Editing K2 (section)

===Early attempts===
[[File:View above Camp-IV of K2.jpg|thumb|upright|View above Camp-IV of K2]]
[[File:K2 West 1909.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The west face of K2 taken from the Savoia Glacier, on the 1909 expedition]]
The mountain was first surveyed by a British team in 1856. Team member [[Thomas George Montgomerie|Thomas Montgomerie]] designated the mountain "K2" for being the second peak of the Karakoram range. The other peaks were originally named K1, K3, K4, and K5, but were eventually renamed [[Masherbrum]], [[Gasherbrum IV]], [[Gasherbrum II]], and [[Gasherbrum I]], respectively.<ref>Kenneth Mason (1987 edition) Abode of Snow p.346</ref> In 1892, [[Martin Conway, 1st Baron Conway of Allington|Martin Conway]] led a British expedition that reached "[[Concordia (Karakoram)|Concordia]]" on the [[Baltoro Glacier]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Houston, Charles S. |date=1953|title= K2, the Savage Mountain}}McGraw-Hill.</ref>

The first serious attempt to climb K2 was undertaken in 1902 by [[Oscar Eckenstein]], [[Aleister Crowley]], [[Jules Jacot-Guillarmod]], Heinrich Pfannl, Victor Wessely, and [[Guy Knowles]] via the Northeast Ridge. In the early 1900s, modern transportation did not exist in the region: it took "fourteen days just to reach the foot of the mountain".<ref name=confessions/>
After five serious and costly attempts, the team reached {{convert|6525|metres}}<ref name=k2climb/>—although considering the difficulty of the challenge, and the lack of modern climbing equipment or weatherproof fabrics, Crowley's statement that "neither man nor beast was injured" highlights the relative skill of the ascent. The failures were also attributed to sickness (Crowley was suffering the residual effects of [[malaria]]), a combination of questionable physical training, personality conflicts, and poor weather conditions—of 68 days spent on K2 (at the time, the record for the longest time spent at such an altitude) only eight provided clear weather.<ref>Booth, pp. 152–157 in chapter "Rhythms of Rapture"</ref>

{{anchor|Notable2}}The next expedition to K2, in 1909, led by [[Prince Luigi Amedeo, Duke of the Abruzzi]], reached an elevation of around {{convert|6250|metres}} on the South East Spur, now known as the ''[[Abruzzi Spur]]'' (or Abruzzi Ridge). This would eventually become part of the standard route, but was abandoned at the time due to its steepness and difficulty. After trying and failing to find a feasible alternative route on the West Ridge or the North East Ridge, the Duke declared that K2 would never be climbed, and the team switched its attention to [[Chogolisa]], where the Duke came within {{convert|150|metres}} of the summit before being driven back by a storm.<ref>Curran, pp. 65–72</ref>

[[File:K2 East Face 1909.jpg|thumb|upright|K2 from the east, photographed during the 1909 expedition]]
The next attempt on K2 was not made until 1938, when the [[1938 American Karakoram expedition to K2|First American Karakoram expedition]], led by [[Charles Snead Houston|Charles Houston]], made a reconnaissance of the mountain. They concluded that the Abruzzi Spur was the most practical route and reached a height of around {{convert|8000|meters}} before turning back due to diminishing supplies and the threat of bad weather.<ref>{{cite book |title=Five Miles High|author1=Houston, Charles S|author-link=Charles Snead Houston |year=1939 |publisher=Dodd, Mead|isbn=978-1-58574-051-2|author2=Bates, Robert |edition=2000 Reprint by First Lyon Press, with introduction by [[Jim Wickwire]]}}</ref><ref>Curran, pp.73–80</ref>

The following year, the [[1939 American Karakoram expedition to K2|1939 American expedition]] led by [[Fritz Wiessner]] came within {{convert|200|metres}} of the summit but ended in disaster when [[Dudley Wolfe]], [[Pasang Kikuli]], Pasang Kitar, and Pintso disappeared high on the mountain.<ref>{{cite book |title=K2: The 1939 Tragedy|last1=Kaufman|first1=Andrew J.|year=1992 |publisher=Mountaineers Books|isbn=978-0-89886-323-9|author2=Putnam, William L.}}</ref><ref>Curran pp. 81–94</ref>

Charles Houston returned to K2 to lead the [[1953 American Karakoram expedition|1953 American expedition]]. The attempt failed after a storm pinned down the team for 10 days at {{convert|7800|metres||-1}}, during which time climber [[Art Gilkey]] became critically ill. A desperate retreat followed, during which [[Pete Schoening]] saved almost the entire team during a mass fall (known simply as [[Pete Schoening#The Belay|The Belay]]), and Gilkey was killed, either in an avalanche or in a deliberate attempt to avoid burdening his companions. Despite the retreat and tragic end, the expedition has been given iconic status in mountaineering history.<ref>{{cite book |title=K2 – The Savage Mountain|last=Houston|first=Charles S|author-link=Charles Snead Houston |year=1954 |publisher=Mc-Graw-Hill Book Company Inc|isbn=978-1-58574-013-0|author2=Bates, Robert |edition= 2000 Reprint by First Lyon Press with introduction by [[Jim Wickwire]]}}</ref><ref>McDonald, pp. 119–140</ref><ref>Curran, pp. 95–103</ref> The [[Gilkey Memorial]] was built in his memory at the mountain's foot.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/08/remembering-those-lost-on-the-savage-mountain/|title=Remembering Those Lost on the Savage Mountain|first=Vanessa|last=O'Brien|date=30 August 2016|website=Adventure Journal}}</ref>