ISLAMABAD: While the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) on Sunday confirmed the news of two more summits on Broad Peak, including one by Pakistan’s 20-year-old guide Amer Baig, after climbing Nanga Parbat, Nirmal Purba from Nepal has announced his ambitious plan to attempt Gasherbrum I and II and K2 within a week.

According to ACP Secretary Karrar Haidri, Turkish mountaineer Tunc Findic climbed his 13th 8,000 metres high peak after scaling 8,068-metre-high Gusherbrum I.

“Tunc Findic has to climb one more 8,000 metres plus peak, Nanga Parbat, to join the club of veteran climbers who have climbed all the 14 highest peaks in the world,” he said, adding climbers from China, Hungry and Nepal as well as Pakistan also reached its top on Friday.

Meanwhile, mixed anticipations are coming in from Gasherbrum VI where Jerzy Natkanski is leading fellow Poles Jacek Pawel Czech, Jarosaw Botor and Dominik Malirz on an attempt to complete the first ascent of the Gasherbrum VI, said ACP. This expedition is attempting to climb from the peak’s south side.

“The expedition seems to be taking the route going up the southeast wall which has been attempted several times but never completed. In 1993, an attempt by Walter Holzler and his team failed fearing high risks of avalanche. The risks of avalanche is an inherent danger on this route, which shows its teeth five years after a slide at 6,900 metres caught a French party, killing one member. In 2016, Nancy Hansen and Ralf Dujmovits couldn’t find a safe route to the top either,” Mr Haidri said.

Climbers who have attempted the south face of Gasherbrum VI warn of checking conditions thoroughly. They described the south face as very steep that tends to accumulate snow creating a high risk of avalanche.

Daniela Teixeira and Paulo Roxo of Portugal went a little higher in 2009 on a different route through the east side. The climbing couple retreated shortly before the scaling the ridge.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2019