ZHANG LIANG from Shenzhen crested the peak of Mount Qogir, the world’s second-highest mountain, July 28, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported yesterday.

An employee with the Agricultural Bank of China Shenzhen Branch, Zhang had twice attempted to conquer the 8,611-meter Mount Qogir, also known as K2, but was unable to complete the ascent both times.

So far, he has successfully conquered 13 mountains over 8,000 meters above sea level and six of the highest mountains on the seven continents. He has also skiied to the North and South Poles, bringing him only a step away from the ultimate goal of mountaineers to complete 14 mountains 8,000 meters above sea level and reach peaks in seven continents and the South and North Poles.

Zhang plans to complete his challenge by 2018 and will become only the second person in the world to complete the 14+7+2 plan.

Since 2015, Zhang has climbed K2 three times in three consecutive years. He reached 7,000 meters the first time and 7,550 meters the second time, narrowly escaping death due to an avalanche and bad weather. “To give up was the only way at that time. To return safe and sound is the most important thing. Although I gave a lot of effort, at least I still have the opportunity to challenge it next time,” Zhang said.

At the end of May 2017, Zhang set off from Shenzhen for K2 and Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world. After a short break and hiking nearly 100 kilometers, he reached the K2 base camp at an altitude of 5,000 meters.

In bad weather conditions, Zhang and others climbed on aqualite steep slopes for a long time and scrambled two steep cliffs. It also took them a long time to repair the road. Zhang recalled that beneath the massive ice wall avalanches could happen at any time, and the subsequent ice wall climb was even more dangerous.

At noon July 28, the mountaineering team was finally approaching the peak. Although there were no ropes and the road was extremely steep, the snow was deep enough for them to carry on. With rich experience and dogged determination, Zhang and his teammates finally reached the peak of K2 after 16 hours of hardship and danger.

At present, Zhang is only a step away from conquering Nanga Parbat, the last of the 14 8,000-meter-plus mountains.

K2 is the world’s second-highest mountain after Mount Qomonlangma, or Mount Everest. K2 is known as Savage Mountain due to the difficulty of the ascent, with a fatality rate of 23 percent.

In China’s history of mountaineering, only seven climbers have succeeded in reaching the summit of K2 in the past 13 years.

(Zhang Yu)