K2 peak - description, features and interesting facts

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:47

Peak K2 is a suitable name for the mountain, which has become the second highest on the planet after Chomolungma, and the degree of danger after Annapurna. Beautiful and desirable, she takes a fourth of the lives in relation to the number of those daredevils who conquer her. Few reach the peak, but the failures and death of their predecessors do not frighten the most desperate. The chronicle of ascents to its highest point is the history of victories, defeats, repeated attempts and hopes of the most aspiring and strong climbers.

Name and height

The working designation, which subsequently took root, was given to the peak by pure chance. In 1856, the explorer and cartographer, British army officer Thomas Montgomery, during an expedition to the Karakorum mountain system, marked on the map two peaks seen in the distance: K1, which later became Masherbrum, and K2 - the technical name, which, as it turned out much later, was so successful matches the top. Chogori is the second formal name of the K2 peak, meaning High (Great) mountain in translation from the Western Tibetan dialect.

Until August 1987, the peak was considered the highest on the planet, since measurements beforesince then were approximate (8858 - 8908 m). The exact definition of the height of Everest (8848 m) and Chogori (8611 m) was given by Chinese topographers, after which K2 lost its leadership. Although back in 1861 the same figures were indicated by the first European who approached slope K2, an officer of the British army, Godwin Austin.

First ascent

The 1902 expedition to summit K2 was led by Briton Oscar Eckenstein, famous in the history of mountaineering for inventing the ice ax and crampons, the design of which is applicable to this day. After five serious and costly attempts, the team reached the 6525-meter altitude, spending a total of 68 days in the highlands, which was the undisputed record at the time.

First photo shoot

Second ascent to the summit K 2, 1909 brought glory to the mountain. Prince Ludwig of Abruzzi, a passionate and experienced mountaineer, financed and led the Italian expedition, which reached the 6250-meter mark. The photographs were taken in sepia by professional photographer Vittorio Cell, a member of the group. They are still considered one of the finest images of Chogori. The expedition became world famous thanks to the public demonstration of photographs and, which became winged in the press, the statement of the Prince of Abruzzo that if anyone conquers the peak, it will be aviators, not climbers. That climb remained memorable, and the names assigned to the objects: the Sella Pass, the Abruzzi Ridge, the Savoy Glacier.

First death tribute

The 1939 American expedition had excellentchances to overcome the Great Mountain K 2, but Chogori is unpredictable and cunning. The leader of the group, Herman Weisner, with the guide Pasang, had to master 230 m to the highest point. Sunny weather interfered, turning the last leg of the journey into solid ice, and climbing crampons with part of the equipment were lost the day before. The climbers went without oxygen, and at an altitude of 8380 m it was impossible to stay for a long time. Having failed to win, Weisner and Pasang had to go down to the camp set up at an altitude of 7710 m.

There was only one member of the Dudley F. Wolfie group waiting for them, who was starting to get altitude sickness, and besides, he remained on a cold dry ration for two days. Exhausted from fatigue, the three of them continued to descend to an even lower camp, which they reached at dusk. On the spot it turned out that there was no bivouac equipment. Covered with a tent awning and stuffing their feet into the same sleeping bag, they survived that night. But Dudley became very ill, he could not continue the descent and decided to stay in place to wait for help sent for him by the Sherpas (porters).

Weisner and Pasang reached the base camp half-dead from exhaustion and fatigue. Four Sherpas were sent to fetch Dudley, but Dudley, succumbing to deep apathy, a sign of developing cerebral edema, gave the porters a written assurance that he refused to continue the descent and wished to remain in the camp. It took the Sherpas several days to get up and return with a note. By then, Dudley had been on board for about two weeks. altitude exceeding 7000 m. Weisner again sent three porters for Dudley, but none of them returned back. After 63 years, a Spanish-Mexican expedition found Dudley's remains, which were handed over to his relatives for burial.

Weisner was stripped of his American Alpine Club membership and charged with the deaths of four members of the expedition. Weisner himself, being in the hospital with frostbite, could not speak in his defense. However, after 27 years, he was awarded the title of honorary member of the club.

Memorial K2

The next expedition in 1953, also an American one, waited ten days for a storm at an altitude of 7800 m. The group of eight was led by Charles S. Houston, an experienced climber and physician. He discovered a venous clot on the leg of geologist Art Gilkey. Blockage of the pulmonary vein soon followed and agony began. Not wanting to leave a dying comrade, the group decided to descend. Art was transported wrapped in sleeping bags.

During the descent, all eight people almost died due to a massive fall, which Pete Schaning managed to stop. Wounded climbers stopped to set up camp. The gilks were secured with ropes on the slope, while at some distance from it a place was cut in the ice for a bivouac. When the comrades came for Arthur, they found that he was not there. It is still unknown whether he was swept away by an avalanche or whether he did so on purpose to save his comrades from a burden.

After the descent, Muhammad Ata Ullah, Pakistani team member, in honor ofdeceased friend, erected a three-meter cairn near the base camp. The Gilka Memorial has become a memorial to all those whom the summit of K2 has called for eternity. Until 2017, there are already 85 such daredevils. Despite the defeat and death of a member of the group, the 1953 expedition became a symbol of team cohesion and courage in the history of mountaineering.

