GILGIT: Two climbers from Nepal scaled Nanga Parbat, and two French mountaineers summited Diran peak on Saturday.

Sakhawat Hussain, the managing director of Summit Karakoram, told Dawn that Naoko Watanabe from Japan and Sanu Sherpa from Nepal scaled Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest mountain at 8,126 metres, on Saturday at 5:14am.

Nanga Parbat is often considered one of the most difficult of the 14 eight-thousanders — a peak towering above 8,000 metres — with steep rock faces and the risk of avalanches and rockfalls. No wonder only 29 summits have been made at this mountain in the last 10 years.

However, this year round 100 international climbers will attempt to scale the peak.

Nine climbers successfully topped the peak in last two days on Friday and Saturday. More expedition team members are on the way to summit as weather condition at mountain said to clear till May 6.

Before closing of the weather window, many climbers will attempt to reach the summit.

Pakistani mountaineer Sheroze Kashif from Lahore has also started his journey to attempt to scale Nanga Parbat from base camp.

According to his official Facebook page Shehroze has completed first rotation to Camp 1 of Nanga Parbat and is safely back at basecamp.

Meanwhile, two French skiers and climbers Mathieu Maynadier and Leo Slemett summited Diran peak (7,266-metre) situated in Nagar and returned to base camp.

They confirmed they had safely returned to Base Camp but have kept quiet about the most interesting detail: did they achieve the first ski descent of the mountain, as they had planned.

In a page on Facebook Leo Slemett said, “First time I saw Diran peak four years ago. After the expedition I knew that there were as many reasons to come back as mountains to ski in Pakistan.”

Mathieu Maynadier said “We arrived yesterday at 6pm at the summit! We’re super happy with @leoslemett and we’re back at base camp!”

He said more news in the next few days.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2022