that manages to stand out was that of the Czech-Polish.
Wanda Rutkiewicz and Liliane Barrard also make history by becoming the first women to reach the top of the mountain. That same year a total of 27 people manage to reach the top of the k2.
But in 1986 not everything was joy, success and celebration. That same year the largest number of tragedies in the world is also recorded, achieving an alarming figure of 2 climbers of different nationalities who lose their lives trying to conquer the mountain.
The year 1995 is also tragic since several losses are also counted. Among them, those of the mountaineers Javier Olivar, Lorenzo Ortiz and Javier Escartín stand out, who died in the descent after having reached the top as a result of an atmospheric change.
In the year 2004 a very impressive Spanish ascent to the K2 takes place. It was made up of the Catalans Manel de la Matta, Jordi Corominas and Oscar Cadiach, they climbed through the Magic Line, the most dangerous route.
Jordi Corominas manages to reach the top, while his teammates give up after reaching 8.300 meters as a result of fatigue and lack of oxygen. Unfortunately, a member of the Catalan team (Manel de la Matta) lost his life while descending to base camp.
The success of the year also brought Edurne Pasabán, who despite having lost 2 toes due to the extreme cold, managed to be the sixth woman to have reached the summit. She would later be joined by Yuka Komatsu from Japan and Nives Meroi from Italy.
This is how the list of the 8 women who have managed to reach the top of the second highest mountain in the world is completed. She feat that until then she remains one of the greatest feats in the sport of mountaineering.
Until that same year only 246 people had been able to reach the top of the mountain here, only 2 have been able to do it through the Magic Line. While on Mount Everest (up to that date) 4 climbers achieved success.
Notable accidents in the world
the mountain k2 It has been considered along with Annapurna, the most dangerous mountain in the world, defined as such by many climbers. This has been evidenced by its high rate of failures that have claimed the lives of many people over the years.
The most notable tragedies are the 13 deceased already named in 1986, in which the French Liliane and Maurice Barrad, the Poles Dobroslawa Wolf, Woiciech and Tadeusz Piotrowski stand out. The latter would die on the descent, after having climbed the south face with Jerzy Kukuczka for the first time.
That same year, a fatality happened that touched many climbers, but especially the Italians. The 38-year-old explorer Renato Casarotto, after having crossed the Magic line and being only 300 meters from the summit, made what was a smooth descent.
But being only about 20 minutes from what was the base camp, he fell into a crack about 40 meters deep, even though he was rescued, he died in the arms of his compatriot Gianni Calcagno because of of internal bleeding.
In tribute, his body was buried in the same crack that caused his death. 17 years later, the body was found by a Catalan expedition group in intact conditions, then it was taken to the Gilkey Memorial, a place where until now people who lose their lives in the world are worshiped.
On August 2, 2008, a misfortune would happen in the k2 that would remind of what happened in 1986, eleven explorers lost their lives due to an avalanche that would drag and bury them on their descent to base camp.
ladder routes
Today all the sides of the mountain have already been explored, thus finding a variety of ascent routes, all with a wide difficulty in common when climbing to the summit, these paths become complex as progress is made thanks to the extreme conditions in the highest part of the world.
The main climbing routes found on all the faces of the river are: West Face, West Pillar, South Face, South West Pillar and the South-South West path. Being the Southwest pillar, the South face and the South-southwest path the best known by mountaineers.
Magic Line – The Southwest Pillar
A Polish expedition made the first ascent along this route in 1986. This expedition would have a loss. It was not until 2004 that mountaineer Jordi Corominas repeated the feat. This route is known for its level of danger and complexity when climbing.
The Abruzzo spur – South-southwest path
This route is the most frequented by climbers, being the simplest path (in comparison) in the world, this route has obtained the greatest number of successes in climbing attempts. However, it has a considerable number of tragedies.
Polish Line – South Face
It is one of the most dangerous routes on the mountain, called the "suicide route" by the Italian mountaineer Reinhold Messner. In 1986 2 Poles managed to reach the top by this route, one of them (Tadeusz Piotrowski) would lose his life on the descent.
North Ridge of K2 Mountain
This side is rarely used when climbing, this is due to its difficult access, since it has one of the Rivers more complex mountains to cross, it is taken into account that on the north ridge there are usually no more than two expeditions. This route is located on the opposite of the most frequented road (Abruzzo spur).
Movies about the world
Taking into account the peculiar fame that characterizes the K2 mountain, so far four films have been made that reflect its nature and level of complexity in regard to its ascent, Karakoram and Himalayas, K2 the movie, The Summit and Limite vertical.
The latter being the one that has had the most repercussion, since it is a story by Robert King, in which an attempt is made to reflect the danger to which mountaineers are exposed.