King of The Mountains

Just a few feet, it seems, can make a difference. Last March, George Wallerstein, an astronomer at the University of Washington, stunned mountaineers and geologists by declaring that the Himalayan mountain known as K-2 might be 36 ft. taller than Mount Everest, long thought to be the world's highest peak. This month, however, an eight-man Italian expedition, led by Geologist Ardito Desio, 90, refuted that claim. Using satellite signals and surveying techniques, they found that Everest towers 29,108 ft. above sea level -- 80 ft. taller than previously believed and 840 ft. higher than K-2.

To accomplish their lofty task, the Italians carried computerized radio receivers to stations on each mountain. The instruments used timed signals from U.S. Navstar satellites to calculate the exact longitude, latitude and altitude of each receiver. Armed with these coordinates, the researchers then measured the angles formed by the peaks and the receiver stations with a surveyor's theodolite, as well as the distance between the stations. Since the length of one side of each triangle and two angles were known, the peaks' heights could be accurately determined by simple geometry.

Wallerstein readily concedes that his measurement, taken while climbing K-2, may have been inaccurate. "Mine was done with a secondhand receiver, while theirs was made with first-rate equipment," he says. "I guess it proves that in this business there's no place for amateurs."