Three Pakistanis among 11 more climbers summit Gasherbrum-II

GILGIT: Eleven more climbers, including a three-member Pakistani expedition team, have successfully summited Gasherbrum-II (8,035 meters), also known as K4, in Gilgit-Baltistan, confirmed Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) Secretary Karrar Haidri on Tuesday.

The mountaineers from different expedition teams reached the summit of Gasherbrum-II (G2), the 13th-highest mountain in the world, with an elevation of 8,035 meters above sea level, at different times on Monday.

Thirteen climbers successfully summit Gasherbrum II in Gilgit-Baltistan

The three-member team of Pakistani mountaineers, comprising Barrister Iftikhar Ahmed Shah from Karachi, and Shah Doulat and Izhar Ali from Shimshal, reached the summit between 2:00 PM and 2:25 PM on Monday.

According to sources, their achievement came 13 hours after departing from Camp 3 at 6,990 meters. The expedition faced challenges as team member Ebrahim Makda had to cancel his summit attempt due to a foot injury, and Wajidullah Nagri was forced to return from Camp 2 due to sickness.

Separately, a three-member team from Nepalese mountaineering company Seven Summit Treks (SST) and Pakistani adventure tourism firm Blue Sky Tours also summited the peak on Monday. The SST summiteers included Vadim Druelle of France, Nadhira Al Harthy of Oman, and Pasang Sherpa of Nepal.

Similarly, a five-member team from Imagine Nepal Treks and Expeditions successfully reached the summit of G2 at 1:28 PM on Monday. “The team’s journey was marked by perseverance as they spent three nights at Camp 2, waiting for better weather that never came. Despite high winds, they made a daring summit push last night and achieved their goal,” Imagine Nepal said in a statement.

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The Imagine Nepal team included Dr Sashko Kedev from Macedonia, Tracee Lee Metcalfe from the US, Dawa Gyalje Sherpa, Kilu Pemba Sherpa, and Angdu Sherpa of Nepal.

“In addition to our success on Gasherbrum-II, we have ongoing expeditions to Mount K2, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum-I in Pakistan. However, the unpredictable weather in Pakistan poses significant challenges,” the Nepalese company said, giving updates about ongoing expeditions and weather challenges.

The statement quoted Mingma G., founder of Imagine Nepal and leader of the K2 and Broad Peak expedition, saying that “weather above 7,000 meters has been continuously challenging, with winds over 50 km/hr. Despite these conditions, our team achieved the G2 summit with winds exceeding 50 km per hour.”

It added that Broad Peak, the 12th highest mountain in the world with an elevation of 8,051 meters above sea level, typically sees its first summit by mid-July, but it has yet to be conquered this year. “The first summit attempt is now anticipated for the 27th of July, though this may be delayed due to fluctuating weather predictions,” the statement reads.

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“The situation on K2 mirrors these challenges. No team has successfully established Camp 3 yet. Our team has cleared Camp 2 and is waiting for a more favourable weather window to make further progress,” Imagine Nepal added.

Earlier on Sunday, 13 mountaineers, including two Pakistanis, from two expedition teams from Seven Summits Treks and Karakoram Summit, summited Gasherbrum-II. The SST team included Alina Pekova from Russia, Dorota Lidia Rasinska-Samocko from Poland, Josette Valloton from Switzerland, Marco Camandona from Italy, Pasang Tenje Sherpa, Dawa Nurbu Sherpa, Chhangba Sherpa, Phurbu Kusang Sherpa, Pasang Dukpa Sherpa from Nepal, Shahida Jamil Afridi, and Rana Hassan Javaid from Pakistan.

The Karakoram Summit team included Sanu Sherpa from Nepal and Albania-Kosovan climber Uta Ibrahimi.