Karakoram Climbing Season in Jeopardy Due to India-Pakistan Conflict
Several climbing teams have already had to change their plans
As the conflict between India and Pakistan escalates, many climbers are left wondering whether they should change their expedition plans. Mountains like K2, Broad Peak and Masherbrum might all be unreachable in 2025.
Canadians Ethan Berman and Maarten van Haeren, and Patagonia-based Seb Pelletti are on their way to Ultar Shar, a 7,388-metre peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram Range. Their flight to Islamabad was cancelled when they were at the airport, but they’re still hoping to make it to the area.
Two American climbers, Sean McLane and Vitaliy Musiyenko, were heading to Kishtwar Shivling, but they had to shift focus to a new objective, as Kashmir is closed to foreigners. Berman and McLane’s expeditions are just two of several that received the Cutting Edge Award in 2025 for expeditions to Asia – see others here.
While the status of whether mountain areas are open or closed will change as the conflict develops, getting into the mountains will be a hurdle, as hundreds of flights have been cancelled and airports are closing.
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