Norwegians for Noshaq

By Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad--They are all explorers and inspired by father of mountaineering in Hindukush, Professor Arne Naess, three Norwegians left for Noshaq 7492 meters Friday the peak that borders Pakistan and Afghanistan.

All are coming for the first time to Pakistan aspire to see and meet and study culture of the region which has been visited by very few and they all give credit to Profess Arne who is alive and very down to earth scholar of philosophy.

The peak itself has been climbed very few times and has two approaches a moderate snow slope in Afghanistan and tough technical terrain in Pakistan.

The peak was last climbed in 2001 as a part of Peace expedition and prior to that since 1978 it had no summit at all because of Soviet invasion.

Glenn Seljaasen (33) is the expedition leader and the other members include Steinar Haldorsen (30) who will have his birthday July 23 on the way down and he hopes that they all are on top of the summit before that.

“We want to be on plane back home as with summit day falling on my birthday the plane for sure will go without us,” said Steinar Haldorsen.

David Baum 30 is the third member with the team who give details of the peak and its terrain.

“We want to see and meet the people and feel what it is like to be in Hindukush as Norwegians were the first in the region for exploration and the Trichmir ascent in the evidence of that,” said David.

Team leader Glenn it was 1950 when history was made and the flags of Norway, Pakistan and United Nations were hoisted on top of the peak added with the first colour movie in which the cameraman who was not a climber went as high as 6400 meters for the shoot.

World records were made and why we say of Trichmir as we want to see the peak in the morning from higher elevation that’s from Noshaq as it our dream.”

“Noshaq has Base Camp in Pakistan but summit is in Afghanistan and its long walk after climbing the technical portion in the lower side of the peak in Pakistan.”

Its uncharted terrain and we have a photo and a chart to guide us on the peak and very little of information as what actually is there,” the expedition leader.

More details when we come back as this year there has been a lot of snow and we don’t know what the peak is going to offer.”

Two attempts in the last five years were made but none of the expeditions completed the route in 2000 Danish and New Zealand climbers made an unsuccessful attempt followed by Austrians the next year.

The base camp is at 5000 meters and the team aspires to make a bivouac at 5500 meters. It has mixed terrain both rock and ice and the hardest is between 6000 meters to 7000 meters. The approach has a lot of seracs and scree slopes but it depends on snow conditions this year.
The team will make camp 1 at 5800 meters and followed by camp 2 at 6400 meters and camp 3 at 7000 meters on snow dome.

The expedition is likely to make summit bid in the middle of July.

Update from Team Norway on K-2

The team Norway on K-2 has established camp 1 above 6000 meters and as part of their acclimatization they have spent three nights on the higher elevation and back.

The information made available from Bjorn Sekkesaeter in Norway the team is making the first ascent for Norway and are the first to reach the peak.

Rolf Bae is leading the side and Cecilie Skog has aspiration to be the first Norwegian woman on top of K-2 she has climbed Everest and Cho Oyu and K-2 summit will be her 8000 meter peak.