Pakistan Explorer

17/08/2026

Gigantic boulders floating like snowflakes in what was seen as one of the massive flashfloods that hit Karimabad-Chitral about a week ago. Frequent flashfloods and GLOFs in Chitral have dealt a severe blow to the infrastructure of the remote valley with several bridge, roads, schools and agriculture fields were completely destroyed.

14/08/2026

Massive avalanche on Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat-, takes tourists by surprise. The sheer size of the mountain often confuses tourists of the real scale and proximity to the mountain which can sometimes be dangerous.
The tourists in the video escaped unhurt.

13/08/2026

On this day, 13 August in 1995, British mountaineer Alison Hargreaves 🇬🇧 reached the summit of K2 (8611 m) in Pakistan.

Remembering Alison Hargreaves!

Thirty years have passed since Alison Hargreaves disappeared into the storm on K2.

She climbed with a courage that needed no applause—quietly, fiercely, and on her own terms. In 1995, she became the first woman to climb Everest alone, without supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support. Months later, she stood on the summit of K2, only to be taken by the mountain during the descent.

But Alison’s story did not end on K2.

Years later, her son Tom Ballard followed the same path of his mother, becoming a remarkable climber in his own right. In 2019, Tom disappeared on Nanga Parbat, another unforgiving giant of the Karakoram.

A mother and a son.
Two extraordinary climbers.
Two lives claimed by the mountains they loved.

Today, we remember Alison—not for the way she died, but for the way she lived:
fearlessly, independently, and with an unbreakable love for the mountains.

Some people leave footprints on summits.
Others leave them in the hearts of those who follow.

Alison Hargreaves—forever remembered.🏔️🕊️

Pictures: Allison with her children.
Tom Ballard with sister Kate Ballard.
Tom with Daniel Nardi at Nanga Base Camp.

Photo © Alison Hargreaves Archives

10/08/2026

On this day, 10 August 2005, Slovenian mountaineer Tomaž Humar was rescued from Pakistan’s Nanga Parbat after spending six days stranded at around 6,300 metres on the mountain’s formidable Rupal Face.
Humar had been attempting a daring solo ascent when severe storms forced him to take shelter in a snow cave, while avalanches thundered across the vast face. With his food and fuel supplies running dangerously low, he remained in contact with his support team via satellite phone.
After several days, a rescue that seemed nearly impossible became a reality. Pakistan Army pilots Lieutenant Colonel Rashid Ullah Baig and Major Khalid Amir Rana bravely flew a Lama helicopter deep into the Rupal Face and successfully lifted Humar from his precarious position. Suffering from frostbite but alive, he survived what became one of the most remarkable high-altitude helicopter rescues in mountaineering history.
Four years later, in November 2009, Humar embarked on another solo expedition, this time attempting Langtang Lirung (7,227 m) in Nepal. After reporting that he had suffered an injury in a fall, all contact with him was lost. His body was later located and recovered from the mountain, bringing a tragic end to the life of one of the world’s most fearless and accomplished alpinists.

Photo: Tomaž Humar’s location on the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbat. © Tomaž Humar Archives.

08/08/2026

Remembering Julie Tullis, world’s first female high-altitude mountaineering filmmaker

Julie Tullis was born March 15, 1939 in Surrey, England, and began climbing at seventeen on the sandstone crags of Tunbridge Wells. There she met Terry Tullis, whom she married in 1959. Beyond the rock she pursued Japanese martial arts with the same dedication, building the discipline and calm that would carry her to the highest places on earth.

In 1976 her path crossed with Austrian mountaineer and filmmaker Kurt Diemberger. Together they created a new kind of partnership: to climb the great ranges and to film them from within. In 1981 Diemberger invited Julie as technical assistant on Nanga Parbat, and that marked the beginning of their work at altitude with cameras. They documented the North Ridge of K2 in 1983, attempted the unclimbed Northeast Ridge of Everest in 1984 while filming, and that same year reached the summit of Broad Peak at 8047m with the cameras rolling. Through these expeditions Julie became recognized as the world’s first female high-altitude mountaineering filmmaker, carrying both rope and lens where few had gone before.

In 1986 they turned to K2, the "King of Mountains." That summer the mountain gave historic firsts and also took a heavy toll. On August 4, 1986, at age 47, Julie reached the 8611m summit without supplemental oxygen and became the first British woman to stand on top of K2. She climbed with Kurt Diemberger and Wilhelm Bauer. Alan Rousse and Alfred Imitzer summited the same day from another team. All five climbed alpine style.

The descent was brutal. Julie slipped on the upper slopes and was caught by Diemberger on the rope. The group made it back to Camp IV near 8000m, where a sudden storm held them for two days. Supplies ran out and the altitude closed in.

On August 7, 1986, during the night between the 6th and 7th, Julie died in her tent from high-altitude pulmonary edema, compounded by injuries from her fall. She was laid to rest on the Shoulder of K2. She became the mountain’s 21st fatality, in a season that claimed 13 lives.

07/08/2026

Karimabad Flood 2026. A flashflood rips through a handmade bridge in Karimabad.

04/08/2026

04/08/2026

Lower Chitral hit by cloud burst and flashfloods around Choghor and other catchment areas destroying several bridges and other infrastructure. NDMA has warned of more destructive rains to follow in coming days and advised tourists and locals to avoid travelling to low lying areas.

04/08/2026

According to Alpine Club of Pakistan, four bodies have been recovered so far from the avalanche stricken region at Broad Peak including bodies of Nims Dai, Killi Pemba, Wang Zhong, and Nima Sherpa.

Another body has been spotted at considerably higher altitude and difficult to retrieve in present conditions.

Pakistan Explorer expresses it's deep condolences to the families of the deceased.

RIP 💐