The first Hungarian just climbed the world’s toughest mountain without an Oxygen tank
Change language:
Szilárd Suhajda, a Hungarian climber, reached the top of K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, without an oxygen tank. His achievement is outstanding not only among Hungarian climbers but worldwide too.
Index reports that Szilárd Suhajda made it to the top of the second-highest mountain in the world, K2. The climber set out with his partner, Dávid Klein, to reach the top without an oxygen tank, but Klein had to turn back because of stomach issues. The duo set out to climb Mount Everest without an oxygen tank two years ago but abandoned their attempt.
Suhajda, who’s achievement is extraordinary in many views, has not yet arrived at the base camp. Several alpinist blogs wrote that the climber was near camp 3 on Thursday 15:00 (according to Hungarian time).
Even though Mount Everest is significantly taller, most climbers prefer it to K2.
K2 stands at 8611 metres, making it the second-highest mountain in the world, right after Mount Everest (8848). At the same time, it is the most challenging mountain above 8000 metres: its sides are incredibly steep, and because of the dangerous weather conditions ruling there, it represents a tougher technical challenge. On top of all the difficulties created by the conditions on K2, climbing this height and such a steep terrain without an oxygen tank is even harder.
Suhajda was not only the first Hungarian to reach the top of K2, but also the first Hungarian to do this climb without an oxygen tank.
The Hungarian climber defied expectations, as this year’s climbing season seemed to be hopeless. A considerable amount of snow fell on the mountain, which could cause avalanches at any time. Index writes that the end of the climbing season is nearing and while most of the expeditions gave up, the Hungarian duo and a commercial expedition, Seven Summits, still set out to conquer the mountain.
Among the others who have turned back or remained at the base camp eventually, were star climbers like Adrian Ballinger (US) and Carla Perez (Ecuador), who both attempted to climb K2 without an oxygen tank.