Gasherbrum, Mountain peak in Karakoram Range, Pakistan and China
Gasherbrum rises to 8,080 meters (26,509 feet), making it the eleventh highest mountain on Earth and the third highest peak in Pakistan. The walls climb from glacier valleys and form a massif of rock and ice that stretches across the border between Pakistan and China.
An Austrian team led by Fritz Moravec reached the summit for the first time in 1956, following a route across a glacier plateau. Later teams opened new routes through the north and south walls of the massif.
Local people call the summit Hidden Peak because it sits behind front ranges of the Karakorum. Climbers from the region still share stories about early expeditions and the importance of these walls for local mountain guides.
The climb passes through several high camps, with temperatures dropping below minus 60 degrees Celsius (-76 Fahrenheit) and oxygen levels thinning sharply above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet). Climbers should expect long approaches through crevasse fields and steep ice slopes that require experience in extreme altitude.
Three different routes lead to the summit, including the Japanese Culvert and North Ridge line, while the original route remains closed due to regional conflicts. The summit is often swept by strong winds that drive snow clouds over the upper ridges.
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