On top of the world: ‘Mountain folk have a special bond with nature’
Mountaineer siblings share their love of mountains and urge women to take the lead
In conversation with The Express Tribune. PHOTO: SHAFIQ MALIK/EXPRESS
LAHORE:
“You cannot challenge a mountain,” Samina Baig said about her experience as a mountaineer, during a visit to Lahore on Tuesday.
Last month, the 24-year-old mountaineer tried scaling Mount K2 but couldn’t because of avalanches in the mountain range. “You can’t push for something if the mountain refuses to cooperate.”
Baig has the distinction of completing the Seven Summits Challenge – conquering the highest peaks in each of the seven continents – when she was 23. Chashkin Sar was renamed Samina Peak after she scaled it in 2010. She also got to name an unnamed peak in 2010 Koh-i-Barobar (Mount Equality).
Pointing towards Baig, Mirza Ali, her brother and partner on several expeditions, said if a 24-year-old woman could climb the highest peaks in the world, there could be no question about the indomitable spirit and strength of women. “Samina continued her expedition to Mount Everest even when I stepped back.”
For Baig, the 2012 Mount Everest expedition was a dream come true. “The scariest experience I’ve had on a mountain was at Everest’s Camp Four, not incorrectly called the death zone…It was so windy there that I thought my tent would blow away.”
She spoke of observable changes in K2’s ecosystem, which she blamed on climate change and global warming. “There has been a noticeable rise in temperature…I was astounded to see streams of water on the mountain.”
People who live on mountains have a relationship with nature that people from urban areas might not be able to relate to, she said.
The women in Hunza, she said, were not confined to home. “There is less gender discrimination in terms of education and career.”
It takes two to tango, quipped Ali. “If we ignore or weaken one gender, the other is affected adversely.” He stressed responsibility and understanding balance. He recalled that while he was at school, he would come across women from other countries who would visit Hunza for mountaineering expeditions. “I encouraged Samina to be a mountaineer so she could set an example for women everywhere. We’re a team now…we have been together through the toughest times.”
However, when the two siblings told their parents about their chosen profession, they took pause. “Mountaineering isn’t like a regular job…a mountaineer has to face new challenges every two to three minutes during an expedition.”
Baig said she was the youngest in the family and the most pampered. “So my parents supported me… for that I feel blessed.”
But when they approached sponsors for expeditions, the sponsors would ask them all kinds of absurd questions. “Why do you want to take your sister along?” “Are you mad?” “What will you get out of it?” It took the siblings six years to get a sponsor for an expedition.
They started a project, Pakistan Youth Outreach, in 2010 with the objective to promote education and environment awareness. The 200 students at their school are trained in sports and physical activities. Eight women from Ali and Baig’s village took on mountains higher than 6,000m in 2014.
“A lot of people think that I may be a tall hardy woman…when they see me they say you’re too petite to climb mountains,” she said.
Baig was thankful to the media for highlighting her exploits and hoped that the cause of women and youth empowerment would be highlighted too. Ali, however, said he felt that the media focused way too much on catastrophes and everything negative. “There is little attention paid to the youth and their achievements. This could be one of the reasons why they lack inspiration.”
Ali said last year was a favourable year for tourism. He said he hoped the government would pay more attention to it in coming years.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2015.
“You cannot challenge a mountain,” Samina Baig said about her experience as a mountaineer, during a visit to Lahore on Tuesday.
Last month, the 24-year-old mountaineer tried scaling Mount K2 but couldn’t because of avalanches in the mountain range. “You can’t push for something if the mountain refuses to cooperate.”
Baig has the distinction of completing the Seven Summits Challenge – conquering the highest peaks in each of the seven continents – when she was 23. Chashkin Sar was renamed Samina Peak after she scaled it in 2010. She also got to name an unnamed peak in 2010 Koh-i-Barobar (Mount Equality).
Pointing towards Baig, Mirza Ali, her brother and partner on several expeditions, said if a 24-year-old woman could climb the highest peaks in the world, there could be no question about the indomitable spirit and strength of women. “Samina continued her expedition to Mount Everest even when I stepped back.”
For Baig, the 2012 Mount Everest expedition was a dream come true. “The scariest experience I’ve had on a mountain was at Everest’s Camp Four, not incorrectly called the death zone…It was so windy there that I thought my tent would blow away.”
She spoke of observable changes in K2’s ecosystem, which she blamed on climate change and global warming. “There has been a noticeable rise in temperature…I was astounded to see streams of water on the mountain.”
People who live on mountains have a relationship with nature that people from urban areas might not be able to relate to, she said.
The women in Hunza, she said, were not confined to home. “There is less gender discrimination in terms of education and career.”
It takes two to tango, quipped Ali. “If we ignore or weaken one gender, the other is affected adversely.” He stressed responsibility and understanding balance. He recalled that while he was at school, he would come across women from other countries who would visit Hunza for mountaineering expeditions. “I encouraged Samina to be a mountaineer so she could set an example for women everywhere. We’re a team now…we have been together through the toughest times.”
However, when the two siblings told their parents about their chosen profession, they took pause. “Mountaineering isn’t like a regular job…a mountaineer has to face new challenges every two to three minutes during an expedition.”
Baig said she was the youngest in the family and the most pampered. “So my parents supported me… for that I feel blessed.”
But when they approached sponsors for expeditions, the sponsors would ask them all kinds of absurd questions. “Why do you want to take your sister along?” “Are you mad?” “What will you get out of it?” It took the siblings six years to get a sponsor for an expedition.
They started a project, Pakistan Youth Outreach, in 2010 with the objective to promote education and environment awareness. The 200 students at their school are trained in sports and physical activities. Eight women from Ali and Baig’s village took on mountains higher than 6,000m in 2014.
“A lot of people think that I may be a tall hardy woman…when they see me they say you’re too petite to climb mountains,” she said.
Baig was thankful to the media for highlighting her exploits and hoped that the cause of women and youth empowerment would be highlighted too. Ali, however, said he felt that the media focused way too much on catastrophes and everything negative. “There is little attention paid to the youth and their achievements. This could be one of the reasons why they lack inspiration.”
Ali said last year was a favourable year for tourism. He said he hoped the government would pay more attention to it in coming years.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2015.