Team America Summits Unclimbed Mountain
Three climbers have made the first ascent of a remote peak in northern Pakistan
A team of American climbers have made the first ascent of Yashkuk Sar (6,667 m) in Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan. The three climbers, Dane Steadman, Cody Winckler, and August Franzen, were aiming for the north face, but few details have been released about their route. The climbers are currently still making their way back to civilization.
The team received funding from the American Alpine Club’s Cutting Edge Grant for their expedition. Their pre-trip climb summary was: “They will attempt the first ascent of Yashkuk Sar, in the northern Karakoram, from its north side. The objective was the product of a strong desire to climb in the Karakoram, especially a technical route on a mid-elevation peak in the less traveled regions, coupled with Google Earth wanderings and internet scouring. The team, which evolved over time due to injuries, now consists of Steadman, his primary climbing partner, Cody Winckler, who also lives in northern Wyoming with Steadman and shares his passion for winter climbing, and August Franzen, a resident of Valdez, Alaska, who Steadman has yet to share a rope with but whom Steadman and Winckler have been wanting to climb with for a while.”
Explorers Web shared word of their summit, noting a message from the team’s outfitter Alpine Adventure Guides Pakistan, saying, “They reached the summit of Yashkuk Sar yesterday [Sunday] afternoon. They are on their way down toward base camp now. They summited both peaks of Yashkuk Sar.” We’ll have more information about the first ascent of Yashkuk Sar once it’s available.
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