My Favourite Mountain - K2

I used to know the names of all the eight-thousanders byheart, in order. Not so while ago. And now I realise how peculiar thing it was, when I couldn't find anyone else who is having a favourite mountain. Maybe I am in a wrong forum of life. But, here is about my favourite mountain of them all K2.

K2

Why K2 is my favourite mountain.

K2 is the second highest mountain in far west corner in Himalays. It is Isolated from the rest of the world, deep within Pakistan Himalays. It has a simple shape from a distance, looking like a gigantic pyramid. But, here is a thing, by volume it easily surpass, 100 man made pyramids. The shape itself provides dangers to the climbers, as it is a difficult climb from bottom to top. Here I have to confess that I am yet to climb any of these giants hence I imagine of the view from the top where no birds can fly and flock. No goats can exist and no helicoptors could land. Even humans survive only for few minutes there, although views are breathtaking due to the fact that the sky is beneath you while you are at the top.

It is my favourite mountain, as it is isolated from the rest. Like it has this thing called introverted nature when considering the rest of the lot. I would be dead if I tried to terreck to the basecamp through the Goodwin-Austin glacier. However, If I was there, I wouldn't object to my temptation of climbing it, even if that is the last day of my life on earth. It seems a good way to perish. To be frozen on a cold mountain, to the eternity. I will be freezing and shaking like a fresh fish out of the water, while fingers giving up themselves to frostbite. My mouth will be painfully distorted remembering a cup of coffee and bean soup, which I could have had instead by a warm hearth and a constantly nagging domestic cat. But, at the moment non of these realities exist, unless I can squeeze into fourth diemension and space travel like a pro.

A savage Giant.

There were some interesting facts of its discovery, as it is second peak of Karakoram range identified and measurred by british Surveyer Thomas George Montgomerie in 1856. For a brief period of time there had been a debate for it being highest mountain of earth, as the surveys done on mountains were purely dependent on traingulation and trigenometry, and bounded with human errors. The mountain rises about 3600 meters from its glacial base, making it one of the highest rock faces on earth. Whenever I look at a mountain, in horizon, I imagine the K2 being there comparatively to amaze myself, knowing that would be three times or four times taller and would occupy half of the sky !

Everything else about K2 I have put on a fact sheet. As silent as the mountain is, as savage as it is about 99 climbers have died so far, and biggest disasters were in 1986 and 2008 claiming 13 and 11 lives respectively. Yet, there would be more mountanieers seeking this adventure yearly although mountain itself, do not ask for to be climbed.

K2 Fact Sheet

1. K2 is the second-highest mountain in the world, standing at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet).

2. It is located in the Karakoram Mountain Range on the border between Pakistan and China.

3. K2 is often called "The Savage Mountain" because of its extreme difficulty and dangerous climbing conditions.

4. Unlike Mount Everest, K2 is considered a much more technical climb.

5. The mountain was named K2 during a survey of the Karakoram range. The "K" stands for Karakoram.

6. K2 was first successfully climbed on 31 July 1954 by Italian climbers Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli.

7. Temperatures near the summit can fall below −60°C in winter.

8. For many years, K2 had one of the highest death rates among the world's tallest mountains.

9. K2 is part of a region that contains some of the largest glaciers outside the polar areas.

10. The mountain is a favorite challenge for elite mountaineers because it combines great height, steep slopes, unpredictable weather, and avalanche risk.

Even though K2 is shorter than Everest, many climbers consider it the toughest and most dangerous of the world's 8,000-meter peaks.