Karakoram Range, Pakistan

Jared Ogden, Professional Climber

The Karakoram mountains of Pakistan are home to K2, the world's second highest peak at 28,251 feet. For Ogden, a world-traveling expedition climber, the range's skyscraping granite spires, including the Great Trango Tower and Shipton Spire, make the Karakoram an archetypal and incomparable place. "I've never seen such beautiful mountain architecture as in this range," he said. The Karakoram is one of the highest mountain ranges in the world, too, with dozens of peaks stretching above 20,000 feet in elevation.