The second-highest peak in the world, K2, has been summited by a record 87 climbers from Asia, the Middle East, and Western nations this summer, according to a statement released on Saturday by the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The 8,611-meter-tall mountain is situated in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan area and is a part of the Karakoram Range.
In a release, the Alpine Club of Pakistan stated, “The summer season 2022 records 87 climbers, including 73 men and 14 females summit K2.” “The number of summiteers in a year is unprecedented.”
Data from the Alpine Club revealed that the season also saw the breaking of a number of other records.
Saeed Al-Memari of the United Arab Emirates became the first climber from the UAE, while Samina Baig of Pakistan and Afsaneh Hesamifard of Iran were the first women from their respective nations to reach the summit.
The head of the Gilgit-Baltistan tourism department, Sajid Hussain, told Arab News that the number of applications for summit permits that Pakistani officials received this year was ten times more than that of 2021.
We have received more than 1,700 applications this year, and we have processed/issued permits to 1,600 of them, of which over 1,300 have reached Pakistan thus far,” he stated. “We issued 135 permits for climbers and trekkers last year.” K2 is one of the hardest summits to climb due of its rugged terrain and unpredictable weather, earning it the nickname “the Savage Mountain.
One climber has died while attempting to reach the summit for every five that have made the ascent.
Ali Akbar, an Afghan climber, passed away from heart arrest this year. Richard Cartier, a Canadian climber, has not been seen since Friday night