Tseng Ko-Erh aka Grace Tseng from Taiwanese and Pasang Lhamu Sherpa (Akita) become the first woman in their countries to conquer Nanga Parbat
Three women climbers break social taboos and set new records by successfully scaling Nanga Parbat, the “Killer Mountain” this season.
Pasang Lhamu Sherpa (Akita) from Nepal and the 29-year-old Tseng Ko-Erh aka Grace Tseng from Taiwan created history by becoming the first women climbers in their countries to stand atop the 8,126-metre peak on July 1.
Kristin Harila from Norway scaled Nanga Parbat along with three fellow Sherpa climbers.
Earlier, Pasang Lhamu had scaled Makalu on May 28 and Kanchenjunga on May 6 in her country in the last spring season.
She had already scaled Everest, K2, Lhotse, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. Nanga Parbat was her eighth out of 14 peaks above 8,000m. Now, Pasang Lhamu is on her mission to complete all 14 8,000ers.
“Grace, along with Nima Gyalzen Sherpa from Dolma Outdoor and Nyingma Dorje Tamang stood atop the mountain,” Dawa Sherpa, managing director at Dolma Outdoor Expedition, said.
Both the climbers were joined by Nepali team members who were also part of the excursion as climbers, thus, making a tally of climbers who reached the summit of Nanga Parbat to seven.
Grace is the first woman in the world to climb Kanchenjunga in the autumn season and also the youngest to climb Annapurna without supplementary oxygen at the age of 29.
Pasdawa Sherpa, Dawa Ongju Sherpa and Chhiring Namgyal Sherpa also scaled Nanga Parbat on July 1 at 11am, said Pemba Sherpa, managing director at 8K Expedition.
The 36-year-old Kristin, Pasdawa and Dawa Ongju have set the record of fastest climbers to scale six mountains in just 29 days,” Pemba said.
Kristin wants to climb all 14 8,000ers in a shorter time, to become the youngest woman to climb all 14 8000ers, Pamba Sherpa added.
Only 44 people have reached the summit of all 14 peaks; if Kristin manages to scale, she would be the first climber to do so from a Scandinavian country. She hopes to match or surpass the record of Nepali adventurer Nirmal Purja, who did it in 2019 in only six months and as many days.
“I am feeling great. Nice weather, 11.5 hours since camp four. I am glad to have completed the first peak in Pakistan,” Kristin said in a message from the summit of Nanga Parbat before descending to the base camp.
Pakistan’s young mountaineer Shehroze Kashif and his partner Fazal Ali from Shimshal also climbed Nanga Parbat on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Andorra’s female mountaineer Stefi Troguet is ascending Broad Peak. She reached 6,100m camp two on Friday on the 8,051m high Broad Peak. Stefi is aiming to climb Broad Peak and K2 without supplementary oxygen.