Samar Khan and the snowstorm at the summit

By 2 AM, the mountaineers began to wake. By 3 AM, they had breakfast. And an hour later, by 4, they departed. What ensued was a nearly 10 hour climb filled with trials and tribulations. It was the culmination of Samar Khan’s nearly 20 day expedition. 

First at the peak 

After reaching camp three on the 360 route of Mount Aconcagua, the tallest peak in South America, Samar and her fellow nine climbers found themselves with a small window in which the weather was relatively tame. They had spent the past week moving between camps, acclimatising to the height. It was now time for the home stretch. And a treacherous one it was. 

Group by group, more and more people surrendered. Even if they survived the first two stages, filled with the bone-chilling winds of the Andes range, they still had the daunting traverse in their path. A three-hour long section of the trek, in an area completely devoid of sunlight, and thus any hint of heat. Covered in shade and enveloped in the cold, this was the point at which most quit. 

But not Samar, and not her team. Their spirit held strong, and after conquering the traverse, they were rejuvenated. The summit was in sight, just another three hours away. It may not be as unforgiving as the traverse, but that didn’t mean the final section of the climb was easy. Far from it. 

“The last part depends on your physical strength, your training, and your mental strength as well,” Samar shared. So together with her group, she trudged on. Ten steps, a few breaths, and then ten more. Breathe and repeat.

Only one group besides Samar’s own remained by this point. Even so, they were no match for the ten women. Soon, Samar’s motivation, excitement, and fatigue all coalesced into relief at the summit. She and her group had reached first. As a sense of accomplishment washed over them, rewarding their chilled iron will, they were greeted by a snowstorm. But, that was fine. They stood strong within it, taking pictures and videos. Celebrating, if only just for a short while, before they headed back down.

Back to base camp, thousands of meters below, where expectations laid shattered. 

Expectations at the bottom

As Samar and her group returned to base camp, adorning proud burnt faces, they were greeted with surprise and shock. Their resilience and strength had earned their fellow climbers’ respect. Such was a stark contrast from what they received before their triumph.  

Upon entering base camp for the first time days back, the all female group were met with strange looks and even stranger questions. 

“Are you guys here for the summit?”

The expectation was laid bare then. This group, comprised of women, both tall and short, both young and old, wasn’t expected to conquer Aconcagua. After all, it’s very rare for a group to reach the summit together. Whether its height sickness or the sickening cold, it’s expected for a few to quit. 

But that didn’t stop Samar from making memories at the highest of heights, in the midst of a snowstorm. Just like it didn’t stop her from carrying on all her life, in the midst of a wholly different tempest. One composed of winds that criticised and questioned the path she was dedicated to. Whether it was other mountaineers who began to see her as competition, or early mentors who spoke out against her.

“They have encouraged me. They have guided me. And now that I have done it, the same people are speaking against me.”

Whether it was distant online comments failing to understand her passion, or closer family members claiming she was bringing shame to their name. No matter who it was, Samar who hails from Lower Dir, never allowed her story to be told for her. Regardless, she hopes that other women in the community won’t have to go through the same hardships. 

“If you cannot support or create an opportunity for a woman, at least don’t stop them, don’t stop the women who are already doing something just because you don’t understand it.”

Instead, Samar hopes that people will educate themselves instead of hindering female athletes. She knows all too well how awful the world can be to a woman chasing her dreams. Beyond the aforementioned, the worst of it for Samar was the supposed friends who mocked her online, using her personal pictures to create vulgar memes and bandwagon on hate campaigns propelled by jealousy.

“And that would really break my heart and trust.”

Betrayal from feigned friends led Samar to stop socializing. She stayed solo, with her focus solely on training, developing her skills, and strengthening her mindset. Soon, she began travelling internationally as part of various programs. There, she met some like-minded individuals from around the world. She had found her people.

“You find like-minded people who understand you, who are your best critiques, but in a very personal capacity.”

Ironically, bitter people led Samar to a community that continues to uplift her. But, future action sports athletes don’t need to be subjected to the same cruelty. Rather, they can find a home waiting for them, built by Samar herself.

Also read: What are mountain glaciers and why do they matter?

Extending a rope

Early in her career, Samar lacked a local example to look up to in an industry dominated by men. And, as has been mentioned, those people were less than supportive. They failed to see the future for action sports that Samar envisioned. Cycling on glaciers was considered wild and ludicrous. However, that sentiment seemed to end at Pakistan’s borders. 

