Sultana Bibi, another female Pakistani mountaineer, has successfully reached the summit of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, joining the ranks of a select few women from Pakistan who have conquered this formidable peak.
Sultana completed her ascent earlier this morning (Monday), becoming the third Pakistani woman to achieve this feat. Before her, Samina Baig and Niala Kiani were the first two Pakistani women to summit K2, with Baig achieving the milestone in July 2022 and Kiani following shortly after.
Sultana, who departed from Skardu in June with two climbing teams, was part of an all-female Pakistani team, while the other team was a joint expedition with Pakistani and Italian climbers. Guided by renowned Pakistani mountaineer Sirbaz Ali, Sultana faced the notorious challenges of K2, known as the “savage mountain” for its treacherous conditions.
The mountain’s “death zone” is particularly perilous, with a fatality rate of around 23 deaths per 100 climbers due to unpredictable weather, frequent avalanches, rock falls, and difficult climbing routes.
In other K2 news, French climber Benjamin Vedrines set a new record for the fastest ascent of K2 without supplemental oxygen on Sunday, reaching the summit in just under 11 hours. Vedrines, who previously turned back in 2022 due to hypoxia, completed the climb in 10 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds, more than halving the previous record of 23 hours set by Frenchman Benoit Chamoux in 1986.
“I took my revenge on this mountain,” Vedrines stated in a voice message shared with AFP. “But more than that, I wanted to reconcile with it by approaching it with maturity.” He reflected on the symbolic nature of revisiting the mountain, saying, “I enjoyed seeing the same sections again, but with clarity this time.”
K2, standing at 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) on the Pakistan-China border, is 238 meters shorter than Everest but is regarded as more technically demanding, earning it the nickname “Savage Mountain.” The mountain, first scaled in 1954, remains a coveted challenge for elite climbers seeking to set records on its rugged slopes.
