German Team Leaves for Charakusa Valley

By Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad---They are seven Germans including a young lady and they are extreme sport climbers clearing grades up to 8A in sport climbing. Jan Mersch a professional mountain guide is leading the expedition that left Tuesday for climbing the unattempted spires in Charakusa Valley.

The expedition has two peaks in below 6500 categories for the expedition Drifka 6447 meters has been climbed a few times while Farol 6370 will have its first maiden attempt by the German climbers who have climbed in Alps and South and North America.

Jan Mersch 35, has been to Pakistan a few times and has made unsuccessful bids on Ogre besides Christoph Kruis 44, who is the second leader of the team who attempted the same peak in 1988 and returned from 6200 meters due to bad weather.

Peter Anzenberger 23, member of the expedition said, “ Sport climbing is different as compared to real climbing as real climbing has a greater element of risk.” Peter made second ascent of Arwa Spire in Gua, India which offered a 1000 meter of vertical climb in 2004.

Doerte Pietron 24 year old is the only lady climber in the team said , “ I have mostly climbed in Alps and South America and in North America and climbing mixed terrain on hard routes. She was an inspiration when she picked up an over 70 kilo sack on her back to load in the bus which was carrying them to the Northern Areas.

Franz Mitterer 18, is the youngest member in the team and while the highest climb made in the group is from Micahel Schafroth 37 who climbed Nanga Parbat 8125 meters in 2004. The expedition is also carrying ropes which they will fix in the difficult portion of the climb.“We will not fix the entire route as it all depends on weather and snow condition and we will see when we reach there,” said a member.

Other members of the team include Christoph Hummel 26, Bjoern Lellmann 24, Michael Duerr 25, Benjamin Weis 23, Sebestian Wolfgruber 21 and Fridolin Baur 27. Michael Schafroth and Fridolin Baur are the cameramen with the team. The expedition will fly back home at the end of July.