Why K2 is a harder climb than Mt. Everest

[dexter]

Vanessa O'Brien is an expert mountaineer. She is the fastest woman to climb the highest peak on every continent and the first American and British woman to climb K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. Here, we talk with her about why Mt. Everest isn't the hardest mountain in the world to climb, and why so fewer who attempt K2 ever make it to the top.

Following is a transcript of the video. So when comparing Everest versus K2, they are very, very different. First, you have two different countries. You have Nepal versus Pakistan so I'd say technically it's more challenging to get to Pakistan to get the visas, the logistics. You've got different tracks in, so the track into Pakistan to get to K2 base camp involves traveling over a glacier. A glacier is harder to climb, you've got mixed rock, which makes twisting an ankle very, very easy. When you're going up to Everest Base Camp, you're just on a dirt trail so it's very, very easy. Also, when you're traveling on K2, you're packing your whole expedition and you're building tents along the way, when you're traveling to Everest Base Camp, you're staying at teahouses so you don't have to travel in tents. When you're on the actual climb, K2 is shaped like a triangle so it's demanding 110% day one, whereas Everest, there's twists and turns, so it's not always climbing steep. Weather is much more unpredictable on K2 and I would say the technical climbing on K2 is hard so Everest has the Hillary step, which everyone's heard about, that's one obstacle. But for the most part it's pretty — the paths are well laid-out because a lot of people climb Everest every year where K2, there is very few expeditions that climb because there's such an unpredictability of summits. And it's more technical so, it's more of a mixed rock, ice, and alpine climb so you have places like House's Chimney and Black Pyramid, which are hard rock climbs in the middle of an alpine climb. So very, very different. If I look statistically, there's a 40% chance of no summits in any one year so this is a really tough mountain. There's less than 400 summits overall compared to Everest's 7500 summits so just remarkably how much harder K2 is every season that presents itself.

 

[Dalit]

Everest is climbed by grannies. There is no comparison between mighty K2 and Everest.

Climbing K2 successfully is like winning Olympic gold medals. K2 is the undisputed king of all mountains. Nothing comes close. Reaching K2 basecamp is a feat in itself. Just to put things into perspective, the K2 basecamp is higher than mount Kilimanjaro.

K2 is the China Pak pride.

 

[Chauvinist]

Because K2 is Chagori.. Because K2 is a dream of a vagabond and she takes life to let him see that dream of herself Unlike Everest who gets satisfied with a tiny bounty and present herself to everyone like a home made dinner.

 

[Trango Towers]

I have walked the length of the Baltoro glacier all the way up to Concordia just short of base camp. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. The glacier on some days makes you want to cry literally. You walk a little and before you know you are lost as the ice has moved and the short leg of your journey has suddenly become very long. Said noises at night when you camp on the ice.
Picture of me walking towards k2 and my tent on Concordia with Metra peak behind me. It gives you some idea of how tough the Karakoram range and it's glaciers are. One day had to run like hell to avoid the rocks falling on us. Scary

 

[Dalit]

I have walked the length of the Baltoro glacier all the way up to Concordia just short of base camp. It's the hardest thing I have ever done. The glacier on some days makes you want to cry literally. You walk a little and before you know you are lost as the ice has moved and the short leg of your journey has suddenly become very long. Said noises at night when you camp on the ice. View attachment 438600 View attachment 438601 View attachment 438602

The reward is immense.

 

[Trango Towers]

The reward is immense.

Indeed I also did base camp to Annapurna in Nepal. That was hard as it rained every day all day. But Pakistani treks are just wild