Pakistan: Climbing Peaks and Moving Mountains

Originally appeared in She Sends Magazine.

by Jane Courage

AFTER 9/11, most American climbers and trekkers crossed Pakistan off their ticklist. Today, the number of American climbers and trekkers who visit the area is at an all-time low. Some, like me, still yearn to visit Pakistan, but we now face new questions about whether Americans should go: What are the risks? Whose information is reliable, and what does “reliable” mean these days? Bigger questions about the impact of climbing expeditions on mountain villagers, and how to reduce that impact, remain.

Greg Mortenson, 47, co-founder and director of the Central Asia Institute (CAI), has some answers. Mortenson began his work in northern Pakistan in 1993 after his arduous K2 climb the same year. On the trek out, he became exhausted, and in a very remote area, bonked. “I was in really bad shape,” he says. “A villager took me in; he literally saved my life. I asked him what I could do to repay him. The villager said, ‘Build a school.’”

Since that time, the CAI has built more than 48 schools and has implemented many other important projects. It supports community-based educational programs, especially for girls, in remote mountain regions of Central Asia, including Pakistan and Afghanistan. Each project involves local people in all phases: planning, implementation and evaluation. A committee of elders and experts guides each selected project. “The primary emphasis is empowering mountain communities through education—especially for girls,” Mortenson says.

Mortenson’s observations come from years of experience. Before his K2 sojourn, Mortenson admits, “I was a total dirtbag climber—that was all I lived for. That phase lasted about 10 years. So I can totally relate to climbers. Although I’m a little cynical now, I have very fond memories of that time of my life. It was a really wonderful time.” Although peak-bagging in Pakistan is about the last thing on Mortenson’s mind, he owes his passion for his Pakistan education efforts to his climber roots.

Mortenson took time out of his busy schedule to speak with me about climbers’ concerns and climbers’ impact on mountain culture.

Do you think it’s safe for climbers—especially women—to go to Pakistan?

In the last 50 years, about 250 climbers and trekkers have died in the mountains of Pakistan. Most of those have died from illness, injury, avalanche and so on. Only three foreigners have been murdered in the climbing area of northern Pakistan. Ned Gillette was murdered in 1998 in Haramosh valley, northern Pakistan, and in 2003, a young Polish couple was killed. The people who get into real trouble in Pakistan are the ones who travel alone without guides, porters or any sort of help. Pakistan has rules and customs; if you break them, you may not die, but you might get hurt. It is critical to travel with respected Pakistani guides. Women should never travel alone. Even if you have a group of women who want to go, you must have reliable guides and porters with you.

If someone asks what my religion is, what should I say?

Basically, the average person in Pakistan has respect for the “Kitab,” meaning The Book, any spiritual doctrine. They respect that. The Koran, the Bible and other sacred texts are considered “Kitab.” Therefore, if you go to Pakistan and someone asks what religion you are, you just say “Kitab.” By saying this, you are telling them, “I believe in something sacred.”

Aside from objective hazards, such as rock fall, avalanche, altitude, dehydration and so on, what kinds of actions or behavior will put climbers at risk in Pakistan? What kinds of risky and/or stupid actions have you observed?

Immodesty and overall disrespect: showing skin and being flagrant about it—T-shirts, shorts and so on. Leave the arrogant and cocky attitudes (the “Sahib Complex”) at home. That’s the last thing you need to bring.

At police checkpoints, I’ve seen Americans sign their name as Dick Head, Slick Willy and Mr. Phallic. Well, if that climber needed police help, you can be sure he or she would take it! The locals are assigned to protect the treks, and they take their work very seriously. In fact, they are obligated by tribal law to protect the groups they escort with their lives. So, instead of disrespecting the police, escorts and porters by acting arrogant or juvenile, climbers and trekkers really need to show respect.

How did 9/11 affect expeditions to Pakistan?

In 2001, there were 72 expeditions; that was a record trekking and climbing year in Pakistan. After 9/11, it plummeted. Only 24 expeditions went in 2002; that was a 20-year low for climbing and trekking in Pakistan. Trekking and climbing expeditions have a huge impact on the whole region. It affected more than just the outfitters in Islamabad; it affected the porters, the farmers and the sellers. In 2003, there were 40 expeditions, and in 2004, there were 68 expeditions. However, very few of those expeditions were American. Americans have been very reluctant to come back.

How have climbers and trekkers affected the lives of locals?

In many ways, there has been a profound change in the economic and social standards of the [expedition region] because of the climbers and trekkers. I speak Balti and have gotten to know the Balti women, especially the elders. These women are from the remote mountain villages that climbers go through. They told me that in the last one or two generations, the workload for women has doubled; this is because about half the men leave the village during climbing season. The men try to get jobs as porters, cooks or expedition support. Thus, the hard manual labor the men would normally do—breaking stones, building structures, etc.—becomes the responsibility of the women. Sadly enough, the women are already very weak. So, doing back-breaking physical labor, in addition to their other demanding chores, puts tremendous stress on the village women. Many climbers and trekkers do not see this effect. In fact, many people would say that expeditions are good for the area because they bring in money. However, CAI did a survey over five years, from 1997 to 2002. In that survey, we interviewed about 800 porters. We learned that about half the men leave their villages in the trekking/climbing season to be expedition support. Only half of those who leave get a job. Those who get a job make decent wages, about 20,000 rupees (350 USD).

The rest of this article can be found at:
http://www.stellarmag.com/features/pakistan_climbing