K-2 is a rocky mountain up
to 6,000m, beyond which it becomes an ocean of snow. The traditional
route to K-2 base 
camp goes from Skardu, which is linked with Islamabad by a
good road. From Skardu the route goes via Shigar-Dassu-Askole
up to Concordia over the Baltoro glacier.
K-2 was firstly discovered and measured by the Survey of India
in 1856, and first named for English topographer Henry Godwin
- Austen, who explored and surveyed the region.
K-2 is taken from the first letter of Karakoram, and the number
indicates that it was the second peak in the range to be measured.
K-2 was firstly climbed on July,31 1954 by Italian climbers
team lead by Ardito Desio and accompanying him were Lino Lacedelli
and Achille Compagnoni. A March 1987 measurement of K-2 indicated
that it might be higher than Everest, but later that year,
Everest was re-measured by a similar method and found to be
778 ft (237m) taller. |
