The Bottleneck: A narrow, treacherous stretch of ice that has to be navigated just before reaching the summit of K2. The seracs (huge chunks of precariously poised ice) overhanging this route have claimed lots of lives, most recently and tragically in August 2008.

Of every four people who tries to reach the summit (note tries to reach the summit) one dies. This is the savage mountain.

Haunting, fascinating and powerful ... This is nature.

dirge - a slow, solemn, and mournful piece of music
pillory - to expose to ridicule and abuse