BY KAREN BOSSICK

In 1978 American rock climbers George and Jeff Lowe, Michael Kennedy and Jim Donini attempted to climb the North Ridge of Latok 1.

They had to turn back 100 meters from the summit, hampered by two major storms and other difficulties.

In the 38 years since, at least 27 teams of world-class climbers have followed in their footsteps. None got closer than 2,000 feet from the summit.

Last August George Lowe and Jim Donini went back to Latok—this time with Thom Englebach and Thomas Huber and his German partners, hoping to reach the pinnacle.

Donini will tell the rest of the story at 8 tonight—Monday, July 10—at The Elephant’s Perch in Ketchum.

The Latok/Ogre cirque located in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan is considered the crucible of modern alpinism—a black hole, if you will for world-class alpinists.

The cirque is made up of three peaks—Latok 1, Ogre 2 and Ogre—which are arguably the world’s most difficult summits to reach.

Donini’s show tonight will not only spotlight the latest attempt on the Holy Grail of Alpinism but showcase one of the most magnificent mountain cirques on the planet.