Reaching the top: Climbing duo scale Alaska’s Denali peak

Samina Baig and Mirza Ali are one peak away from their ‘7 Summits’ goal.


Our Correspondent July 01, 2014

ISLAMABAD:


Mountaineering duo Samina Baig and Mirza Ali have successfully scaled Mount Denali in Alaska, their expedition’s organizers said on Sunday.


The siblings from Pakistan, Ankur Bahi from India and two alpine guides, Ben Jones and Peter Moore, successfully reached the top of the 6,168-metre Mount McKinley, or native name Denali, the highest mountain peak in North America, according to audio messages posted on the website of Alpine Ascents.

This is the third most prominent peak after Mount Everest and Aconcagua. Located in the Alaska Range in the interior of Alaska, McKinley is the centrepiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.

On March 19, the Pakistani siblings had conquered Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea Island in the Indonesian province of Papua, which is on the Australian continental shelf. The 4,884-metre high mountain is also known as Puncak Jaya.

They are now only one peak away from completing their ‘Seven Summits’ goal, which they have dedicated to women’s empowerment, gender equality and environmental conservation.

Their last attempt will be on Mount Elbrus in Russia next month, said Mehboob Ali, elder brother of the climbers.

If they scale each continent’s highest mountain, they will become the only siblings in the world to have achieved this feat.

They had earlier climbed Mount Vinson in Antarctica in January, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa in February  and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina in December last year. Samina Baig climbed Mount Everest on May 19 last year, becoming the first Pakistani woman to accomplish this task.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2014.

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