Czech Climber Dies in Fall on Masherbrum During Historic Expedition

• Bansky Jaroslav dies after falling near Camp I on 7,821-metre peak
• Over 30 mountaineering permits granted as summer climbing season draws foreign expeditions to Pakistan’s tallest summits

GILGIT: A Czech mountaineer, Bansky Jaroslav, lost his life after a fall near Camp I on Masherbrum, one of the most challenging and infrequently ascended peaks in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range, as the region’s summer climbing season reaches its peak with international teams targeting iconic summits.

Jaroslav, a Czech national, was part of a foreign expedition team attempting to summit Masherbrum, also known as K1, which stands at 7,821 meters above sea level. The climber tragically died after falling from a cliff on Thursday, according to base camp sources.

DIG Baltistan’s Tufail Ahmed Mir confirmed the incident, stating that the accident occurred during the team’s ascent. A base camp source revealed that family members had reached Islamabad, though a decision regarding transporting the body from the mountain to Skardu remained unresolved.

Masherbrum is among the Karakoram’s most demanding and seldom-climbed peaks. Jaroslav’s expedition marked the first documented attempt on the mountain in nearly five decades. His death represents the second fatality during the summer season in the region. On June 22, French climber Guillaume Pierrel perished in an avalanche while ascending the 7,282-meter K-6 peak in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Ghanche district.

Despite these losses, the climbing season continues actively, with hundreds of foreign mountaineers pursuing several of the world’s highest peaks. Pakistan hosts five of the 14 global peaks exceeding 8,000 meters: K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I, Broad Peak, and Gasherbrum II.

The summer trekking and climbing season, typically spanning June to mid-August, has seen the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department approve 31 mountaineering permits and 39 trekking permits for foreign visitors this season, as confirmed by Assistant Director Sajid Hussain. Permit issuance will continue until August 1.

Expedition teams across the region are conducting acclimatization rotations, fixing ropes, and awaiting weather shifts. Climbers are capitalizing on a stable weather window projected to last until July 21. Seven Summit Treks, a leading expedition operator, reported improved conditions following recent weather improvements across the Gasherbrum massif. Route-fixing teams have established Camp III on Gasherbrum II and Camp II on Gasherbrum I, with the former prioritized for summit attempts next.

On K2 (8,611 meters), teams have reached Camp II and are advancing toward Camp III. Broad Peak activity remains limited, while Nanga Parbat’s climbing season officially concluded after a series of successful ascents.

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