Normal Route (Southwest Ridge)
This is the standard and best-documented route on Gasherbrum II, first climbed in 1956 by an Austrian expedition. It is a high-altitude snow-and-ice ridge route with objective hazards from crevasses, avalanche-prone slopes, and severe weather, but it is generally considered the least technically difficult line on the mountain.
Route Outline
Base camp on the Gasherbrum Glacier
Climb the southwest ridge via snow slopes and mixed terrain
Pass high camps on the ridge
Continue to the summit of Gasherbrum II
Descend by the same route
