The title of this book is K2 8611 M. This book was published in 1954 in Paris by Arthaud. This is the first and only edition of the book. It measures 251mm tall x 196mm and has 100 pages, 7 color & 63 b/w photos, route diagram, loose folded map. This book was published only in France and was never translated into English.

It is primarily a photo album of the famous 1953 K2 expedition and has only 11 pages of text. ALL of the photo captions are in both English and French for each photo.

This is the photo account of one of the greatest and now legendary episodes in the history of high altitude mountaineering, the 1953 K2 expedition. High on the world's second highest mountain, above the steepest & most treacherous sections of the climb, team member Art Gilkey became gravely ill. Chances were that he would die. But the team refused to abandon their mate, and with considerable peril to their own safety, committed to the impossible task of dragging, lowering, and carrying their stricken comrade back down the mountain. There was an accident. All should have died.

Dr. Houston & Robert Bates are strongly associated with the history of K2 since they were both on the pioneering 1938 and 1953 K2 expeditions. Dr. Houston was also one of the first people to view the Khumbu side of Mt Everest when he joined a small party including H.W. Tilman that explored the region in 1950. He was also a member of the 1938 Nanda Devi expedition with Tilman and Noel Odell. Houston was perfectly positioned for the first summit attempt on Nanda Devi but he became ill from food poisoning. In Alaska he made the first ascent of Mt Foraker in 1934. Dr. Houston is a world authority on high altitude medicine having pioneered many studies in the field and written seminal papers and several books on the subject.

Robert Bates made ascents world wide including some early climbs in Alaska, such as climbs with Bradford Washburn of Mt Crillon, Mt Lucania, and Denali (Mt McKinley). In 1985 he made the first ascent of Ulugh Muztagh 6985m in China.