K2 stands 8,611 m, climbed by the Abruzzi Spur. It scores 10 for technical difficulty, hazard, weather and remoteness, then 9 for altitude and support gap, and 4 for access. The page describes sustained technical terrain, severe hazards, volatile Karakoram weather and very little rescue margin, with the same complex ground to be downclimbed.

Annapurna I, Number Thirteen

Annapurna I stands 8,091 m, climbed by the Northwest Face and North side. Its most difficult 8000m peak scores are 9 technical, 10 hazard, 9 weather, 8 altitude, 9 remoteness, 9 support gap and a low 2 for access. Avalanche and serac exposure drive the hazard score, and strong teams still can’t fully control those.

Where They Actually Differ

Both max out on hazard. The separation comes from technical difficulty, weather and remoteness, where K2 gets a perfect 10 and Annapurna gets 9s. That’s a small gap in each box, but it adds up across weights, particularly technical difficulty at 25 percent.

Annapurna scores higher in one area, though, and that’s the dangerous history. The page says it has the highest current death to summit ratio in the same system Nepal comparison. K2’s figure of 9.54 percent comes from a separate series, so the two shouldn’t be set directly against each other.

Why Death Odds Aren’t Included

The model keeps mortality outside the score. A death to summit ratio divides historical deaths by successful summits, which isn’t the same as the percentage of all climbers who die. So the numbers don’t tell you your own risk.

I think that’s a good call. Putting mortality inside the difficulty score would double count hazard, and it would make comparisons murkier. Instead, the page treats them as separate axes and links to a death rates page for denominator specific analysis.

The Rest of the Top Group

Nanga Parbat sits at 85.0 on the Kinshofer Route of the Diamir Face, with 9s across technical difficulty, hazard, weather and remoteness. Kangchenjunga scores 80.0 and Dhaulagiri I 75.5. Together with K2 and Annapurna, these are the mountains where small problems turn big fast.

At the very opposite end, the 8000m peaks ranked by difficulty looks nothing like Cho Oyu, the easiest 8000m peak, at 42.0. The page treats even that lowest score as an extreme altitude expedition, so don’t read it as a beginner trail.

So Which Is Worse?

Depends on what scares you. If your worry is sustained climbing and committing weather, K2. If it’s objective hazard you can’t control no matter how good you are, Annapurna. The page’s advice is simple: don’t collapse the comparison into one statistic.

Honestly, anyone choosing between them for a personal goal probably isn’t comparing scores at all. They’re deciding whether they’re ready for any of the top tier mountains, which usually comes down to years of experience.

Conclusion

K2 is the hardest 8000m peak overall and Annapurna leads on hazard. Both belong to the extreme tier, and both deserve respect. The easiest 8000m peak, Cho Oyu, is a long way down the list at 42.0.

FAQs

Is K2 harder than Annapurna?
Yes in the model, mostly for sustained technical terrain, weather and remoteness.

Which is the most dangerous 8000er?
Annapurna I has the highest current death to summit ratio in the same system Nepal comparison.

What is the hardest 8000m peak?
K2, at 94.5 out of 100.

What is the easiest 8000m peak?
Cho Oyu, at 42.0.