European athletes have been cycling on glaciers and snowboarding down open mountains for years. Yet, such experimentation was an idea too foreign to digest here at home. And so, there was work to be done.

Years of travel, in which Samar met individuals ranging from X games athletes to Olympians and adventurers, gave her the perspective needed to educate the local community. By 2018, she was ready to create a centralised platform to apprise Pakistan about action sports. However, that was just one layer of what Samar hoped to create. 

For action sports to thrive, an industry needed to be created around the athletes. In her vision, bloggers, photographers, sports instructors, and the athletes themselves, would all work together and complement each other. And so she created Samar Camp.

“I knew that I won’t be able to grow solo for a very long time. I would be needing my community and my people to support each other.”

Samar Camp conducts a range of activities in the efforts of animating the community. Her winter sports experiences feature skiing and snowboarding camps that take place across northern Pakistan, Chitral, Malam Jabba, and in the mountains of Hunza and Nagar. She also offers backpacking and cycling camps in various parts of the country including Islamabad and Peshawar. 

All of these experiences hope to introduce action sports to the athletes of tomorrow as they grow together. But, beyond these events, Samar camp strives to ensure that these camps aren’t just memories.

“Last year was very catastrophic for snow sports athletes because we didn’t receive much snow,” Samar said, explaining that a lot of events were canceled due to a late winter. The first snowfall came in February. It usually comes in December. 

It’s an alarming trend that threatens the continuance of snow sports in Pakistan. And what’s more, Samar informed, is the damage done to wildlife habitats.

“It affects a lot of people, a lot of industries, and we need to talk about it right now to control the situation.”

Samar has been collaborating with different organisations such as World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan and has recently concluded a project with Mobilink Microfinance Bank. Together, they promote cycling as eco-friendly rides, and conduct plantation and cleanup drives around big mountains. They also hold awareness sessions and educate athletes, who in turn work as mountain guides. These people become great community leaders who actively convey the message of climate change.

She believes that spreading awareness of the disastrous effects of climate change is a necessity, without which, people will remain ignorant to their deteriorating environment. 

“The city people will keep on with their lives senselessly and they don’t know the impact they are making on glaciers and peaks and on the livelihood of mountain communities.”

Taking on all this responsibility was inevitable for Samar. 

She had to create her own community. She had to promote action sports. She had to break down perceptions of what she could do, and the extent action sports could be taken in the country. Not just for herself, but for others who hope to find a place for themselves in this industry stuck in its infancy. Because to Samar and others like her, Pakistan has made it clear, they are not willing to invest in their growth. 

Willing to celebrate but not support

Samar has many firsts to her name. She is the first from Pakistan to cycle on the world’s third largest glacial systems. The first to cycle on the cycle on the roof of Kilimanjaro. She is the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Elbrus. She is the winner of the Red Bull home run snowboarding race. And Pakistan is happy to celebrate her accomplishments. But, when it comes to making them possible, such as sponsoring her most recent adventure in which she conquered Mount Aconcagua, the country suddenly vanishes. 

Samar wasn’t able to find funding for her travel fair to South America and now faces a debt of PKR one million. She floated proposals to various brands and different companies, but to no avail. The date of the expedition continued to inch closer, and hopes of reaching Argentina began to die out. Until finally, just two days before the window of opportunity would have drawn to a close, she received a call from a friend in Germany. He lent her the money. 

“The entire country is celebrating my climb and everything and I still have to pay 10 lakhs!”

Amid the anxiety-inducing countdown, a certain group repeatedly checked on Samar, inquiring as to whether she would make it for the climb. It was the Summit Scholarship Foundation, an organisation based in the United states that is run by women, for women. Not only did they fund the expedition itself, but they also connected Samar to different brands for all her required gear. It was a stark contrast to Pakistan. Outdoor gear such as mountain bikes or snowboards are often not readily available in the country. Thus, Samar usually relies on used equipment from international athletes who came and left their gear. 

“I cannot purchase my equipment for Pakistan anywhere. If I go somewhere outside, like in international exchange programs, like once in three years or two years, then I’ll be able to receive some gear from them as a gift or something. But we don’t have any sports brand to stand, to exist, let alone supporting and sponsoring us.”

It was easier for Samar to find support from foreign organisations than from local ones. Yet, as disappointing as that is, it’s not a surprise. Just take a look at how Pakistan’s mountain ranges have been neglected. 

