ISTANBUL, 5 September (BelTA - Anadolu) - “I learned my power,” says Esin Handal, one of the first Turkish women to summit K2. Her climb of the world’s second-highest peak - and among the most dangerous - marks a notable achievement in Turkish mountaineering.
K2 rises to 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) in the Karakoram range on the Pakistan-China border. Nicknamed the “savage mountain,” it is notorious for steep, avalanche-prone slopes and a narrow passage near the top called the Bottleneck Couloir.
Handal, a veteran climber with 25 years of experience, spent two months on the mountain in a season defined by brutal weather, dangerous terrain and tragedy.
Unlike typical 8,000-meter expeditions that last about a month, this season’s climb dragged on for two months, pushing climbers to their limits. “It was too long,” she said.
Handal became the fourth Turkish climber - and the second Turkish woman - to summit K2, arriving at the top around 15 minutes after Gulnur Tumbat, recognized as the first Turkish woman to achieve the feat.
K2 rises to 8,611 meters (28,251 feet) in the Karakoram range on the Pakistan-China border. Nicknamed the “savage mountain,” it is notorious for steep, avalanche-prone slopes and a narrow passage near the top called the Bottleneck Couloir.
Handal, a veteran climber with 25 years of experience, spent two months on the mountain in a season defined by brutal weather, dangerous terrain and tragedy.
Unlike typical 8,000-meter expeditions that last about a month, this season’s climb dragged on for two months, pushing climbers to their limits. “It was too long,” she said.
Handal became the fourth Turkish climber - and the second Turkish woman - to summit K2, arriving at the top around 15 minutes after Gulnur Tumbat, recognized as the first Turkish woman to achieve the feat.
Follow us on:
