Reaching the summit is just half way...
The Himalayas is the home for eight-thousanders ( peaks that
are > 8000 Metres) housing the World's tallest mountain Mount Everest and
the second tallest K2.
K2 though only next to Mount Everest in height is considered
the most dangerous to ascend. The
figures of summiters of K2 lesser than that of Everest speaks of the
intensity of danger.
Surviving K2 by Wilco Van Rooijen is a non-fiction Adventure that describes the
hardships and agony of climbers, how some of them were trapped in the Death
zone of K2, some of them turning blind, biovuac on the slopy rocks on their way
back after summiting and how they made it to the Base camp finally. Some of the
climbers were ill-fated and lost their lives.
This e-book version is available on Kindle for a price.
Another interesting find in my local library on this subject
is K2: One Woman's Quest for the Summit . Narrated by Heidi Howkins , it
describes her futile attempts 3 times to summit K2 and how she finally resolved
to submission after enduring an almost life threatning avalanches lot of times.
Also potraits the humiliation she was subjected to sometimes by her fellow
climbers. Unfortunately Mountaineering on these eight- thousanders are
considered a mascular task. A good not-so-depressing read for a relaxing noon.
A light read.
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