Posted: Aug 25, 2006 08:32 pm EDT
So what's up in Pakistan right now? Secretary of Alpine Club Pakistan Saad Tariq Siddiqi and Club member Karrar Haidri have sent a detailed report of mountaineering expeditions who visited Pakistan in 2006. Gasherbrum 2 has had by far the most summits this season (126) followed by Spantik (23) and Broad Peak (21).

G1, K2 and Nanga Parbat have a meager share of 17 summitteers - just goes to show how difficult these climbs still are. Except for Spantik, the main spires and lower peaks have even poorer results - 2 summits (both on Latok III) between 25 expeditions.

189 summits, 7 fatalities

Pakistan mountains have kept 7 climbers this season - all on the 8000+ peaks. Four on K2, one on Broad Peak and two on Nanga Parbat. On K2, an avalanche swept away four Russian climbers. On Nanga, one climber was caught in a storm on descent and another became lost between camp 2 and 3. On Broad Peak, a young climber died of exposure on descent from the summit.

The three peaks had 29 summits between them, giving a summit/ fatality ratio of 24% there - the scariest stats on K2 with 4 fatalities on 4 summits in 2006.

9 expeditions still climbing

It's not over yet. A Czech expedition is still trying on Broad Peak, a Romanian team is on Nanga Parbat (Rupal Face), one expedition is still on Gll, 4 expeditions are on Spantik, an American expedition is on Latok lll and on Latok l finally, Canucks (Quebec) Louis-Philippe Ménard and Maxime Turgeon are still taking a shot while the Benegas twins are packing up.

Here goes the full report from ACP:

78 expeditions

A total of 91 expedition climbing permit applications were received in Pakistan in 2006. 6 expeditions were rejected climbing permits on peaks situated in the Hindu Kush range due to its proximity to the troubled Afghanistan Border. 4 expeditions were rejected permission to climb peaks situated close to the Siachen Glacier war zone. Another 3 expeditions withdrew their own applications.

The remaining 78 applicants were granted permission to climb respective peaks of their choice. A brief resume of successful climbs on various peaks below:

Gasherbrum II (8035m) Golden Jubilee

2006 was truly celebrated as the Golden 50 year Jubilee of the first ascent of Gasherbrum II, climbed for the first time on July 8, 1956 by Austrian climbers Fritz Moravec, Josef Larch and Hans Willenpart.

A 25 member Austrian team arrived in Pakistan this year to scale the peak on the anniversary. 19-members of the expedition including 2 Pakistani mountaineers reached the summit July 26-31, 2006. On their return from the mountains all summiteers were awarded certificates by the Alpine Club of Pakistan and commemorative shields by Hunza Guides Pakistan; presented to the climbers by renowned mountaineer and Honorary Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan Mr. Saad Tariq Siddiqi.

Overall 21 expeditions tried their luck on GII this year. 18 were successful, putting 126 members between them on the summit. 2 expeditions returned un-successful; one is still on the mountain waiting for good weather.

K2 (8611m)

7 expeditions tried their luck on K2 (Choghori) this year but only two of them, one Italian and one Japanese were able to put 2 members each on top of K2. The summiteers were a husband-and-wife couple from Italy (editors note: the climbers summited without oxygen) and Japanese mountaineers Miss. Komatsu Yuka - the first Japanese lady summiteer of K-2 at the age of 23 years 10 months 09 days and Mr. Aoki Tatsuya the youngest summiteer of K-2 at the age of 21 years 10 Months 07 days. (Ed note: 4 Russian climbers perished in an avalanche).

Broad Peak (8047m)

14 expeditions were granted permit to climb Broad Peak. 6 were successful, putting 21 members on the summit between them. 8 expeditions returned without success. There was one casualty on the peak: Mr. Kronthaler Markus, leader of the Austrian Expedition died after returning from summit.

Gasherbrum I (8068 m)

7 expeditions tried to summit G I but only 3 succeeded, between them putting 9 members including 3 Pakistani climbers on the summit. Remaining 4 expeditions returned un-successful.

Nanga Parbat (8125 m)

6 expeditions came to Pakistan this year to summit the invincible Nanga Parbat. 3 Expeditions returned successful, putting a total of 4 climbers on top. 2 expeditions returned without success. A last one (Romania) is currently trying its luck on the Rupal Face.

“The Killer Mountain” however stood its reputation in taking the lives of two strong mountaineers in 2006.

Ozawa Nadhiro, member of the Japanese Saitama Nanga Parbat Expedition, went missing between camp 2 and 3 on July 28, 2006 and was later declared dead.

Jose Antonio Delgado of Venezuela died on descent from the summit of Nanga Parbat. Considerable Pakistani efforts were made to rescue him, but the attempt failed due to bad weather. A 4-member rescue team located Delgado close to CIV, where unfortunately he was found dead.

Spantik (7020 m)

8 Expeditions attempted Spantik this year out of which 3 have so far returned successful by putting 23 climbers on the summit. 4 expeditions are still trying to climb the peak. Only a Spanish expedition has so far reported unsuccessful.

Latok-III (6940 m)

2 expeditions were launched on Latok III this year. A Spanish expedition has returned successful with both members reaching the summit. The other, an American Expedition, is still trying its luck.

Detailed Tabulated Report of 2006 Pakistan Expeditions

(Name of Peak/Total number of Expeditions/Number of Successful Expeditions/Number of Summiteers)

1. K-2 Choghori 07/02/04
2. Nanga Parbat 06/03/04
3. Broad Peak 14/06/21
4. Gasherbrum-I 07/03/09
5. Gasherbrum-II 21/18/126
6. Spantik 08/03/23
7. Latok-III 02/01/02
8. Gasherbrum-IV 02 -- --
9. Latok-I 02 -- --
10. Kunyang Chish 03 -- --
11. Baltura-II 01 -- --
12. Bantha Brak 01 -- --
13. Lugpar Sar 01 -- --
14. Masherbrum 01 -- --
15. K-7 02 -- --
16. Shisper 01 -- --
17. Diran 02 -- --
18. Passu 02 -- --
19. Raka Poshi 01 -- --
20. Ogre 01 -- --
21. Chogolisa 03 -- --

Rejected Expeditions:

1. K-6 03 -- --
2. Istoro Nal 02 -- --
3. Trich Mir 03 -- --
4. Noshak 01 -- --
5. K-13 01 -- --
6. Link Sar 01 -- --

Source: Alpine Club Pakistan.

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