The Foreign Ministry of Pakistan has congratulated ten climbers from Nepal made history Saturday when they became the first in winter to reach the summit of Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest mountain at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet).
In a tweet on Sunday, Spokesperson MOFA Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said
“Heartiest congratulations to team of Nepali mountaineers on first-ever winter ascent of K2, world’s second-highest mountain — one of the most coveted achievements in mountaineering. We wish them a safe return.”
K2 is the last of the world’s 14 tallest mountains, all higher than 8,000 meters, to be scaled in wintertime. It is in the Pakistani portion of the Karakoram range along the Chinese border and is known as the world’s most dangerous and technically challenging peak.
“The impossible is made possible! K2 Winter – History made for mankind, History made for Nepal!” Nirmal Purja wrote on Twitter after reaching the top along with fellow Nepali climbers.
K2 has gained the reputation as the “Savage Mountain” in the international climbing community because since the first failed bid in 1987-88, only a few expeditions had attempted to scale the peak in winter. All were unsuccessful until Saturday, when good weather allowed the Nepalese team to push ahead.
The rocky mountain is also known as the deadliest of the five highest peaks in the world because about one person dies on K2 for every four who reach the summit.
The peak was first climbed in 1954 by Italian climber Achille Compagnoni. So far, 86 climbers have lost their lives trying to climb K2, while only 450 climbers have managed to summit it before today.
