ISLAMABAD: Foreign climbers are set to attempt eight thousand-plus-high peaks in Pakistan during the winter.

The veteran climbers will be taking on world’s two peaks that have never been summated in the extremes of winter - K2 and the Nanga Parbat.

This year, climbing expeditions stayed away from Nanga Parbat after about 10 mountaineers were killed in a terror attack in its base camp in June 2013.

“But this is a very pleasant sign for adventure tourism if adventure seekers are returning to one of the most difficult yet preferred challenges in the mountaineering world,” said Karrar Haidri, member executive council of the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP). The lineup is pretty much the same this year. Climbers return to Pakistan, especially for winter expeditions. A few succeeded while others were forced to abandon their attempts. Tomek Mackiewicz, Daniele Nardi, Elisabeth Revol and Roberto Delle Monache have their goals set on the 8,126 meters high Nanga Parbat. Tomek Machiewicz, however, plans to climb solo on the Killer Mountain.

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According to the ACP, Tomek Mackiewicz has been part of four winter attempts on Nanga Parbat, more than any other climber. Back in 2010-11 and 2011-12, he achieved little. However, in the subsequent years, he climbed 7,400 metres and then 7,200 metres on the Rupal side, one of the three faces of Nanga Parbat.

Tomek Mackiewicz has a new plan this year. He will be attempting the Messner’s 1978 route in the alpine style – light weight and fast. Last winter, Ralf Dujmovits called it quits on the same route because of dangerous seracs (large blocks of ice hanging over the edges that can come loose suddenly) at around 6,000 metres.

“I’ll be honest. This is the fifth season. I feel a strong fatigue but do not want to let go yet because I know that it is within reach,” said the Polish climber on his website.

There are more climbers on Nanga Parbat this season than the 8,611 metres high K2. Russian team on Nanga Parbat, RussianClimb.com reports: “Four alpinists from Saint Petersburg are going to climb this 8,000-er. Nickolay Totmjanin, Valery Shamalo, Serguey Kondrashkin and Victor Koval from Saint Petersburg are also climbing the ninth highest mountain in the world.

“There is a third team of four climbers, of three Iranians and one Russian,” said Karrar Haidri.

On K2, Denis Urubko, Adam Bielecki and Alex Txikon along with Artiom Braun and Dmitry Siniew are pushing limits of climbing extremes on a lot more vertical ascent to the top of the second highest mountain in the world. They intend to climb K2 from the northern side in the winter on a new route. These climbers will arrive in Pakistan in December and leave for the mighty Karakoram in the middle of the month.

Karrar Haidri elaborated how Denis Urubko, Adam Bielecki and Alex Txikon had been a regular part of winter climbing in Karakoram in the recent years. Denis participated in the K2 winter expedition 2002-03. He climbed as high as 7,650 metres. In 2010-11, he made the first winter ascent of Gasherbrum II together with Simone Moro and Cory Richards. He also attempted Nanga Parbat in 2011-12.

“Adam Bielecki is amongst the finest Polish mountaineers of our times. As part of Polish Winter Himalaism team, he made first winter ascents of Gasherbrum I in 2012 and Broad Peak in 2013. Alex Txikon was part of Gerfried Goschl’s team that attempted a new route on Gasherbrum I in 2010-11 and 2011-2012. He made the first winter ascent of Laila Peak, 6,096 metres, in 2013,” said the ACP official.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2014