OSLO, Norway, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- A Norwegian expedition has abandoned its attempt to reach the summit of K2, the world's second highest mountain.
"A half-meter of snow fell during the night," leader Rolf Bae told the newspaper Aftenposten. "The day's weather report made the decision for us: We were facing 14 more days with bad weather and storms at the summit."
At 28,250 feet, K2 is second only to Everest in height, and many mountaineers believe it is the world's most challenging climb. The mountain in a remote area on the border between Pakistan and China is the only major peak best known by its surveyor's notation, although it is sometimes called by the local name Chogon or Great Mountain or Mount Godwin-Austen after the director of the survey.
The Norwegian team halted its ascent on Sunday because of the weather but hoped to get to the summit by an alternate route. The weather made that impossible.
Aftenposten reported that the team does not have enough money to wait for better weather and its Pakistani visas and climbing permits are about to expire.
