Islamabad (TD): Italian climber Stefano Ragazzo has become the first person to climb the Eternal Flame route on Trango Nameless Tower of the Karakoram range in Pakistan.
The 650-meter granite ascent, located in the Baltoro Glacier area, is graded as one of the most technically demanding climbs globally. Without any assistance, fixed ropes, or a climbing partner, he completed the solo climb in nine days.
The Eternal Flame was first set up in 1989 by a German group led by Wolfgang Güllich. It has been tried by many other top climbers since then; however, it had not been previously finished by a single climber.
Italian alpinist Stefano Ragazzo has made history as the first person to complete a solo climb of the famed Eternal Flame route on the Trango Nameless Tower in Pakistan’s Karakoram range.
Renowned for its extreme technical difficulty, this route spans 650 meters and is graded at… pic.twitter.com/9SqKCj8W8y
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Ragazzo wrote in a post on social media, “In an era when individuals view themselves as conquerors of the mountain yet remaining within their established ropes meant to satiate their egos — and where sponsors such as @thenorthfaceit lose trust in one’s vision of the alps and withdraw two weeks to the day of the departure, citing having not enough Instagram posts — the room to be rebels and defy the trends remains.”
The Trango Towers, in the greater Karakoram range, are famous for their granite walls of sheer magnitude and remain popular with visiting climbers for their technical challenges.
Pakistan has the world’s highest mountains, K2 (8,611m) and Nanga Parbat (8,126m), and has seen a surge of foreign expeditions in recent years.
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Alpine Club of Pakistan officials have recognized Ragazzo’s feat, saying it is evidence of increasing global respect for Pakistan’s high-altitude climbing trails.
Ragazzo’s climb marks an important new chapter in the history of the Eternal Flame route and is being celebrated by the international climbing community as one of the greatest solo climbs in recent times. He landed safely and is likely to return to Skardu in the next few days.
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