Bottleneck (K2) Bottleneck (K2) The Bottleneck is a location along the South-East Spur, known also as Abruzzi Spur— the most used route to the summit of K2, the second-highest mountain in the world, in the Karakoram, on the border of Pakistan and China. The Bottleneck is a narrow couloir, which is overhung by seracs from the ice field east of the summit. The couloir is located only 400m below the summit, and climbers have to traverse about 100m exposed to the seracs to pass it. Due to the height (8200m) and the steepness (50-60 degrees) this stretch is the most dangerous part
1953 American Karakoram expedition in going to the assistance of fellow climbers imperilled in the mountains." The surviving members of the Third American Karakoram Expedition were among the first recipients. Schoening's action in arresting the mass fall has itself achieved iconic status, and is known in American climbing circles simply as "The Belay". Schoening himself, however, was always modest about his achievement, claiming that he was merely lucky. 1953 American Karakoram expedition The 1953 American Karakoram expedition was a mountaineering expedition to K2, at 8,611 metres the second highest mountain on Earth. It was the fifth expedition to attempt K2, and the first since