Eight teenagers to attempt scaling Karakoram peaks

ISLAMABAD: An internationally renowned mountaineer and adventurer Mike Horn has brought a team of young explorers to Pakistan to climb mountains of the Karakoram Range. The 19-member crew includes doctors, cameramen and eight young explorers between the ages of 16 and 20 who come from the US, Germany, France, South Africa, Singapore, Australia and other nations. Mike says he is sad that he received applications from all over the world for the expedition but none from Pakistan.

The 26-day expedition will involve climbing in the Baltoro Glacier region. The young climbers will hike up mountains ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 meters. These mountains so far remain unnamed and the climbers will be able to give them a name if they managed to scale the peaks.

A team of highly qualified American doctors will conduct tests on the young climbers to monitor their psychological and physiological conditions as they climb to greater heights.

The expedition cost is to be paid for by private donors. The climbers received strenuous training in Switzerland before embarking on this endeavour. Most members of the expedition found out about it through the website of The National Geographic magazine.

The young climbers will be daily in touch with media back home to provide updates of their adventure.

Mike Horn told The Express Tribune that he hopes that the media in Pakistan will provide good coverage to his endeavour so that for future expeditions he could get applications from Pakistan.

A young climber, Jye from Australia, said that one of Mike’s expedition in Australia was provided good coverage by the Australian media and, as a result, “now you get so many applications from Australia”

The young climbers told The Express Tribune that they were discouraged by travel advisories issued by their governments and by other people from travelling to Pakistan but they decided to come because Mike had assured them “you will meet the most kind hearted people in Pakistan”.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2010.