Olympic Snowboarder Dies in Climbing Accident

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»

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) - An American climber and his Japanese colleague have been found frozen to death on Mount Fuji, AP reports. Authorities believe the men, reported missing last weekend, perished on their way down from the summit. The deaths on the famous mountain follow those of ten elderly hikers who died of exposure while climbing a mountain on Hokkaido island last week. More»

(NEWSER) - Two experienced climbers died this week trying to summit Mount McKinley, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The pair plunged at least 2,000 feet from the 20,320-foot mountain, North America’s tallest peak. Officials say it’s unclear whether the men reached the summit before their fall on Thursday or why they were on a particularly treacherous route not usually used by climbers. About 1,200 climbers attempt McKinley each year, and a handful of deaths usually result. More»