Two american friends try to climb K2, the second highest mountain in the world, known for its difficulties. During an ascension in Alaska, Taylor Brooks and Harold Jamieson meet group of climbers and when two of the party are killed in an avalanche, Taylor, who guessed that the party were thinking of climbing K2, convinces the leader of the future expedition, Philip Claiborne, to take him and HArold with them. The expedition reaches Pakistan, they choose the porters and then go on. But soon tensions and rivalry arise and Taylor's aggressive attitude makes things worse when he insists that the climb should be made in alpine style which goes against the opinion of the others. K2 does not contradict its fame as a hostile mountain and strikes one member of the expedition after the other.