K2 at a glance
- Elevation: 8,611 m (28,251 ft)
- Prominence: 4,020 m above its key col
- Range: Karakoram
- Country: Pakistan / China · Asia
- First recorded ascent: 31 July 1954 — Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni (Italian expedition)
- Also known as: Mount Godwin-Austen · Chogori (Balti)
How to recognise K2 by eye
Notoriously hard to see at all — it is not visible from Askole or nearby settlements and is only fleetingly glimpsed from the end of the Baltoro Glacier. When it does appear, it is a steep, free-standing rock pyramid.
Why K2 matters
K2 is the world's second-highest mountain and long its deadliest of the five highest: prior to 2021 roughly one person died for every four who reached the summit, earning it the nickname 'Savage Mountain'. It remains far more dangerous than Everest despite being lower.
Related peaks
- Denali — 6,190 m, Alaska Range.
- Matterhorn — 4,478 m, Pennine Alps.
- Mont Blanc — 4,805.59 m, Graian Alps.
New to peak-spotting? Start with our guide to how to identify a mountain.
Source
Elevation, prominence, range and ascent facts per K2 — Wikipedia (accessed July 4, 2026). Where Wikipedia itself qualifies a figure (surveys change, snow caps shift), the qualification is preserved above rather than rounded away.