The History Of K2
The Second Highest Mountain
The local name of K2 is Chogori, which in Balti language approach the king of mountains. This call is little regarded outdoor of Pakistan. It is, consequently, suited that - K2 be used.
K2 has variously been described as the "incredible", "killer" and "savage" mountain. This is because of it is massiveness in size and the numerous unsuccessful tries made on it by various expeditions, which include many American expeditions, who've made quite some unsuccessful tries.
K2 is a rocky mountain up to 6000 meters, beyond which it becomes an ocean of snow. The K2 peak is situated at the Pak-China border within the potent Karakoram variety. The conventional course to its base camp goes from Skardu, that's connected with Islamabad via a good road. From Skardu the direction goes thru Shigar-Dassu-Askole as much as Concordia over the Baltoro glacier. The actual height of the height is 8,611 meters/28,251 toes.
It turned into in 1856, when the British have been imposing their manage over India, upsetting the 1857-War-of-lndependence, that a young Lieutenant of the Royal Engineers, T.G. Montgomerie, was quietly busy in surveying the mountains of Kashmir. During this survey he noticed, in the a long way distance, a tall and conspicuous mountain within the direction of the Karakorams and right now named it K1 ('K' stands for Karakorams). Later on, it grew to become out to be the lovely mountain of Hushe valley in Khaplu place of Baltistan, referred to as Masherbrum with the aid of locals. He also saw another tall and dominating summit in the back of K1 and named it K2, which turned out to be "Chogori". The call K2, however, nevertheless stands.
Lieutenant Montgomerie became an excellent surveyor. He become the person that planned and organized the survey of Kashmir. He become additionally an unofficial political adviser to Gulab Singh, the then Maharaja of Kashmir. After Gulab Singh's death in 1857, Montgomerie continued his survey work as he carried the equal affect with Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the successor of Gulab Singh. Montgomerie skilled many locals in surveying. His students did desirable reconnaissance work in faraway regions forbidden to foreigners due to neighborhood suspicions. A famous however unlucky pupil of his changed into Muhammad Hameed.
In 1860, Captain Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen, of the Survey of India, went to the Baltistan place and surveyed the well-known Shigar and Saltoro valleys. This significantly contributed to the expertise of the region. He was an officer in the 24th Foot Battalion, later the South Wales Borderers, and had also served in the Second Anglo- Burmese War in 1852. Earlier, he had joined Montgomerie at a survey station in Kashmir in 1857. He also surveyed the Kajnag range in southern Kashmir and become the primary to position Gulmarg on the map. In 1858-59, he surveyed jap Kashmir including Jammu. In 1861, he started from Skardu and entered Braldu valley from Skoro-La (five,043m). He then climbed and surveyed the Chogo-lungma, Kero Lungma, Biafo and Panmah glaciers. It was from Kero Lungma that Godwin-Austen climbed the Nushik pass (4,990m/1 6,371 feet) and is said to have entered the fifty three-km-long Hispar glacier. He became perhaps the first European to reach it. He, but, did not survey it. He was considered as one of the finest mountaineers of the day, had great energy of endurance and became immensely brave. It is a delusion that the K2 height, which became erroneously called Godwin-Austen height, turned into located by using him. It is, but, a truth that he explored the gateway to K2 (the Baltoro glacier), at the side of well-known glaciers consisting of Godwin-Austen glacier. This changed into indeed his high-quality contribution to the geography of the location.
Another famous explorer of the place turned into Francis Younghusband (later knighted), a stated soldier and thrill-seeker. Showing his courage and tenacity in 1887, he crossed the Gobi wilderness from Peking and entered India through crossing Mustagh skip. It changed into in the course of this journey that he saw K2. In this way he was the first European to go Mustagh bypass. He become additionally the primary European to set eyes on K2 from the northern side. His guide in this inward journey become a former resident of Askole village, situated on the begin of Baltoro glacier, who have been dwelling on the opposite aspect of the mountain for a totally long term. When he entered the village of Askole along with his manual, Younghusband turned into prolonged due courtesies. His guide become, however, appeared down upon because he had proven a foreigner the feasible course of invasion. Subsequently in 1903-4, Sir Francis Younghusband became the top of the well-known mission to Tibet.
It became likely for the first time in 1902 that an prepared excursion of Oscar J.L. Eckenstein traveled to K-2 from Baltoro glacier. The expedition became without any guide. Its intention was to discover tactics to the mountain and likely have a try on the height. It become, but, harsh climate which averted it from trying the peak. The birthday party, but amassed beneficial information about the higher Godwin-Austen glacier which become used as a stepping stone with the aid of expeditions in later years. Two participants of the excursion - one a Swiss by the name of Dr. Jules Jacot Guillarmot and the other an Austrian by using the call of Dr. V. Wesseley - succeeded in reaching 6523 meters (21,400ft) at the north-jap ridge of K-2. The party also ascended Skyang La (6150 meters) to examine mountaineering possibilities of Skyang Kangri height (7544 meters). Eckenstein become the primary mountaineer who applied the concepts of engineering to mountaineering and its equipment in Pakistan.
