Nanga Parbat records first summer 8,000m summit

GILGIT: Nanga Parbat has produced Pakistan’s first successful 8,000-metre ascent of the summer climbing season, with a seven-member international expedition reaching the 8,126-metre peak on Thursday after a separate rope-fixing team opened the route to the top.

According to a statement issued by Seven Summit Treks, the summit party included Tao Hu of China, Antonina Samoilova of Ukraine, Mindaugas Satkauskas of Lithuania, Nepal’s Dawa Sherpa, Dendi Sherpa and Lakpa Temba Sherpa, and Pakistan’s Abbas Ali Mehdi. The company described the climb as the season’s first successful ascent of an 8,000-metre mountain in Pakistan.

Before the summit push, a six-member rope-fixing group from Seven Summit Treks established the line to the top. Those named in the team were Nepal’s Mingtemba Sherpa, Pasa­ng Dukpa Sherpa, Dawa Rinji Sherpa and Pasang Nurbu Sherpa. Renowned Nepali climber and Seven Summit Treks owner Chhang Dawa Sherpa also congratulated the climbers on the success.

The summer climbing window in Gilgit-Baltistan generally opens in mid-June and runs until mid-August. Several foreign expeditions are currently in the region attempting major peaks.

Italian team opens new line on K7

In a separate development, a four-member Italian expedition completed a new route on the Southeast Face of K7, a 6,934-metre mountain in Gilgit-Baltistan, but stopped short of the summit because of hazardous conditions high on the mountain.

The climbers — Matteo Della Bordella, Mirco Grasso, Luca Ducoli and Giacomo Mauri — reached base camp on June 3 and began their attempt on June 11. Over six days, they climbed a 1,600-metre big wall. Their effort ended around 350 metres below the summit after dangerous snow and unstable ridge conditions forced them to turn back.

In an Instagram post, team leader Matteo Della Bordella described the climb in these words: "Six days on the wall where we gave all of ourselves: soul and heart for an adventure that will stay inside us forever. A rollercoaster of emotions, 30 pitches, including steep vertical ice, mixed climbing, precarious hooks, and difficult aid climbing."

"From June 24 to 29, we climbed 1,600 metres up the huge southeast face of K7. At about 6,600 metres, we reached the southwest ridge and joined the route established by the Japanese first ascent team in 1984. Our dream was obviously to climb the final 350 metres and reach the summit of K7, but we had to give up because of excessive snow and extremely dangerous ridge conditions, one section of which collapsed before our eyes. We returned to base camp extremely satisfied. We are all safe and still have dreamy eyes after this incredible journey."

The expedition was sponsored by the Italian Alpine Club.

Permits issued for season

The tourism department said it has so far issued 31 mountaineering permits and 39 trekking permits to foreign visitors for the current summer season. It added that permit issuance will continue until Aug 1.