El mount K2 It is one of those that has the reputation of being one of the highest and most dangerous to climb. And it is that it is the second highest mountain in the world and one of the most dangerous. It is estimated that one in four individuals who try to reach the top lose their life. Being dubbed the wild mountain name in as it is the second highest death toll after Annapurna. Given the danger it has, it has never been climbed in winter.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics, geography, geology, flora and fauna of Mount K2.
Key features
Some know this mountain as Godwin-Austen and Chogori or Ketu, depending on the region. Since it has a high index of danger, many people lose their lives when trying to climb it, climbs are never made during the winter. The name of this mountain was initially designated provisionally by the surveyor George Montgomerie in 1852. During this time there was the Great Trigonometric Topography Project. All the mountains of the Karakorum were to be called local names, but some have been known. Another of the names that have been given are too old and have been renewed over time.
It is a mountain that is located in the northwest of the Karakorum mountain range and is part of the great mountains that make up the himalayan mountain range. Within the group of the great Himalayas is also the mount Everest. The K2 borders China and Pakistan. It is one of the highest points of the mountain range being quite steep and triangular in shape. Its relief is quite irregular, making climbing difficult even if there is good experience on the part of the climber.
We approximately find a maximum altitude of 8611 meters above sea level. The north side is much steeper than the southern part. However, if we analyze the entire topography in general, we see that its geography is dotted with ticos on all its faces and it is not visible from several towns. Its summit and part of the slopes that are covered by large glaciers throughout the year. These glaciers have a thick layer of snow that has accumulated over the years. For its part, some glacial valleys can be seen at the base.
The environmental conditions present near the mountain are quite severe, especially in the upper part. Due to the climatic conditions in the upper part of the mountain, there is a continuous high risk of avalanches. However, the weather on K2 is often unpredictable, so the risk of an accident can increase or decrease as you climb. Usually, this risk increases as we increase altitude climbing.
The towards is very close to the mountain and from there you have a very good view of all the surrounding mountains. The only feasible access to enter these areas is through the Baltoro valley.
K2 formation
We are going to see what are the conditions by which this mountain was formed. The Karakoram mountain range is salad on the edge of the Eurasian plate. This edge is the plate boundary at which two tectonic plates collide. Therefore, we know that the origin and formation of K2 was the result of the collision between two tectonic plates: the Indica and Eurasian plates. The appearance of this mountain and the subcontinent began to move north more than 40 million years ago. This movement of the continent produced the proximity of the tectonic plates and their collision.
The mountain is made up of mostly metamorphic rocks. The production of enormous amounts of magma in a subduction zone is thought to give rise to all of these ancient mountain rocks. All of these metamorphic rocks began to moderate Mount K2 during times after the Miocene.
Flora and fauna of K2
If we do not refer to the flora and fauna that live in this mountain, we must know that the climate, the altitude and the difficulty to be able to climb all the slopes prevent it from being a mountain where living beings proliferate well. There are only a few species that are adapted to these extreme conditions and can survive on slopes and slopes.
Some of the birds most adapted to these adverse environmental conditions alone that can fly in one of the surroundings. As for the plants, only mosses, lichens and other low plants that grow in and between rocks survive. The heights at which it grows are considerable but it does not reach the highest point. The flora is completely absent once we reach areas near the summit and on the summit itself.
Over time, living things develop certain adaptations to survive in adverse conditions. However, there comes a time when there are not enough basic nutrients from my primary producers to help establish a community of living things. To the heights that Mount K2 reaches there is no type of exchange of matter or energy between different living beings. We only find remains of glaciers and high rocks, so we could say that the abiotic environment predominates.
Spontaneous Climbing
This mountain has a multitude of ascent routes. The routes of ascent of official climbers that have become more popular are the Abruzzo and the Magic Line. The first is more used for ascent in the second is, possibly, the most difficult route than any mountain on the planet. For those curious, it is much more difficult to climb than Mount Everest.
To get an idea, up to 2004, 2.238 climbers had ascended Everest while only 2 climbed K246. On the Magic Line route, that year, the fourth and last climber was crowned.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about Mount K2 and its characteristics.