Nature Hike

[danbaron]

When we all can fit it into our schedules, why don't we get together and climb K2?

Take a look, and see what you think.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K2

:p

[Petr Schreiber]

Hi Dan,

how many do you think ... will survive :p?
It is beautiful and fascinating mountain, yet the highest mountain I walked from base level to top was 2048m high, something tells me I do not have the prerequisites


Petr

[danbaron]

Don't sell yourself short, Petr.

Statistically, your chances are pretty good.

The fatality/summit ratio is approximately 25%.

For every 4 people who have reached the top, approximately 1 has died trying, as the link says.

Apparently, Annapurna (I-IV) is the most dangerous group of peaks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapurna

But, according to the link, Annapurna, is what I would call more of a "dishonest" peak. Many of the deaths are caused by avalanches. I think that a climber has no control over an avalanche. If one happens, it is just his bad luck, and there's nothing he can do. So, it seems to me that climbing Annapurna is more like gambling.

Its fatality/summit ratio is greater than 40%.

So, for every 5 people who have reached the top, approximately 2 have died trying.

I've read some books about those who have climbed the highest mountains, and, it seems to me that the main characteristic of those who have done it, is that climbing mountains was all they thought about. It seems that if a person wants to do it badly enough, he is able to properly fund the venture, and he carefully plans it, then, most likely (statistically), he probably won't get killed.

(On the other hand, probably what the climbers also realize, is that sooner or later, they are going to die, whether or not they climb any mountains.)

:p