ISLAMABAD: Three European climbers achieved a rare feat on one of the world’s most dangerous peaks, scaling the treacherous Rupal face of Nanga Parbat in alpine style, with one of them paragliding down from near the summit in a daring solo descent earlier this week.
German climber David Göttler was joined by French mountaineers Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein for the climb via the Schell route, a steep and rarely successful line up the mountain’s massive southern wall. The Rupal face, rising nearly 4,600 meters from base to summit, is considered the world’s highest mountain face and among the most technically demanding.
“Sometimes you need to be patient … It’s taken five attempts, but now that I’ve achieved it, I know it’s all been worthwhile,” Göttler wrote in a social media post on Tuesday, describing his 12-year pursuit of the route.
He said summiting with his teammates in alpine style was “incredible,” and added that being able to fly down from around 7,700 meters to base camp in the same day took his joy “to the next level.”
Unlike traditional expedition climbing, alpine style involves climbing in a single push without establishing fixed ropes or pre-stocked camps, requiring climbers to carry all their gear. The approach demands speed, efficiency and a high degree of skill, especially at high altitude.
“It’s been a long time since an expedition has successfully summited from the Rupal side,” Naiknam Karim, CEO of Adventure Tours Pakistan, which facilitated the expedition’s logistics, told Arab News over the phone. “Normally, people climb from the Diamir face.”
“What makes this climb special is that they did it in alpine style ,” he continued. “What’s even more remarkable is that Göttler paraglided down from the summit. So, that’s his special achievement.”
Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest peak at 8,126 meters, is infamous for its difficulty and high fatality rate, earning it the nickname “Killer Mountain.”
Over 100 climbers and porters have died on its slopes, with the Rupal face considered particularly unforgiving due to avalanche risk and exposure to extreme weather.
