American, Japanese Climbers Die on Mt. Fuji

K2 has never been conquered in the winter

(NEWSER) - A Russian team of mountain climbers is undertaking an expedition that no human has ever accomplished—scaling K2 ... during winter. The 15 adventurers will face temperatures colder than 50 below zero and ferocious 40mph winds in an attempt to ascend the second-highest peak in the world, which lies on the border of China and Pakistan. What's behind the attempt? Winter conquests of the planet's 14 "eight-thousanders" (mountains more than 8,000 meters, or five miles, tall) are coveted feats in the sport of mountaineering, reports the AP . More»

Takashi Ozaki became ill during climb

(NEWSER) - A Japanese mountaineer has died tragically close to Mount Everest’s peak. While attempt to reach the 29,035-foot summit, Takashi Ozaki, 59, became ill; he was headed down the slopes when he collapsed at a height of 28,200 feet, the AP reports. Ozaki, who’d been scaling the mountain with an international team, is the third to die on the mountain this year. In 1996, Ozaki became the first climber to summit Mt. Hkakabo Razi, Myanmar's highest peak at 19,294 feet. Officials expect to retrieve his body from a lower camp tomorrow via helicopter. (Click to read about another death on Everest, just days ago .) More»

Scotsman able to stand after plunge from summit

(NEWSER) - After Adam Potter lost his footing and fell 1,000 feet down one of the steepest mountain ridges in the Scottish Highlands, rescuers expected to find a corpse. Instead, they found the 36-year-old Scotsman standing up and looking at a map. Potter, who tumbled over three cliffs on the way down before he was stopped by a boulder, survived with back injuries, cuts to his face, and whiplash. Rescue workers believe snow helped cushion his fall. More»

Climbers split on wisdom of Jordan Romero's quest

(NEWSER) - Nothing but a treacherous climb up Mount Everest's northeast face now stands between a California teen and his dream of being the youngest person to ever scale the highest peaks on seven continents, but some say that at 13, Jordan Romero is just too young. The boy's body can probably handle the altitude, doctors say, but psychologists and some members of the climbing community fear he may not be old enough to deal with the stress of having to make potentially life-or-death decisions. More»

(NEWSER) - Former Olympic snowboarding champ Karine Ruby of France died yesterday after she and two fellow climbers tumbled into a glacial crevasse while descending Mont Blanc in France. One of her companions survived the fall, but sustained serious injuries and was air-lifted to the hospital. The 31-year-old Ruby, who won a gold medal in 1998 and a silver in 2002, was training to be a mountain guide. More»