The 2026 Broad Peak Avalanche: What Happened and Why It Reminds the World That K2 Is the Savage Mountain

The Karakoram Mountains of northern Pakistan are admired by mountaineers as one of the last great wilderness regions on Earth. Home to K2 (8,611 m), Broad Peak (8,051 m), the Gasherbrum Massif, and the legendary Baltoro Glacier, this region attracts elite climbers and trekkers from around the world every summer. In late July 2026, however, …