In 1938, the American Alpine Club sponsored a reconnaissance party for a visit to K2 area. The party reached a height of 7925 meters after setting up eight camps. When compared with the heights climbed by previous Expeditions, this seems to be a considerable advancement. Famous American mountaineers like Dr. Charles Houston and Robert Bates were in this party. Six SHERPAs from NEPAl were also on this expedition as porters etc. After a proper reconnaissance of the routes leading to K-2, the party rejected the north-west and north-east routes. Instead, it selected the south-east ridge (Abruzzi ridge). It was the shortage of food supplies that forced Houston and Petzoldt to return to lower altitudes. In the opinion of the party it was through this ridge that K2 peak could be climbed, which EVENTually proved correct.

　　1938年，美国阿尔卑斯俱乐部倡议创办了一支乔戈里峰勘测探险队。建立了8个营地之后，探险队抵达了海拔7925米的高度。和以前的那些探险队相比，这次探险结果似乎是一次相当可观的进步。像查尔斯·休斯顿医生和罗伯特·贝兹这些美国著名的登山家都参加了这个探险队。来自尼泊尔的六个夏尔巴人也在这个探险队当挑夫，等等。通过对通往乔戈里峰的路线进行彻底的勘测之后，探险队否决了西北和东北路线，相反，选择了东南山脊（阿布拉兹山脊）路线。由于食物供给短缺，迫使休斯顿和匹兹荷迪特返回较低的海拔高度。探险队的想法是，穿过这座山脊是能够爬上顶峰的，最后证明这是正确的。

　　The next year saw another American expedition on K2. It was led by Fritz Hermann Ernst Wiessner, a German-American chemist and mountaineer. The expedition, along with nine Sherpas, made very good progress on the already-identified south-east ridge. Two members and five Sherpas set up Camp VIII at about 7711 meters and left one member by the name of Dudley Wolfe in this camp as he had fAllen sick. Wiessner, along with one Sherpa, went up to approximately 8382 meters. On their way back they found that Wolfe was short of food. They, therefore, hurriedly brought him down to camp VII and made him stay there. They then descended in search of food and aid but found all camps abandoned until they reached camp II. Immediately three Sherpas were sent to rescue Wolfe. They, however, did not return. In this way, Wolfe and the Sherpas died on the K2. What a tragic but heroic death.

　　次年，另一支美国探险队在德裔美国人化学家登山家福利兹·荷曼·恩斯特·维斯纳的率领下出现在乔戈里峰。探险队雇佣了9个夏尔巴人，在已探明的东南山脊上取得了非常好的进展。2位队员和5个夏尔巴人在大约海拔7711米的地方建立了8号营。由于队员达德里·沃尔夫病了，被留在了8号营。维斯纳和一个夏尔巴人爬上了大约海拔8382的地方。他们下撤返回途中发现沃尔夫的食物供给短缺。因此他们赶紧把他带下到7号营，让他待在那里。然后他们下撤去寻找食物和援救，但是知道他们抵达2号营才发现所有的营地都被遗弃了。维斯纳立即派3个夏尔巴人去营救沃尔夫，然而他们并没有返回。沃尔夫和这几个夏尔巴人就这样在乔戈里峰上长眠了。多么悲惨却英雄般的牺牲。