GUNUNG · Pakistan / China

Gasherbrum II

Gasherbrum II (K4) / گاشر برم-2

Information

Elevation: 8.034 m
Country: Pakistan / China (PK)
Location / Range: Karakoram (Gasherbrum massif), Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan) – Xinjiang (China) border
Mountain type: Mountain peak (non-volcanic, Karakoram rock)
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 35.7575, 76.6528
Difficulty: Extreme (an 8,000 m peak), but generally considered one of the technically easiest 8,000 m peaks via the normal route
Best Season: Late June–August (Karakoram summer); the approach to base camp via the Baltoro Glacier is best in July–August
Permits & Rules: Climbing permit from the Gilgit-Baltistan government/Alpine Club of Pakistan, a liaison officer, and guide/porters; approach via Askole–Baltoro Glacier–Concordia
Hazards: Extreme altitude, icefall and crevasses on the lower section, avalanches, rockfall, and the rapidly changing Karakoram weather

Description

Gasherbrum II (8,034 m), also known as K4, is the 13th-highest mountain in the world and part of the Gasherbrum massif in the Karakoram, on the border between Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan) and Xinjiang (China). The Balti name 'Gasherbrum' is often rendered as 'shining wall'. It was first climbed on 7 July 1956 by an Austrian expedition (Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart) via the Southwest Ridge, which remains the normal route. The approach follows the legendary Baltoro Glacier up to Concordia and base camp. Because its terrain is dominated by snow and ice with no significant technical rock difficulty, G2 is regarded as one of the more accessible eight-thousanders and a favourite of high-altitude climbers and ski-mountaineers — including speed ascents and high-altitude ski descents.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Gasherbrum Traverse (G1–G2 Traversal) — Prestasi Legendaris

Paling ekstrem — traversal dua puncak 8.000-an berurutan tanpa kembali ke Base Camp

Ekspedisi ±55–70 hari; sangat jarang

The traverse of Gasherbrum I (8,080 m) and Gasherbrum II (8,034 m) in a single expedition without returning to Base Camp between summits is one of the most prestigious mountaineering achievements in the Karakoram. First completed by Reinhold Messner and Hans Kammerlander in 1984 in pure alpine style. Requires perfect weather conditions, top-level logistics, and elite technical ability.

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Southwest Ridge / Banana Ridge — Rute Normal (Pendakian Pertama 1956)

Ekstrem (8.000-an); salju & es; zona kematian >8.000 m; secara relatif dianggap salah satu delapan-ribuan 'termudah'

Ekspedisi ±40–55 hari (termasuk trek pendekatan Baltoro ±7 hari, aklimatisasi, dan jendela puncak)

G2's normal route follows the Southwest Ridge — the line of the first ascent on 7 July 1956 by an Austrian expedition (Moravec, Larch, Willenpart). Approach from Askole via the Baltoro Glacier (~7 days trekking through Paiju, Urdukas, Concordia) to Base Camp (~5,300 m). From BC, the route crosses an initial icefall to Camp 1 (~5,950 m), then the 'Banana Ridge' — G2's characteristic curved snow spur — up to Camp 2 (~6,450 m) and Camp 3 (~7,050 m) on a shoulder below the summit pyramid, before the final push to 8,034 m. There is no significant technical rock; terrain is predominantly snow and ice. Some teams use supplemental oxygen from Camp 3. The Baltoro approach itself is one of the world's finest scenic mountain treks — flanked by K2, Broad Peak, and the Gasherbrum massif.

