K2 sits on the border between Pakistan and China. At 8611m (28,250 ft), it is less than 800 feet (250m) lower than Mt. Everest.

The mountain has a rich mountaineering history and you could spend a summer reading books about climbs and attempts on K2.

We will be attempting the Abruzzi Route, which was the route of first ascent by an Italian expedition in 1954. As an American, I must point out that this route was climbed to 8000m by a small team from the USA in 1938, and Fritz Wiessner reached nearly 8300m in 1939. So the Yanks left the last 300m of unexplored terrain for the Italians.

Unlike Everest, which is now the haunt of the inexperienced climber, K2 remains a climber's mountain. No easy route exists to the summit, oxygen is not used by most climbers, and there are not hordes of high-altitude porters to carry gear and fix ropes. After 70 years of attempts, only 15 Americans have reached the summit of K2.

The Route

Base Camp to Advanced Base Camp
 
The approach to Base Camp takes about a week from the trailhead and is described under the Support Trek.Base Camp sits at about 5100m (see the conversion table to the left for feet) on the rocks covering the ice of the Goodwin Austen Glacier. Two hours up a the glacier and through a short, steep icefall lead to Advanced Base Camp, which also sits on the rock-covered glacier at the base of K2.
 

Advanced Base to Camp 1
 
We now begin the actual climb, ascending rocky ribs and snowfields. Below Camp 1 we must traverse beneath some rocky outcrops which expose us to some rockfall danger. Camp 1 itself sits on the spine of the ridge.
 

Camp 1 to Camp 2
 
We continue along rocky ribs to the first major landmark on the route, House's Chimney. First climbed by Bill House in 1938, it's now just a grunt with a large pack. Fifteen minutes above lies the exposed site of Camp 2.
 

Camp 2 to Camp 3
 
Easier climbing above Camp 2 leads to the Black Pyramid, a long stretch of gullies and traverses through the rocky pyramid. Camp 3 sits on snow above the pyramid.
 

Camp 3 to Camp 4
 
We're now on snow and ice, weaving though seracs (ice cliffs) and featureless snow slopes to reach Camp 4 on The Shoulder.
 

Camp 4 to Summit
 
Above the shoulder, the Bottleneck Couloir ascends at angles up to 60 degrees to a traverse below the giant summit ice cliff. The climbing is easier but still steep up sometimes deep snow to the summit.

More photos and video can be found at the Shared Summits site.