K2, also known as the Savage Mountain, is the peak that embodies the true unsophisticated spirit of classic mountain climbing.

Where the Giant Stands

Perched at the edge of the Pakistani and Chinese borders, K2 is in the heart of the Karakoram range. It is named the world’s second-highest mountain, which, at 8,611 meters above sea level, reaches 28,251 feet.

What I am drawn to in terms of its visual appeal is the mountain’s preeminence. It rises 13,179 feet (4,017 meters) straight out of the immediate landscape. That which sets this mountain apart is its very large scale in a small space, which in fact puts it at the 22nd rank in the world for a mountain that has that very steep, almost imposing profile, which even Mount Everest does not have.

The Origin of a Simple Code

Unlike names steeped in local mythology such as Sagarmatha or Chomolungma, which we know by heart, K2 bears a very clinical, almost enigmatic title. The story goes back to 1852 when British surveyor T.G. Montgomerie was producing that first map. He put down the letter “K” for Karakoram range, which at the time was a very broad term, and put the peaks down in the order in which he found them. K2 was the second.

While the name is global, the mountain is known by many names, which vary by which local group you approach. In China, they use the term Qogir, which means “Great Mountain”, and in Tibetan, it is Chogori, which means “Large Mountain. Also, you may come across it put forth as Mount Godwin Austen, which we use to recognise one of the first Western explorers of the area.

A History of Human Achievement and Disaster.

K2’s perils are beyond description. It has a fatal record of about 25%. To put it in perspective, for every four climbers who make it to the top, one does not survive.

• Mount Everest Fatality Rate: ~5%
• K2 (“Savage Mountain”) Fatality Rate: ~25%

The mountain’s history is filled with legendary figures:

• July 1954: An Italian team, which included Ardito Desio, reported the first success, although the climb was a point of dispute and only two of the team put feet on the summit.
• June 1986: Polish climber Wanda Rutkiewicz entered the record books as the first woman to climb K2.
• 2004: Spanish mountaineer Carlos Soria Fontan did the impossible at 65 years old when he reached the top to become the oldest to do so.

Why K2 Remains Unconquered by Commercialism

Everest has become a very commercialised destination, which sees wealthier tourists basically being shuttled up the mountains. K2, on the other hand, does not play that game. What it takes to get through its nearly vertical icy gullies and which weather will present itself is what you have to deal with; that’s what makes it a mountain for the expert, the experienced mountaineer. It is a place where nature still is the boss in every way, which is what we go out there for in the first place.