Route Segments

1

Base Camp → Camp 1

↑ 650 m ⏱ 5–8 jam 5.950 mdpl

Melewati icefall dan zona crevasse; jalur bergeser tiap musim
2

Camp 1 → Camp 2 (Banana Ridge)

↑ 500 m ⏱ 4–6 jam 6.450 mdpl

Punggung salju melengkung khas G2; lebih stabil dari icefall bawah; tali tetap biasanya dipasang
3

Camp 2 → Camp 3

↑ 600 m ⏱ 4–6 jam 7.050 mdpl

Zona kematian mulai dari ~7.000 m; beberapa tim mulai oksigen suplemental
4

Camp 3 → Puncak Gasherbrum II

↑ 984 m ⏱ 7–12 jam (dorongan puncak dini hari) 8.034 mdpl

Piramida berbatu di atas Camp 3; jalur terbuka angin; biasanya berangkat pukul 01.00–02.00

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Trek Pendekatan Baltoro — Askole → Concordia → Base Camp

Trekking berat (gletser ketinggian, multi-hari, cuaca Karakoram)

±7–9 hari (Askole ke Base Camp G2)

The approach to G2 Base Camp follows the Baltoro Glacier from Askole (~3,050 m) through Paiju (~3,402 m), Urdukas (~4,050 m), and Concordia (~4,600 m) — the iconic glacier junction where K2 dominates the horizon — before turning into the Gasherbrum valley. The trek itself is an unmissable experience; successive views of K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and G2 make it one of the most spectacular approaches in any mountain range in the world.

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Safety Statistics

Moderate risk

Aggregated for prevention and awareness — not a casualty list. Read alongside the safety tips below.

2.3% Fatality rate per successful summit

21 Recorded deaths

930 Summits

Period 1950–2012 · Eight-thousander death-rate table (8000ers.com data, Eberhard Jurgalski) covering 1950 through March 2012: 930 successful summits / 21 deaths = 2.3% deaths per person reaching the top — one of the LOWEST ratios among the fourteen eight-thousanders, far below its neighbour Gasherbrum I (8.7%), let alone K2 (~23%). Because its normal route is technically the most modest of the eight-thousanders and it sees relatively many climbers, Gasherbrum II (8,034 m) is often called the most approachable eight-thousander. Even so, a low ratio doesn't mean safe: its main hazards are avalanche and seracs in the Gasherbrum Icefall plus Karakoram weather. Basis: deaths per successful summiter, not the chance of dying on a single attempt.

Causes of death

Avalanche est.

💡 The most prominent hazard on Gasherbrum II is avalanche on the approach and glacier; on the descent of the 2011 first winter ascent the team was swept ~150 m by an avalanche below Gasherbrum V but survived. Assess snow conditions, cross exposed sections pre-dawn while frozen, and space out on open slopes.
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Icefall / serac est.

💡 The normal route threads the crevassed, serac-laden Gasherbrum Icefall. Move through this zone quickly during the cold hours, follow the established line, and avoid lingering or clustering beneath ice cliffs.
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Fall est.

💡 Although the normal route is relatively modest, steep sections and a tired descent are still deadly. Stay clipped to fixed lines on exposed parts, keep energy for the descent, and set a turnaround time.
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Notable incidents

1956 First ascent of Gasherbrum II (7 July 1956)

An Austrian team (Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch, and Hans Willenpart) reached the summit of Gasherbrum II on 7 July 1956, the first ascent of the world's 13th-highest mountain. The line they pioneered became the normal route and one of the most-repeated of any eight-thousander.
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2011 First winter ascent & avalanche on descent (2 February 2011)

On 2 February 2011 three climbers (Simone Moro, Denis Urubko, Cory Richards) completed the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum II — the first main eight-thousander in Pakistan climbed in winter — without supplemental oxygen. On the descent they were swept ~150 m by an avalanche below Gasherbrum V; one member unroped and dug out his two buried partners, and all three reached base camp alive. The core lesson: avalanche danger on descent persists even on a low-ratio eight-thousander, and self-rescue readiness saves lives.
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Statistics source: Source Source

Climbing Experiences

Gasherbrum II (8,034 m), the world's 13th-highest mountain in the Karakoram, is often called one of the easier 8,000ers via the Southwest Ridge from the Baltoro Glacier. The videos and articles below document real experiences — from a compilation of incidents on the summit route and an expedition-and-ski vlog by Caroline Gleich, to climbing-season coverage and a detailed route guide.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.