SAMAYA x ANTOINE GIRARD
PERILOUS EXPEDITION FEATURING PARAGLIDING-ALPINISM COMBOS IN PAKISTAN
Antoine Girard, a paraglider and mountaineer accustomed to great peaks, traveled to Pakistan in May 2023 to perform ski-paragliding combos on summits over 7,000 meters in altitude. Meteorological conditions made the attempts difficult, but they didn’t stop Antoine from trying.
"Why did I do it?
For quite a few years now, I’ve been combining paragliding and mountaineering, which means reaching mountains by paraglider to be able to climb them afterward. I’ve been working on this for years. We set out to achieve these combos by landing by paraglider at over 6,000 meters, then descending on skis until the snow ran out, only to take off again by paraglider to return. It’s really to show that the cable car can be replaced by the paraglider.
Going there was also about confirming these combos on 7,000-meter peaks. Which was very complicated given the weather conditions. The weather in Pakistan was disastrous this year. So, we had to juggle this element. A 'classic' year in Pakistan sees snow starting around 5,500 meters. This year, we had snow at 4,000 meters. It was a long struggle to find favorable windows to attempt the 7,000-meter peaks."
The last day of the window, I’m the only one who believes in it. I set off solo in the direction of Diran, which rises to 7,266 meters. The bad weather forecast for the next day pushed me to attempt the summit during the day. After landing at 6,700 meters by paraglider, I equipped myself with ski touring gear to climb the remaining 500 meters, leaving my paraglider and bivouac behind me. For the last 100 meters, I was forced to abandon the skis to finish the ascent with my ice axes and crampons, with snow up to mid-thigh, such was the steepness of the slope.
I arrived at the top as night was falling. I enjoyed a moment suspended in time with sublime deep red colors.
At that moment, I couldn't stay and sleep up there because I wasn't sufficiently acclimatized. I had to descend at night along a route I didn't know. It became a fight for my survival. I arrived in the middle of the night at 6,400 meters where I set up my bivouac. I knew the storm was coming early the next day and would prevent me from taking off.
In the morning, I faced a windstorm. I was forced to continue my descent toward 6,100 meters, which became very intense due to the crevassed terrain, steep slopes, and the fact that I was alone.
Despite my precautions, a snow bridge gave way beneath my feet and I disappeared to the bottom of a crevasse. Climbing back out was extremely difficult with my 30kg pack on my back. It took me over an hour to get out.
I eventually reached a takeoff point at 6,000 meters where the wind calmed down, which allowed me to escape. It was starting to snow; it took me 10 minutes to take off, then I returned in a few additional minutes to cover the 20-kilometer descent, leaving the storm behind me.
My feelings are mixed. On one hand, I am happy with this success and the moment of pure beauty experienced at the summit. On the other hand, the commitment this ascent required was too high. The fact that I went alone, the amount of snow, the weather conditions, and my lack of acclimatization were all elements that contributed to making this expedition perilous, transforming a beautiful descent into a desperate race for survival.
I am eager to be able to go back, to redo this trip and be able to attempt to fly over K2, with favorable weather, good timing, and a true sense of success."
