ISLAMABAD:
Bad weather conditions combined with permit delays have been hindering the progress of dedicated mountaineers in Pakistan, waiting to climb the toughest mountains of the area.
A number of international expeditions last year focused on summiting K2 and Broad Peak, and this year may not be able to achieve their goals.
While unfavourable weather forced Swiss climbers Mike Horn and his team members Fred Roux and Kobi Reichen to turn back after reaching 6, 000 meters on K2, the Seven Summit Treks expedition is facing permit-related issues causing much frustration and disappointment.
Updating his status on Facebook, French mountaineer, Philippe Gatta wrote, “Once again we are stuck, waiting for yet another security clearance for trek to (base camp) BC.
The team had previously spent a number of days waiting for their climbing permit. Philippe Gatta said that his team needed roughly a week to reach the K2 base camp.
However, among other famous names in the mountaineering world, Chris Burke from New Zealand is back in Pakistan attempting to summit Broad Peak.
She and her climbing partner Lapka Sherpa were unable to summit the 12th highest mountain standing at 8, 051 meters due to lack of cooperation between different expeditions.
However she did become the first New Zealander or Australian woman to reach the summit of K2, Lhotse the 4th highest, Makalu 5th highest and Gasherbrum 1 the 11th highest mountains in the world.
Although the number of expeditions coming to Pakistan to climb the five highest peaks in the world had shrunk to between 15 and 20 groups, climbers from Romania, Switzerland, France, Spain, Hungry and Argentina are now at the base camps of these peaks getting acclimatized.