In 1909, a big Italian day trip underneath the leadership of resolute Luigi Amadeo Giuseppe (Duke of Abruzzi) the grandson of King Victor Emmanuel II of Italy, reconnoitred K2. Its participants produced a superb account of the expedition with pix and accurate maps of Baltoro location. The Duke, however, rejected the southern and western ridges of the mountain for a climb. His birthday party tried the peak from the south-east ridge-which later came to be referred to as Abruzzi ridge - but couldn't proceed beyond 5560 meters because of troubles with porters. The party, but, accomplished a thorough reconnaissance of K2 from south to north-east. Vittono Sella, a photographer and a climber, accompanied the Duke on this excursion. Sella skip, close to Godwin-Austen glacier, is known as after him.
Two well-known British mountaineers, Harold William Tilman and Eric Earle Shipton, explored and surveyed the north face of K2 and its subsidiary glaciers in 1937. Actually they had been on a survey challenge to Shaksgam valley when additionally they visited the Trango and Sarpo Laggo glaciers. They additionally explored and surveyed the well-known Skamri glacier. Tilman turned into a famous explorer, mountaineer, sailor and creator. He also distinguished himself as a planter in Kenya.
Shipton, however, turned into one of the giant explorers of the existing century. He was Tilman's associate on maximum of the expeditions. Shipton changed into additionally Consul-General of India in Kashgar in 1940-forty two after which in 1946-48.
In 1938, the American Alpine Club subsidized a reconnaissance birthday party for a visit to K2 place. The party reached a peak of 7925 meters after putting in 8 camps. When compared with the heights climbed by way of preceding expeditions, this appears to be a considerable development. Famous American mountaineers like Dr. Charles Houston and Robert Bates were on this birthday celebration. Six Sherpas from Nepal were additionally on this excursion as porters etc. After a right reconnaissance of the routes leading to K-2, the celebration rejected the north-west and north-east routes. Instead, it decided on the south-east ridge (Abruzzi ridge). It was the shortage of food components that forced Houston and Petzoldt to go back to lower altitudes. In the opinion of the birthday party it was through this ridge that K2 top might be climbed, which in the end proved correct.
The subsequent year saw any other American expedition on K2. It became led by way of Fritz Hermann Ernst Wiessner, a German-American chemist and mountaineer. The excursion, at the side of nine Sherpas, made superb progress at the already-recognized south-east ridge. Two participants and five Sherpas set up Camp VIII at about 7711 meters and left one member by the name of Dudley Wolfe on this camp as he had fallen ill. Wiessner, along with one Sherpa, went up to about 8382 meters. On their way again they observed that Wolfe was short of meals. They, consequently, hurriedly brought him down to camp VII and made him live there. They then descended looking for food and resource but located all camps abandoned until they reached camp II. Immediately three Sherpas had been despatched to rescue Wolfe. They, but, did no longer go back. In this manner, Wolfe and the Sherpas died on the K2. What a sad but heroic death.
Another American strive on K2 was made in 1953. The excursion leader turned into Dr. Charles Houston, who had also led the 1938 American excursion in this peak. Dr. Houston, a health practitioner and professor, is referred to for his contribution to analyze on the outcomes of excessive altitude on human body and sicknesses originating from such consequences. One Pakistani, late Colonel M. Ataullah, Vice President, Karakoram Club of Pakistan, followed the birthday celebration. This time the birthday party took porters from Hunza in place of Sherpas from Nepal. As against the previous expeditions, which entered Baltistan from Srinagar (in the Indian occupied Kashmir) thru a completely lengthy course, the birthday celebration flew into Skardu after which adopted the traditional route to K2 over Baltoro glacier.
It was at Camp VIII, at about 7772 meters that the party was hit by means of a snowstorm which lasted many days. On the 7th of August one member, Arthur Gilkey, advanced thrombophlebitis. In view of his critical situation it become decided to start descent no matter horrific climate. At the quit of the day, the birthday party became involved in a "fall on a steep slope as a result of a slip and tangling of ropes". Luckily no one became significantly injured. Subsequently all members assembled on the close by camp VII. Gilkey became secured on the snow slope with ice axes until a celebration can be mustered to convey him throughout the slope to the camp. However, when three individuals of the celebration again to Gilkey, they determined that he had been swept away by way of an avalanche. It took rest of the party 5 difficult days to attain the bottom camp. On achieving there, the birthday celebration at once began for Skardu due to the fact one of the individuals, George Bell, had very horrific frost-bitten toes. In spite of their very nice efforts, the Americans couldn't climb K2 from the south-east ridge.
In 1954, an Italian day trip came to Pakistan to strive its luck on K2. It consisted of twelve climbers and 4 scientists and turned into led with the aid of veteran mountaineer, Professor Ardito Desio, who had come to those mountains with Italian expeditions before the World War II. Colonel M. Ataullah and Arshad Munir observed the expedition from Karakoram Club of Pakistan. Captain (later Lt. General) G.S. Butt became the liaison officer.
Poor weather hindered the development of the birthday celebration for a quite long time. As quickly because the weather cleared, the party made very good progress and set up camp II. It became at this camp that one in every of its individuals, Mario Puchoz, a 36-yr vintage guide, died of pneumonia on the 21st June. It Is believed that he had shrunk high altitude pulmonary oedema (water on the lungs) which became no longer widely recognized at the time and does not reply to antibiotics.
The birthday celebration established six greater camps at the south-east ridge. Camp IX was a bivouac. On the 31st of July, Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni started from the bivouac. They persevered their assault and reached the summit at six in the night. After staying for some time they began descending and reached Camp VIII spherical about eleven at night. In this way the saga of K2 ended.
The height has now been climbed from nearly all ridges.
To Read More Blogs Check This :
No comments:
Post a Comment