# So what was the deal with K2? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2000, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482 "2000-12-07T15:28:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/1 "2000-12-07T15:28:33Z")
K2 was not climbed until a year after Everest. Why? Because it’s (as I have heard) a “tougher mountain” as I have heard, or there just wasn’t a big priority to scale the 2nd highest mountain in the world. Is it truly a tougher climb than Everest? If so why? More inaccessible from the closest civilization? Steeper? Lower plain (than Everest), thus meaning more mountain? Any ideas??? And what is “K2?” I do like the sound better than Godwin-Austen, but is it short for Karakoram-2nd highest in world or some other arcane, byzantine geo-cartographer terminology? ---
**Author:** ![kpm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c57346/32.png) [@kpm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kpm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/2 "2000-12-07T15:43:05Z")
From what I have read it is colder and steeper than Everest so that is why it is harder to climb. They have more bad storms in that area too. They originally named a group of peaks in that area K1,K2,K3, etc. For some reason the name K2 stuck even after they gave it the other name. I think the highest mountain in the world from the base to the summit is actually Mt. Logan in Canada. The moutains in Nepal and that part of the world start on a high plateau so you don’t have to climb as many feet vertically as Mt. Logan. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/3 "2000-12-07T16:12:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kpm \* > \*\*I think the highest mountain in the world from the base to the summit is actually Mt. Logan in Canada. The moutains in Nepal and that part of the world start on a high plateau so you don’t have to climb as many feet vertically as Mt. Logan. \*\* Actually, the big island of Hawaii is the highest from base to summit. Its base is at 13,000+ ft. below sea level, and its summit is at 12,000+ ft., for a total height of over 25,000 ft. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/4 "2000-12-07T16:29:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AWB \* > Actually, the big island of Hawaii is the highest from base to summit. Its base is at 13,000+ ft. below sea level, and its summit is at 12,000+ ft., for a total height of over 25,000 ft. And I imagine it’s a pretty tricky climb. ---
**Author:** ![headshok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@headshok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/headshok)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/5 "2000-12-07T16:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Mjollnir_ > And what is “K2?” I do like the sound better than Godwin-Austen, but is it short for Karakoram-2nd highest in world…? Sort of. The “K” stands for Karakoram, but the “2” means that it was the second peak in the area listed by surveyors. [This link](http://www.peakware.com/encyclopedia/peaks/k2.htm) has some interesting facts about the mountain and some links to other K2-related pages. From the description of K2’s geography, it appears to be significantly harder to climb than Everest. You certainly won’t see tourists paying $50,000+ to be herded up K2 anytime soon. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/6 "2000-12-07T16:43:46Z")
I have been told among the avid climbers there is a “club” for climbing the highest peak on each continent (except perhaps Antarctica). I am also told that the second highest peak on each continent is almost always a more difficult (technical, tougher geography) climb. ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/7 "2000-12-07T16:59:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Irishman \* > **(except perhaps Antarctica)** It’s my impression you also have to climb the highest mountain in Antarctica (The Vinson Massif, 16,860 ft (5,139 m)) to be considered a member of the ‘Seven Summits’ club. I think there is some debate about the ‘Australasian’ peak - the one in Australia is really wimpy, like 7000 feet, but there is a much higher peak somewhere (New Guinea?) so some people think you have to climb that instead of the Australian one. ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2000, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-was-the-deal-with-k2/44482/8 "2000-12-07T17:01:42Z")
Ah, now I find it. From the [Seattle P-I](http://seattlep-i.nwsource.com/getaways/092399/clim23.html) (an AP story): > [@](#): > > Some mountaineers take issue with the last peak, arguing that the 7,310-foot Australian mountain [Kosciusko] should be replaced by the 16,500-foot Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia, which is the tallest peak in Oceania