First win

Finally, the Italian expedition managed to conquer the summit of K2 in 1954. It was headed by the most experienced rock climber, explorer and geologist Professor Ardito Desio, who by that time was 57 years old. He made strict requirements for the selection of the team, its physical and theoretical preparation. The group included Pakistani Mohammed Ata Ulla, a participant in the 1953 ascent. Desio himself was a member of the Italian group of 1929, and planned the path of his team along its route.

Eight weeks the expedition overcame the Abruzzi Ridge. For the ascent, compressed oxygen was used, the delivery of which was provided to the mark of 8050 m by W alter Bonatti and Pakistani racer Hunza Amir Mehdi. Both almost died after spending the night without shelter at such a height, and Hunza paid with the amputation of frostbitten fingers and toes.

Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni climbed on July 31 the highest point of K2, the most recalcitrant peak. After staying there for about half an hour, and leaving empty oxygen cylinders on the virgin surface, at the seventh hour of the evening they began their descent, which almost ended tragically. Exhausted by weariness and lackoxygen, in the dark the climbers suffered two falls, both of which could be fatal.

About routes

Legendary climber Reinhold Messner, who eventually climbed all 14 eight-thousanders, said that he first encountered a mountain that cannot be climbed from either side. Messner came to this conclusion after he failed in 1979 trying to overcome the southwestern ridge, which he called the Magic Line. He climbed to the top via the Abruzzi ridge, a standard route for pioneers, after which he declared that the conquest of Everest is a walk compared to K2. Today there are ten routes, of which some are very difficult, others are incredibly difficult, and others are simply overwhelming and have not yet been overcome twice.

Very difficult

The standard route laid by the Italians climbs 75% of climbers through the Abruzzo Ridge. This is the Southeast Ridge of the Peak, located on the Pakistani side, overlooking the Godwin Austin Glacier.

The Northeast Ridge was climbed in 1978 by an American group. She found her way around a difficult stretch of rock covered with long cornices that ends above the very top of the Abruzzo Ridge.

The Chesen route along the South-South-East Ridge, after two attempts by American and Slovenian climbers, was laid by a Spanish-Basque team in 1994. This is a safer alternative to the standard route via the Abruzzo Ridge,because it avoids the Black Pyramid, the first big obstacle in the path of the Abruzzi.

Incredibly complex

The route from the Chinese side along the Northern Range, almost opposite the Abruzzo Ridge, was laid by a Japanese group in 1982. Despite the fact that the path is considered successful (29 climbers reached the summit), it is rarely used, partly due to the difficulties of passing and problematic access to the mountain.

Japanese route through the Western Range was laid in 1981. This line starts on the distant Negrotto Glacier, passing through unpredictable rock groups and snowfields.

After several attempts on the South-South-East Ridge, the Magic Line or Southwest Pillar was defeated by a Polish-Slovak trio in 1986. The route is technically very demanding and is considered the second most difficult. The only successful ascent after 18 years was repeated by a Spanish climber.

Not yet repeated routes

The Polish Line on the South Face, called a suicidal route by Reinhold Messner, is such a difficult and avalanche route that no one else ever considered trying it again. Passed in July 1986 by the Poles Jerzy Kukuczka and Tadeusz Piotrovsky. The route is considered one of the most difficult in the history of mountaineering.

In 1990, a Japanese expedition climbed the Northwest Face. It was the third of the northern routes from China. One of the two previous ones was also laid by Japanese climbers. This path is practically knownvertical snowy squares and a chaos of rock heaps, accompanying to the very top.

The 1991 ascent by two French climbers on the Northwest Ridge, with the exception of the initial segment, largely repeats the two previously existing routes on the north side.

From the beginning of June to the end of August 2007, the Russian team overcame the steepest western wall. On August 22, 11 climbers climbed the Russian peak K2, passing the most dangerous path, consisting entirely of rock cracks and snow-covered depressions.

Fierce Mountain

Savage Mountain translates as Wild (Primal, Ferocious, Cruel, Merciless) Mountain. So called Chogori mountaineers, because of the extremely difficult ascent and extreme weather conditions. This is what attracts the most fearless heroes to where the top of K2 is located. Many climbers claim that it is technically more difficult than Annapurna, which is considered the most dangerous due to its avalanches. If Annapurna winter expeditions ended in climbing, then none of the three attempts on K2 were successful.

Chogori constantly levies a death tax. And sometimes these are not single, but mass cases. The season from June 21 to August 4, 1986 claimed 13 lives of members of various groups. During 1995, eight climbers died. On August 1, 2008, the simultaneous death of 11 people from international expeditions became the worst disaster on K2. Not returned in totalmountains 85 people.

And if only the dead are counted, then statistics are not kept on limbs amputated after frostbite, mutilations, injuries and fatal diseases that kill after returning. But such facts will not repel the daredevils, obsessed with the passion of climbing. They will always be tempted and attracted by their top K2.