K2 mountain

15 Stories

She Tried the Big 14 Last Year and Failed. Now, Success

Kristin Harila, Tenjen Sherpa summit at K2, scale world's highest mountains in record 92 days

(Newser) - A Norwegian woman mountain climber and her Nepali Sherpa guide have set a new record by scaling the world's 14 highest peaks in 92 days, a Pakistani mountaineering official said. On Thursday, Kristin Harila and Tenjen Sherpa summited K2 on the Chinese-Pakistani border in the Karakorum Range—considered to...

Famous Mountaineer Now Considered Dead

Pakistan officials make statement about 3 climbers who went missing on K2

(Newser) - Three mountaineers who went missing earlier this month while attempting to scale the world’s second-highest mountain, K2, should now be considered dead, Pakistani officials said Thursday. The announcement brings closure to a dramatic snowbound rescue effort on one of the most dangerous mountains to climb in the world. K2...

With 3 Climbers Missing, the Rest Are Forced Down K2

Pakistan suspends winter ascents, effective immediately

(Newser) - Climbers managed to reach the top of the world's second-highest mountain in winter for the first time in January , but no more will be able to attempt it. Pakistani authorities on Wednesday suspended all winter ascents of K2, effective immediately, after three climbers went missing while attempting to scale...

Bid to Make Climbing History Ends in Tragedy

Spain's Sergi Mingote dies trying to scale K2 in winter; a different group made it

(Newser) - For the first time, climbers have reached the top of the world's second-highest mountain in winter. But the feat comes after yet another tragedy on Pakistan's K2. Reuters reports that a team of Nepalese climbers reached the summit together on Saturday. The celebration was muted, however, by news...

No One Has Climbed K2 in Winter. This Year, 55 Will Try

Push is on to claim 'one of mountaineering's last great prizes'

(Newser) - About 1 in 4 people who climb K2, the world's second-highest mountain, die in the process. That's compared to about 4% of those who climb Mount Everest, which is 800 feet taller but less of a challenge for mountaineers. And the 28,251-foot-tall K2 is the only one...

Bodies of Missing Climbers Found on 'Killer Mountain'

Searchers confirm silhouettes spotted on Nanga Parbat are bodies of Tom Ballard, Daniele Nardi

(Newser) - Two weeks after they went missing on the world's ninth-tallest mountain , the bodies of British climber Tom Ballard and Italian Daniele Nardi have been found on Nanga Parbat, Pakistan's so-called "Killer Mountain," reports the Guardian . Wrote Italy's ambassador to Pakistan: "With great sadness I...

In 5 Days, No Word From Climbers on 'Killer Mountain'

Tom Ballard, Daniele Nardi last known to be between Camps 3 and 4

(Newser) - A snow-covered tent has been the only possible sign of two climbers missing on the world's ninth-highest mountain since Sunday. A flash of reddish-orange fabric amid a sea of white was spotted Thursday during a helicopter search of Pakistan's 26,660-foot Nanga Parbat, which also turned up evidence...

It Was 'One of Most Daring Rescues in Mountaineering History'

Team from K2 flies to nearby 'Killer Mountain' and saves a stranded climber

(Newser) - Veteran Polish climber Krzysztof Wielicki was leading an expedition up the renowned Himalayan K2 summit in January when he got word by satellite phone that two climbers were in trouble—on another mountain. The 68-year-old Wielicki tells Outside that he saw only one choice: He needed to organize a quick...

Climber Attempts 'Suicidal' K2 Ascent, Quickly Changes Mind

Denis Urubko abandoned team after argument, is forced back to base camp

(Newser) - A climber who abandoned a Polish team following a dispute with fellow mountaineers to attempt a solo ascent of K2, the world's second-highest peak, returned to base camp on Monday because of bad weather, reports the AP . The news dispelled concerns expressed by the other climbers after Denis Urubko...

After a Dramatic Rescue, a 'Terrible and Painful Decision'

Climber declared dead on 'Killer Mountain'

(Newser) - Climbing partners Elisabeth Revol and Tomasz Mackiewicz are believed to have achieved their goal of reaching the summit of Pakistan's notorious "Killer Mountain" in winter—but at a terrible cost. The pair called for help from Nanga Parbat on Friday and Revol, a French national, was brought down...

The World's 10 Deadliest Peaks

Eiger tops the list, with the appropriate nickname "murder wall"

(Newser) - Would you be willing to climb a mountain charmingly nicknamed "murder wall"? If the moniker doesn't give you pause, its ranking as the most dangerous mountain in the world might do it. But hey, there are still nine other, slightly-less-dangerous peaks to tackle, in ranges from Pakistan...

15 to Attempt Daring Climb of K2

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...

Charity Bestseller 'Pack of Lies'
 Bestselling Memoir 
 a 'Pack of Lies' 
investigation

Bestselling Memoir a 'Pack of Lies'

Greg Mortenson 'fudged facts,' treats charity like 'personal ATM': journo

(Newser) - A bestselling memoir about an American's efforts to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan has been lashed as a " pack of lies " in a 60 Minutes investigation. In Three Cups of Tea, author Greg Mortenson wrote about his experience being nursed to health by Pakistani...

Atop Deadly K2, Climbers Hit Perfect Storm of Tragedy

11 deaths make worst climbing incident since 1986

(Newser) - This weekend’s disaster on K2, in which 11 climbers lost their lives on the world’s second-highest peak, was one of the climbing’s greatest tragedies. Though “the weather was perfect” when climbers set off Friday, the New York Times takes a look at how the treacherous slopes,...

10 Climbers Dead, 3 Missing After K2 Avalanche

Avalanche strands climbers of world's second-highest mountain

(Newser) - At least 10 climbers were killed and three were missing after an avalanche on the world’s second-highest mountain in the Himalayas this weekend, Reuters reports. Teams of climbers reached K2’s peak, but at least two died on the way. An avalanche later killed five more and knocked out...

15 Stories