There’s a clear dichotomy present in the access to extreme sports in the country. Pakistan’s three biggest mountain ranges make the country an “extreme sports playground,” according to Samar. But, only one commercial ski resort in the country reduces the ability for sports like snowboarding to garner athletes’ attention.

The natural outcome of the lack of infrastructure needed to support action sports athletes in the country is their departure. “No wonder why people who wanna grow move to other countries,” wrote Samar on social media after she snowboarded down a kilometers long slope for the first time in her life. That was in Russia, not Pakistan.

“We snowboarded our hearts out and when we reached the end, I was literally crying. This was all I wanted in Pakistan, to snowboard for miles and miles, and I couldn’t get this opportunity in my country.”

However, that was just one ride. Samar still lives in Pakistan. The lack of infrastructure didn’t push her away from the country, but she believes it has slowed down her journey.

“I started my journey with a lot of different athletes from different countries. They are at a totally and entirely different stage in their life. Why? Because they came from a very big economy. They came from very progressive communities.”

It’s a self described ‘love, hate’ relationship with the country. Samar recognises that the resilience she’s shown in Pakistan has brought her respect on the international stage. Yet, not everyone is Samar. Not everyone will practice in the open mountains in lieu of proper facilities.

At the heart of the issue is the attitude held by sports officials in the country. “They are very much okay with being average and being outdated,” Samar said, adding that she can’t see “any efforts at growth or progress being made from their side.” 

“They don’t understand the impact or dynamics of sports.” 

What benefit does it bring to Pakistan? Why should we celebrate them? What change are they making for us? 

These questions often float online in Samar’s experience. The most common among them being the most simple; why do people climb mountains? Such senseless sentiments derive from a lack of understanding. Take Ali Sadpara for an example, a mountaineer who passed while scaling K2 without oxygen in an attempt to set a record. The coverage of the tragedy instilled fear, but Samar reminds that risks are present in everyday life as well. She points to the deaths caused by motorbike and car accidents: “But still, why do you ride a bike and a car? Because you can’t stop living because of the fear of an accident, right?”

However, these questions highlight the prevailing perspective in the country. One that is shared by officials who, in turn, are unable to understand that their lack of support is a detriment to the country itself. By failing to facilitate the development of athletes, Pakistan is losing out on potential ambassadors. They are losing out on the benefits of sports diplomacy. 

When Samar and athletes like her travel the world with the flag of Pakistan, they spread the country’s name and showcase its peoples capabilities. By interacting with brands and companies, Samar creates opportunities for investment and employment back home. 

“They won’t remember my name, but they will remember Pakistan.” 

The opportunity for Increased representation abroad begins at home. As the rest of the country is taking their time wising up, Samar is taking the initiative herself, with Samar Camp, and her own personal expeditions. She is spreading her love and passion for action sports, so that others like her may stumble onto their passion, just as she did years and years ago. 

Taking flight

Samar grew up in a very modest household, but was naturally inquisitive. She would sit in front of her black and white television, eyes glued to one of the two channels available. On it were the Olympics. All day long, she would watch athletes compete on the biggest stage of them all. And as her nature dictated, she asked a few questions. 

“Why can’t we do this? Why can’t we run marathons? Why can’t we go to the mountains?” 

To her family, it was obvious. These games were for foreigners. For white people. For men. No one does this here. Not in Pakistan. Yet, Samar’s curiosity was piqued. It festered within her, until one day she came upon an adventure course during her university tenure. 

“It was really pulling me towards it, like I was feeling this strong sense that I have to do this, like I had to reach there.”

Samar was caught in adventure’s gravity. She saved money, and five months later, she was entering a new frontier. She took her first steps off the ground, away from conformity, and into the sky. She had taken flight. 

Paragliding was Samar’s introduction into the world of action sports. She underwent a one week training which taught her that life has a lot more to offer than just to run after the basic necessities. 

For the first time, Samar discovered what freedom felt like. To her, it felt peaceful. It felt like strength and confidence. It felt like something she wanted more of. And so, she continued down that path. Year after year. Expedition after expedition. 

“I have to take control of my life and I have to live and design it the way I want.”

And her design will take her to Denali next, the tallest mountain in North America, standing nearly 6200 meters above sea level. Conquering the behemoth is just the tip of the iceberg. Snowboarding down from the summit is when the real fun will be had.

All pictures have been provided by Samar Khan