NEWS DESK: Vanessa O’Brien, a mountain climber, became the first British-American woman to have conquered K2, the second highest peak in the world that lies between Pakistan and China.
K2 is the second highest mountain in the world after Mount Everest. It is located 8,611 metres (28,251 ft) above sea level and lies on the border between Baltistan, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan, and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang, China. K2 is the highest point of the Karakoram range and the highest point in both Pakistan and Xinjiang.
One most important flags I carried to the top of #K2 was #Pakistan, a country that has showed me so much love & support #PakistanZindabad pic.twitter.com/sM5oB9bIeL
— Vanessa O’Brien (@vobonline) July 30, 2017
K2 is counted among the most treacherous peaks for climbers. On an average, one climber out of four loses his or her life while descending from it.
Fairy Lights over #K2 #K2TheFinalConquest pic.twitter.com/tNcyUzPGcI
— Vanessa O’Brien (@vobonline) July 6, 2017
Descending Houses Chimney on #K2 #K2TheFinalConquest pic.twitter.com/ddk8AN0LqN
— Vanessa O’Brien (@vobonline) July 14, 2017
Proud to take #USFlag as #first American Woman to top of #K2, 2nd tallest Mtn at 28,251 ft July 28th 4:30 pm to help #MAGA please RT @POTUS pic.twitter.com/3mE4UQD2Fk
— Vanessa O’Brien (@vobonline) July 30, 2017
So chuffed to fulfill my promise to become the #first #British #Woman to climb & descend #K2 at the #Womans Achievers Congress @theresa_may pic.twitter.com/JgGqjvkPfw
— Vanessa O’Brien (@vobonline) July 30, 2017
On her achievement of the remarkable feat, 52-year-old O’Brien paid tribute to Pakistan by posing with the country’s flag atop the mountain. She also held the flags of Britain, US, UN Women and American Red Cross, and posted the pictures on Twitter.
According to the Forbes magazine, O’Brien is the first American woman to climb the treacherous mountain.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan said on Sunday that O’Brien, who has also scaled Mount Everest, reached K2’s summit on Saturday and began descending from the peak the same day.
Authorities said on June 19 that a nine-member international team – comprising climbers from Scotland, China, Norway, Pakistan and Nepal, and led by O’Brien – had left for Askoli from Skardu to attempt a conquest of K2.
On July 23, the team reached the base camp and on Saturday it had reached the peak of K2.