The first eight-thousander summit success of the summer season in Pakistan is reported from Nanga Parbat. According to Pemba Sherpa, founder of the Nepalese operator 8K Expeditions, today the 36-year-old Norwegian Kristin Harila and her three companions Chhiring Namgel Sherpa , Pasdawa Sherpa and Dawa Ongju Sherpa reached the summit at 8,125 meters. Kristin thus continued her record chase in the footsteps of Nirmal “Nims” Purja.
Like the Nepalese did in 2019, Harila wants to be the first woman to climb all 14 eight-thousanders in half a year – like Nims with bottled oxygen, strong Sherpa support and, if possible, helicopters to cover the distances between the mountains as quickly as possible. This is unlikely to be realized in Pakistan, where helicopter flights in the north of the country are only permitted to the Pakistani military.
Six eight-thousanders in 29 days
Nanga Parbat was Kristin’s eight-thousander success number seven this year. During the spring season in Nepal, the former cross-country skier had climbed six of the world’s 14 highest mountains in 29 days: Annapurna (28 April), Dhaulagiri (8 May), Kangchenjunga (14 May), Mount Everest and Lhotse (both on 22 May) and Makalu (27 May). According to Pemba Sherpa, Harila’s team is now moving further north to climb Pakistan’s four other eight-thousanders: K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and II.
Also on top of Nanga Parbat today, according to the operator Dolma Outdoor Expedition, was the Taiwanese Grace Tseng with her Nepalese companions Nima Gyalzen Sherpa and Ningma Dorje Tamang – presumably also with bottled oxygen. For 29-year-old Grace, it was her eighth eight-thousander.
Variant of the Kinshofer route
In the lower part of the Diamir Face of Nanga Parbat, the two Italians Francois Cazzanelli and Pietro Picco had opened this week a new variant to the popular Kinshofer route. The two mountain guides christened their new route up to an altitude of 6,000 meters after their home valley: “Aosta Valley Express”.
