Climbing
David Göttler, an accomplished German alpinist, has made history by summiting the formidable Himalayan peak Nanga Parbat (26,660 feet) and descending it via a paraglider. Göttler and team climbed the peak via its challenging Rupal Face in alpine style. This marks the first recorded climb and paraglider descent of Nanga Parbat. Using the Schell Route, a route pioneered by Austrian Hanns Schell in 1976, the team quickly climbed without fixed ropes, supplemental oxygen, or porter support, embodying the purist form of alpine style climbing.
Göttler was accompanied by teammates Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein, both experienced climbers. The Schell Route has been climbed only eight times due to its difficulty and remote access, with the last ascent prior to this in 2013. Duperier became the second woman ever to summit Nanga Parbat via the route.
After the trio reached the summit, Göttler aimed to paraglide to base camp. Ripping winds at the summit forced the team to descend to 25,262 feet, where Göttler was ultimately successful in launching his paraglider. His historic flight landed him the title as the first person ever to do so from this altitude on Nanga Parbat. Langenstein and Duperier, however, were forced to bivouac at 25,016 feet before climbing and skiing back to base camp over the course of three days.
After completing the historic descent, Göttler told Gripped.com: “For me, summiting an 8,000-meter peak via a non-standard route in alpine style with a small team stands as the pinnacle of my career thus far—a dream I’ve long held. Our ascent was true alpine style: just one 50m rope, a handful of pitons and cams for protection, a single tent for three, one stove, one sleeping bag, one mattress, and all our food and gas carried on our backs.”
He continued on to say that in today’s modern and fast paced world, instant gratification is usually sought after, but he viewed things differently. “This success came after years of attempts, which makes me immensely proud.” He added, “In an era where instant gratification is sought, I hope our journey shows that dedicating time to a lifelong dream is worth every moment.”
Göttler’s historic summit and descent is monumental in showing us what is still possible in big mountain climbing. As the boundaries of what is possibile continue to shift, only time will tell what records the next generation of mountaineers will break—and what new heights they’ll dare to reach.
