Historical Moments and Tragic Chapters on K2

Seventy years ago, on July 31, 1954, the first ascent of K2 was achieved. The South Tyrolean extreme mountaineer Hans Kammerlander made three attempts before finally reaching the summit of K2 in 2001. In this book, he recounts the history of the second highest mountain in the world and reflects on the ethics of high-altitude climbing. The most difficult of all eight-thousanders is located in Pakistan and continues to attract climbers magnetically: while they once climbed with rudimentary equipment, today they use high-tech gear to conquer the perfect pyramid. This does little to change the danger of K2: tragic fatalities still overshadow spectacular achievements, and expedition tourism is currently altering the "Mountain of Mountains." The comprehensive chronicle of K2 presented here by Hans Kammerlander and Walther Lücker is essential reading for all mountain enthusiasts.