5 women from GB successfully summit Spantik

5 women from GB successfully summit Spantik.

Key points

• Jamil Nagri Published August 25, 2026 Updated August 25, 2026 07: 48am.
• Bad weather has additionally prevented helicopter operations at 8, 047-metre Broad Peak, where the body of American climber Sarah Mallory Geis remains at the base camp awaiting airlift.
• Bad weather hampers efforts to bring to Skardu bodies of Dr Asma Mushtaq and American climber Sarah Mallory Geis.
• According to The Alpine Club of Pakistan, the four-member local women's team reached the summit and safely returned to Skardu on Monday.
• Bismah Hassan of Lahore was additionally part of the expedition but returned around 250 metres below the summit after experiencing a health problem.

Jamil Nagri Published August 25, 2026 Updated August 25, 2026 07: 48am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

GILGIT: Four women mountaineers from Gilgit-Baltistan, joined by a Romanian climber and a male mountaineer from Punjab, successfully summited 7, 027-metre Spantik Peak without the assistance of high-altitude porters, marking an inspiring achievement against the backdrop of challenging conditions in the region.

In practice, the successful climbers were Shama Baqir and Samana Rahim of Shimshal Valley, Zooni Aslam of Gulmit Valley in Gojal, Upper Hunza, and Zaiba Batool Shigri of Shigar district.

Alpine Club of Pakistan General Secretary Ayaz Shigri informed Dawn that the women reached the summit either a day before or on the same day that climber Dr Asma Mushtaq died while descending from the mountain.

He remarked weather conditions had been favourable at the peak before Friday, but subsequent deterioration created difficulties for rescue and recovery operations.

In practice, the expedition additionally featured Alexandra Visan of Romania, who, despite battling cancer, successfully climbed Spantik and descended safely. Her expedition was organised by Broad Boy Adventures, owned by Pakistani mountaineer Shehroze Kashif.

In a social media post, Mr Kashif remarked Ms Visan was accompanied by local high-altitude porter Ali Ameen of Shigar. He described her achievement as a story of perseverance, saying some climbs are regarding finding the strength to continue when life itself becomes the mountain.

Punjab climber Ayyan Adeel additionally summited Spantik. According to Mr Kashif, the attempt was notable since Ayyan became the youngest climber to summit the peak without high-altitude porter backing, carrying his own equipment with assistance from fellow expedition members Awais Choudary and Talha Khalid.

While the successful summits brought encouragement to the mountaineering community, deteriorating weather has continued to hamper efforts to bring to Skardu the body of Dr Asma Mushtaq. This person died at an altitude of around 6, 250 metres on Thursday while descending from the Spantik summit. Her body remains at Camp 3.

Mr Shigri remarked a six-member team of high-altitude porters reached Camp 2 on Sunday and attempted to proceed towards Camp 3. Nevertheless, heavy rain and snowfall forced the team to turn back to Camp 2.

After which rescuers will produce another attempt to bring Dr Mushtaq's body down to base camp, weather conditions are projected to improve on Tuesday. Pakistan Army helicopters are then projected to airlift the body to Skardu.

Bad weather has additionally prevented helicopter operations at 8, 047-metre Broad Peak, where the body of American climber Sarah Mallory Geis remains at the base camp awaiting airlift. Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2026.

Jamil Nagri is a Gilgit-Baltistan-based correspondent for Dawn with over a decade of experience in journalism. His reporting and feature writing focus on CPEC, climate change, the environment, and adventure tourism. He can be discovered on X at @jamilnagri.

Taken together, the developments around 5 women from GB successfully summit Spantik point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.