K2 North: No shelter no liberty
Jun 15, 2004 20: 42 EST
Published Jun 13, 2004 12: 02 EST
This weekend the Italian K2 North team is approaching BC. Some teams will skip over Camp 1 all-together and make their first Camp at 6,600m, at the traditional site of Camp 2. They will climb this way to avoid the problems with lack of space at Camp 1. This Friday three Korean climbers were found dead just 200 meters below Camp 2, after an avalanche descended on their tents while they were sleeping. Check out the route map to the left to see how exposed each camp really is.
The Chinese side of the mountain is the less frequently visited side. Historically, teams on this side of the mountain have either been very large or loose-knit groups of smaller international teams working together. There are only 2 established routes on the Chinese side:
North Ridge
First climbed in 1982 by a large Japanese team, this route requires approximately 5,000 meters of fixed line. It is perhaps the most compelling route in the Himalayas – a vast, sweeping ridge running from 17,000 feet to the summit. Due to obstacles at 8,450 meters, the route currently deviates from the ridge at about 7800 meters and traverses across the north face to the North East Ridge.
With the need for so much fixed line and the tendency towards large teams, one primary consideration is the limited camp space at C1 and C4. C1 is typically placed inside a bergschrund (a deep crack in the snow slope) to the right of the ridge.
It is frequently subject to heavy spindrift avalanches, and must be constantly maintained. C4 is sometimes called the "Eagle’s Nest", and has space for only 2 two-person tents. The climbing on the route is primarily ice. It is sustained, but without great technical difficulty and at a moderate angle.
North West Face
First climbed by a Japanese team in 1990, this is a "king traverse" route. Starting from the K2 Glacier, the route climbs to the North West Ridge, then diagonals across the chaotic rock and snow fields of the North West Face to join the North Ridge route to the summit.
Fewer than 200 climbers have summited the world's second highest peak – 198 total. 53 have died. K2's overall summit/fatality rate is 26.77%.
K2 North route compiled by montagna.org and ExWeb, courtesy of montagna.org
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