Broad Peak, standing 8,051 meters (26,414 ft) tall, is ranked the 12th highest in the world and the 3rd highest mountain in Karakoram. The peak is part of the Gasherbum massif, located in the Karakoram range, sharing a border within two autonomous regions of Xinjiang, China, and Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.
This Peak is only five miles away from the deadly K2 mountain, provides a straightforward climb until the col. After that, an extended summit ridge leads to different points, which often confuse climbers and make them turn back before even reaching the main point, the summit of Broad Peak. This may be the reason the peak is summited ten times less than Mount Everest.
Did you know the fact that Broad Peaks’ original name is K3? If you don’t, here are interesting facts about Broad Peak.
Original Name: K3
Broad Peak was originally set to name K3 as the third measured mountain in the Karakoram range by a British surveyor, Thomas Montgomerie, a member of the Great Trigonometric Survey of India.
It was mapped right after the prominent savage mountain, K2. At the same time, K1 is denoted to Masherbrum 7,821 meters (25,659 ft), the 22nd highest mountain.
If it was originally intended to name K3, then why was its name changed?
Why Is It Called Broad Peak?
The 8,051 meters peak would not have been named Broad Peak only if the surveyor did not take heed of its long summit point. When surveyors closely analyzed the peak, they discovered that the peak had a long summit. Broad Peak’s summit is spanned more than 1.5 kilometers (7⁄8 mi) long.
Hence the peak got its name from K3 to the now-popular Broad Peak. But the peak is famous as Faichan Kangri among the locals, the Balti people.
Popular For It’s Fore Summit
As the climbing season arrives, the only question re-emerges in the mountaineering community: Did the climber truly make it to the summit? Not everyone who reaches them is aware of it.
Broad Peak is notoriously compared to other eight-thousanders, Sisabangma and Cho Oyu, for its fore summit, which is just 17m away from the true summit. It is claimed that many of the climbers did not step into the true summit of Broad Peak.
Mount, Broad Peak has five summits. As a result, many climbers stop at one of the earlier minor summits on the ridge, not realizing it is the false summit. The true summit is at 8051 m, but many get confused with Rocky Summit at 8028 m as the main summit point.
Eventually, Hans Kammerlander, a professional mountaineer from Italy, decided to reclimb Broad Peak after people claimed he did not reach the true summit. In 1994, he attempted the peak for the second time and reached the true summit at 8051 m, where he thrust a ski pole with purple and red. Then he began to ask people who claimed to have summited the peak what they saw on the top.
Besides, Broad Peak has other three summits: Kharut Kangri, North Summit, and Central Summit, situated 6942 m, 7490 m, and 8011 m above sea level, respectively.
Listed In Most Dangerous Mountains To Climb
Broad Peak is ranked as the 10th most dangerous mountain, with a fatality rate of 8.37%. In 1957, an Austrian expedition reached the peak’s summit; since then, 20 climbers lost their lives on the mountain.
The peak is considered threatening, with its never-ending dangerous icy slopes and steep until the summit. Further, the shortfall of recognized routes makes the summit of the trail deadly.
Broad Peak Climbing History
Austrian expedition climbers first successfully ascended Broad Peak: Kurt Diemberger, Fritz Wintersteller, Hermann Buhi, and Kurt Diemberger.
In 2007, another Austrain team climbed the peak as well as retrieved the dead body of fellow Austrain mountaineer Markus Kronthaler who lost his life over 8000 meters on the peak one year before.
The following year, Élisabeth Revol became the first solo climber of Broad Peak.
In the summer of 2009, Italian mountaineer Cristina Castagna died on the mountain.
In 2012, five members of the Slovenian expedition summited the Broad Peak with no aid of supplemental oxygen and porters.
In March 2013, the peak saw its first winter ascent by four climbers Artur Malek, Maciej Berbeka, Tomasz Kowalski, and Adam Bielecki. Unfortunately, on the descent, two climbers: Maciej and Tomasz, died. The movie “Broad Peak” on Netflix narrates the story of two in the mountain.
That same year in July, three climbers from Iran: Pouya Keivan, Aidin Bozorgi, and Mojtaba Jarahi, successfully summited the mountain but lost their life during descent.
On 23rd July 2016, Antoine Girard flew from Broad Peak’s 8,000-metre summit.
On 14th July 2019, Pakistani native, Shehroze Kashif successfully ascended Broad Peak at the age of 17, becoming the youngest to summit the Broad Peak.
You may also like:
- Why Is Nanga Parbat So Dangerous?
- Why Is Nanga Parbat Called The Killer Mountain?
- Why Is Mount Kailash Unclimbable?
FAQ
What is the fatality rate in Broad Peak?
The 12th highest mountain in the world, Broad Peak, shows the report of an 8.37% fatality rate.
Is Broad Peak difficult to climb?
Broad Peak in the Karakoram range is listed 10th most dangerous mountain to attempt.
Has anyone ever summited Broad Peak?
Broad Preak was first successfully summited by Austrian expedition climbers: Kurt Diemberger, Fritz Wintersteller, Hermann Buhi, and Kurt Diemberger in June 1956.
What is the ranking of Broad Peak?
Broad Peak, with its height of 8,051 meters (26,414 ft), is ranked 12 highest mountain in the world.
Is the movie Broad Peak a true story?
Broad Peak movie on Netflix is based on a true story that narrates the event on Broad Peak in March 2013, where two climbers lost their life.
Is Broad Peak harder than Everest?
The world’s highest Mountain, Everest, 8,848.86 m (29,031.7 ft), is considered more technical and challenging than Broad Peak.
