Two tiny teams, each pairing an Italian and a Pakistani climber, are about to attempt unprecedented winter ascents of 8,000-meter peaks in the Karakoram. 

Simone Moro and partner Shaheen Baig are returning for a second attempt on the first winter ascent of 8,047-meter (26,400-foot) Broad Peak. Moro plans to arrive in Pakistan on December 30. 

Last winter, Moro and Baig suffered numerous delays and did not reach base camp until mid-January. They established a route up to Camp 3 at about 7,200 meters (ca 23,625 feet), and then endured a long wait for good weather for a summit bid. During their final attempt, they climbed all the way to Camp 3 only to find that the tent platform they had laboriously leveled had been buried. They retreated to Camp 2 and abandoned the attempt. 

Baig has climbed K2 and Gasherbrum 2, among many other peaks. Moro is the only non-Polish climber to succeed on the first winter ascent of an 8,000-meter peak, climbing Shisha Pangma (with a Polish partner) in 2005. All seven other first winter ascents of 8,000-meter peaks were accomplished by Polish teams. None of the five 8,000’ers in Pakistan has been climbed in winter. 

Meanwhile, Italian climber Simone La Terra has arrived in Pakistan intent on the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat. He will climb with Mehrban Karim, who has previously climbed the 8,125-meter (26,657-foot) peak as well as Gasherbrum 2.  La Terra hopes to climb the Diamir Face on Nanga Parbat. 

Last winter, a large Polish expedition unsuccessfully attempted the first winter ascent of Nanga Parbat. Their expedition will be covered in a Mark Jenkins story in the January edition of National Geographic. 

Sources: K2Climb.net, Simonemoro.com

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