Four Pakistani climbers summit the Golden Peak

GILGIT: Four Pakistani climbers on Friday successfully summited Spantik, the 7,027-meter peak also known as Golden Peak, located in the subrange of the Karakoram Range.

The climbers’ achievement marks the season’s first successful ascent of the mountain, a milestone that has been confirmed by multiple tour operators.

The climbers who reached the summit include Asad Ali Memon from Larkana, Sindh; Muhammad Ameen from the Hushey Valley of Baltistan; Farrukh Razzaq Janjua from Jehlum, Punjab; and Jawahir Ali from the Arandu Valley of Baltistan.

Expressing his pride in the team’s accomplishment, Ameen Hashevi, CEO of Karakoram Calling Treks, stated, “Huge congratulations to our team members and High Climbers who reached the pinnacle of Spantik Golden Peak on 09 August 2024. Against all odds, the team conquered this majestic peak, fueled by determination and teamwork.”

Ameen revealed that Asad Ali Memon and Muhammad Ameen Hushey reached the summit at 6:19 AM while fixing ropes, showcasing their leadership and technical expertise.

In a conversation with HUM News English, Ishaq Jan, Managing Director of High Mountains Treks & Tours, confirmed that his client Farrukh Razzaq and his high-altitude guide, Jawahir Ali, reached the summit at 6:30 AM. Jan highlighted that this ascent marks the season’s first successful summit of Spantik and noted that it was the fourth time Jawahir Ali has conquered the Golden Peak.

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Asad Ali Memon, one of the climbers, has garnered significant attention in recent years for his extraordinary climbing achievements. In May 2023, he made headlines as the tenth Pakistani and the first from Sindh to summit the world’s highest peak, the 8,848-meter Mount Everest.

Memon is currently pursuing the highly coveted ‘Seven-Summit Challenge,’ which involves summiting the highest mountains on each of the seven continents. To date, he has successfully climbed five of the seven, including Mount Elbrus in Russia, Cerro Aconcagua in Argentina, Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, and Mount Denali in Alaska.

Spantik, while considered one of the easier 7,000-meter peaks in Pakistan due to its relatively fewer objective hazards and a short three-day approach, remains a formidable challenge. It has long been a popular objective for climbers both as a goal in itself and as an acclimatization climb for other, more demanding peaks.

The mountain was first successfully ascended by a German team in 1955, and several routes now lead to its summit. However, this climbing season has proven particularly treacherous. Spantik has claimed the lives of three skilled mountaineers, all from Japan, underscoring the inherent dangers of high-altitude climbing.