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August 10, 2021


LUKE SMITHWICK | HIMALAYAN EXPLORATION


BIG MOUNTAIN SKIER AND ALPINIST, MOUNTAIN GUIDE AND GOAL ZERO AMBASSADOR LUKE
SMITHWICK CONTINUES HIS PROJECT TO SKI FIVE HUNDRED SKI LINES IN THE HIMALAYAS.

By: Luke Smithwick

Big mountain skier and alpinist, mountain guide and Goal Zero ambassador Luke
Smithwick continues his project to ski five hundred ski lines in the Himalayas,
the Himalaya 500.

The Pakistan Karakoram contains more than four thousand peaks above 20,000 feet.
In short, it is a vast world of technical spires, towers and soaring glaciated
peaks. The range politically spans in an arc across Pakistan, China and India.
Over the past 10 years I’ve made some forays into this subrange of the
Himalayas, yet this was my first big push in the region. Over the past four
months I sought a variety of skiing objectives in four different locales of the
Pakistan Karakoram; Shimshal, Nagar, Hunza and Skardu. Each region has its own
unique character, orography and inhabitants. I chose to begin skiing in April
because this is when the snowpack is most stable. Choosing steeper more
challenging terrain during the Winter months means dealing with more avalanche
problems.



Mountains and terrain without end, the Karakoram



A bit of backstory, this was part of the HIMALAYA 500, my project to ski five
hundred ski lines in the Himalayas. I began the project in 2010 and am about
half way through completing it. The goal of the project is to highlight the
immense variety of culture, geology and snow climates in the 1500 mile long
Great Himalaya range. This leg in the Pakistan Karakoram was nothing short of
extraordinary.



Smithwick skiing another line at 19,000 feet in Shimshal



When we look at the four distinct regions of Shimshal, Nagar, Hunza and Skardu
we have the residents of each respective region speaking four completely
different language. In Shimshal they speak Wakhi, in Nagar they speak
Burashashki, in Skardu they speak Balti, and in Hunza they speak Shina (along
with Burashashki). Four distinct languages that have no relation to each other.
The four regions are within one hundred square miles, and are distinctly
separated by major glacial rivers and subranges of the Karakoram. I find it
fascinating to have remarkably unique cultures developing in such close
proximity to one another, and that so all because of the mountains themselves.



Smithwick approaching another ski line at 18000 feet in Shimshal
Spring planting season in Nagar district



Now to move to the ski terrain, the Skardu area is the home of 8000m giants K2,
Gasherbrum One & Two, and Broad Peak. While these peaks can be ski objectives
themselves, there is a lot more variety in the region at lesser altitudes. The
Baltoro glacier itself is 39 miles in length with the peaks alongside it being
of varying types of rock, with the most appealing area being the Baltoro
plutonic unit, which contains the granitoids of the Trango towers. As a skier
I’m drawn to granite because it tends to create great hallways (couloirs) for
skiing.



Couloirs to ski along the Baltoro glacier



The Nagar and Hunza areas also happen to hold excellent granite couloirs, along
with sedimentary formations. What also struck me about the Nagar and Hunza
regions were the lifestyles the inhabitants had carved out beneath the massive
Karakoram mountains. Pastoral farmers plowed and planted the fields, youth
herded the sheep and goat into the hills above villages, while others processed
grain and made wool from their herds.

The Shimshal valley is off the beaten track and home to some of the best
mountaineers in Pakistan. For the short period of time I had to ski the area we
chose the Ghujerab mountains to the North of the village proper. We walked for a
day and a half to set a high base camp, skiing ramps, faces and couloirs there
in sedimentary limestone for four days before I was pulled back to head into the
Baltoro for the next objective. When you reach higher elevations in Shimshal you
come to the realization of how much is truly out there. I love that feeling,
that no matter where you are in the Karakoram, there is always more on the
distant horizon.



Skiing the first descent of a 6000 foot couloir in the Karakoram.



Today I’m back at my home in the Teton valley of Idaho. I put down roots here
five years ago and it’s where I base for training and preparing for my projects
in the Himalayas. I’m planning to ski an 8000 meter peak in Nepal in September
2021, stay tuned for the next update. This completes this leg of the project
that I started in April 2021.

To power my most recent expeditions in the Karakoram I used two of the Goal Zero
Nomad 100 solar panels and four Sherpa 100AC power banks. Portability is
paramount for me, and I like to have several smaller but capable power banks
that can be used for multiple applications on a given day (as opposed to having
one large power bank). The batteries powered my Nikon D810 full frame D-SLR,
Macbook Pro, DJI Mavic Pro, lights for the kitchen and dining, mobile phones,
satellite phone, heated socks (for high altitude), headlamps, and two way
radios.

Luke has now returned from the Pakistani Karakoram where most recently his team
successfully climbed 8031m Gasherbrum Two. You can follow all of Luke’s
adventure on his social media accounts, Instagram | Facebook | twitter

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