First published 2010
Graham Bowley reconstructs the catastrophic events that unfolded on K2 in 2008, when multiple climbing teams faced the mountain's deadliest disaster. The New York Times reporter pieces together the fatal day when seracs collapsed, ropes were severed, and climbers found themselves trapped in the death zone of the world's second highest peak. Bowley draws on survivor interviews, expedition records, and rescue accounts to chronicle how experienced mountaineers confronted impossible choices between self-preservation and saving others. His investigation reveals the chain of decisions and circumstances that transformed a summit attempt into a fight for survival on a mountain that claims one life for every four successful climbs. The book captures both the devastating losses and remarkable acts of courage that emerged when climbers faced K2's ultimate test.
Genres: biography, history, adventure, non-fiction
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: heroism, survival
Setting: K2
Period: 2008
288 pages · Hardcover · Harper
Content warnings: death, graphic-violence