The summer climbing season is fully underway, with summits on Nanga Parbat. Nepali operators are overpowering the peaks with a massive number of Sherpa support to fix ropes and break trail. Seven Summits Treks reported a massive team of twenty people, ten clients with ten Sherpas.
Norwegian Kristin Harila and Tenjen (Lama) Sherpa nabbed their tenth 8000er with Nanga Parbat. She climbed with six Sherpas, including Pasdawa Sherpa, who summited all twelve of their 8000ers last year before ending their quest when China refused them entry. She switched teams from 8K Expeditions to Seven Summits Treks in 2023 to begin the project again, aiming to get all 8000ers in three months. Harsh words were published by Dawa Ongju Sherpa, one of two Sherpas hoping to share the record for getting all fourteen in the fast time, alleging that “She completely cut off any communication with us. The realization that our dream died made me lose all hope at that moment.” Harila refuted their claim saying there were problems with Chinese visas. The plan is to complete the project with summits of Gasherbrum I and II, Broad Peak and K2. The first peak of the project was Shishapangma on April 26, 2023.
Also on the summit team was Nima Rinji Sherpa, 17, making him the youngest to summit the so-called “Killer Mountain.” Also, young Pakistani climber Sajid Ali Dadpara, got his next 8000er in his pursuit of all fourteen. He now has seven. Sophie Lavaud became the first French person to climb all the 8000ers.
Over on K2, teams are making their way on the Baltoro Glacier to reach K2 base camp. K2 summits usually occur near the end of July. Progress is reported on Broad Peak with ropes nearing the high camps.
Blue Sky Tours are providing base camp logistics for 50+ members on K2, 14 members on Broad Peak, 25 plus members on G1 & G2 , 40 plus members on Nanga Parbat.
The Pakistani Operators report running climbs or providing logistics for foreign operators this season including:
- Adventure Pakistan
- Adventure Tours Pakistan
- Alpine Adventure Guide
- Apricot Tours
- Baltoro Adventures
- Baltistan Tours
- Blue Sky Treks and Tours
- High Mountains Treks & Tours
- Higher Ground Expedition Treks and Tours
- Hunza Guides Pakistan
- Jasmine Tours
- Karakorum Expedition
- Lela Peak Expedition
- Nippa International Travel &Tours
- Mashabrum Expedition Treks and Tours
- Mountain Expert Pakistan
- Nippa International Travel &Tours
- North Pakistan Adventure
- Rupal Expedition
- Saltoro Summits
- Summit Karakoram
- World Adventure Tours
The Foreign Operators in Pakistan, with permits for both members and support, often are 2:1 ratios including:
- 8K Expeditions (Nepal): K2, Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat GI & GII
- Elite Expeditions (Nepal): K2, Broad Peak
- Furtenbach Adventures (Austria): K2, Broad Peak
- Jagged Globe (UK): GII
- Kobler & Partner (Switzerland): Broad Peak, G II
- Madison Mountaineering (US): K2, Broad Peak
- Mingma G’s Imagine Nepal (Nepal): K2, Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat
- Pioneer Adventure (Nepal): K2, Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat, and G I & GII
- Seven Summits Treks (Nepal): K2, Broad Peak
And the Other 8000ers
While K2 gets a disproportionate amount of attention, the other four deserve an equal amount of attention.
Gasherbrum I/II
At 26,362’/8035m. GII is often considered the most attainable of the Karakoram’s 8000ers. There have been about 360 summits of GI and 950 of GII.
Nanga Parbat
NP is often considered one of the most difficult 800ers with steep rocky faces and plenty of avalanche and rockfall dangers.
Broad Peak
BP is often considered a warm-up for K2, but that grossly understates the difficulty of this 26,414’/8051m peak. About 445 people have summited Broad. Every season people talk about summiting both, but it is rarely accomplished as I described in this post.
Climb On!
Alan
Memories are Everything
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