Today In History; First Ascent of Broad Peak

1957: An Austrian expedition led by Marcus Schmuck was the first to successfully "bag" the 26,401-foot-high Broad Peak (Faichan Kangri) of Baltoro, Pakistan. Their first attempt failed due to a life-threatening storm, making their success all the more sweet. Unlike many other attempts, the Schmuck expedition did not use supplemental oxygen at the high altitude as they braved avalanches and ripping winds to reach the summit. The mountain was dubbed Broad Peak because its summit is over a mile long. Today mountaineers make the trek to Pakistan to climb Broad Peak and surrounding summits.