Taylor Brooks, a womanizing attorney, and his best friend Harold Jameson, a married scientist, have climbed mountains together for more than a decade. As they train to set a speed record for climbing Mount McKinley in Alaska, they encounter another group of climbers, including Dallas, who went to law school with Taylor. This group, lead by billionaire Philip Claiborne, is training to climb in the Himalayas. As the groups camp near each other, Harold Jameson warns Claiborne’s group that they are in a potential slide zone, but they ignore his assessment. That night, Harold reveals to Taylor that his wife is upset with the time he spends climbing and wants him to spend more time at home with her and their son, Eric. Taylor is dismissive, noting that the reason he remains single is because love costs too much. Harold hears a cracking sound as snow shifts, and decides to anchor the other group’s two tents to a stake. However, the climbers in the smaller tent hear him and order Harold to leave their tent alone. In the morning, a jet flies overhead, triggering an avalanche. The smaller tent is swept away, but the larger tent remains anchored to a rope as it is buried underneath the snow. Taylor and Harold follow the rope, and rescue Claiborne, Dallas, and a female climber named Jacki Metcalfe. At the funeral for two lost climbers, Taylor learns that Claiborne is planning to climb K2 in northern Pakistan, the second highest peak in the world, and convinces the adventurer to let him and Harold fill the hole in his team. Harold’s wife, Cindy, is upset that he wants to climb such a deadly mountain, and insists he spend more time with his family, but Harold declares that climbing K2 is the chance of a lifetime. He promises he will return. The team assembles in Pakistan. Claiborne hires porters, and the climbers begin their trek, acclimating themselves to the thinning air as they ascend. Suddenly, the porters want to set up camp early, and inform their leader, Malik, that it is dangerous to continue. When Taylor threatens to burn the porters’ wages, Claiborne instead offers more money if they keep moving, and Malik agrees. Later, as porters place a ladder across a small ravine, it falls into the gap, taking two porters with it. However, they are connected by rope to Malik, and as Malik is swept over the side, Harold grabs his hand, allowing others to pull him and the two porters to safety. Malik thanks Harold for saving his life. The next morning, most of the porters quit and leave. Claiborne is upset because the expedition will take weeks longer without the. However, Taylor insists they continue, suggesting they carry only basic necessities. Harold supports his friend, and everyone soon agrees. As they climb past 20,000 feet, Claiborne requires more oxygen to deal with the altitude. He and Jacki divert to check in at base camp, while the others move higher to set up “camp two.” Claiborne and Jacki agree to meet them later, but that night Claiborne becomes seriously ill with altitude sickness and Jacki insists they must get him to a lower altitude by morning or he will die. Since Dallas and Taylor want to reach the summit, Claiborne agrees to let them continue while he and Jacki return to base camp. Dallas, Taylor, Harold and a fourth climber, Takane Shimuzu, resume the ascent. As they near the summit, Claiborne radios to ask if they are strong enough get to the summit and back within twenty-four hours, because bad weather is moving in. He orders two of the party to stay behind in reserve while the others go for the summit. Taylor insists he should keep going with Dallas because he is the better climber, but Dallas chooses Takane instead. Harold is angry that Taylor wanted to go without him, and insists he would not have left Taylor behind. That night, Takane returns, injured from a fall and suffering hypothermia. Despite their best efforts to save him, Takane dies. When they radio Jacki with the news, she tells them Claiborne is getting worse, and attempting to get a military helicopter to rescue him. Taylor and Harold resume their climb to the summit, promising to look for Dallas on the way. Jacki reports that the weather should hold for the day, but conditions will soon worsen and they should return quickly. Taylor and Harold leave everything behind except their ropes, believing they will return to their tent by night. Reaching the summit, they take photographs of themselves holding an American flag, and call base camp to share the good news. Jacki insists they return by the following night, because Claiborne is dying and they will have to leave when the helicopter arrives. The weather worsens as Taylor and Harold descend, forcing them to spend the night in an ice cave. The next day, as they climb down the icy rocks, Harold slips and slides down the precipice, dragging Taylor with him, but Taylor breaks his fall by slamming his pick into the mountain. Harold lands on an outcropping below, breaking his leg. He realizes he will be unable to get down the mountain. Taylor refuses to leave his best friend to die, but Harold insists he must, and asks him to look after his wife and son. As Taylor continues down the mountain, he finds Dallas’s body. Taking the dead man’s rope and equipment, Taylor returns to save Harold. He revives his friend with a shot of adrenaline, lowers Harold down the rocks, and then drags him across the snowy terrain. Meanwhile, the helicopter arrives at base camp. Jacki declares Claiborne is too ill for them to wait any longer, and they climb aboard and take off. However, Malik, who owes his life to Harold, orders the pilot to go back for one more look. On the mountain, an exhausted Taylor collapses next to his friend. Suddenly, the helicopter flies overhead and the two men wave, happy to be rescued.