GILGIT: Three European mountaineers have made history by ascending the formidable Nanga Parbat via its Rupal Face in alpine style, and descending in spectacular fashion.

German alpinist David Göttler made his way down via paraglider, while the French duo of Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein etched themselves into the history books by skiing down the peak, nicknamed ‘The Killer Mountain’.

CEO of Adventure Tours Pakistan Naiknaam Karim told Dawn that the three foreign climbers began their summit attempt on Nanga Parbat, via the Schell route.

The trio climbed from the approximately 3,600-metre-high base camp to the summit between June 21 and 24.

Göttler, 47, had planned to descend from the top by paraglider.

However, upon reaching the summit, strong winds forced him to launch his paraglider from 7,700 metres instead. He successfully flew from that altitude and landed at base camp in 30 minutes, according to the organisers.

Michael Beek, a German tour operator, mountain guide, and paragliding instructor, congratulated Göttler in a Facebook post, writing that Göttler had made a historic first.

“Summiting Nanga Parbat in alpine style with Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein was incredible; but to be able to fly down from 7,700m all the way back to base camp on the same day has brought my joy to the next level,” he said.

Meanwhile, his French companions, Duperier and Langenstein, camped the night at 7,625m, and later skied and trekked down the massive Rupal Face, which rises 4,600 meters from base camp, arriving three days later.

Theirs is considered the first ski descent of the Rupal Face, and a first from the summit of Nanga Parbat.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2025