Expedition Restores Remote Route Between Upper and Lower Chitral
A Pakistani mountaineering team has successfully crossed the remote Phargam An Pass in the Hindu Kush after a gap of 27 years.
The expedition also marked the first successful crossing of the high-altitude route by women climbers.
The pass, situated at roughly 5,000 metres above sea level, connects Laspur Valley in Upper Chitral with Golain Valley in Lower Chitral. Officials described the achievement as an important moment for Pakistan’s mountaineering and adventure tourism sectors.
The expedition was supported by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority. It formed part of efforts to rediscover and document historic trekking routes across Chitral.
The team travelled through glaciers, steep snow-covered slopes and unstable rocky terrain. Climbers also faced areas considered vulnerable to avalanches and rockfalls.
Despite the difficult conditions, the group reached the top of the pass before completing its descent into Golain Valley.
Kamran Khan was reported to be the first member of the expedition to reach the summit.
Other participants included Mehrosh Akhtar, Samar Khan, Noman Khan, Noormal Rehman, Zohaib Khan, Omar Khitab Sheerani, Sohniya Babar, Amina Shabbir and Madeeha Syed.
Chitrali sisters Smell Rose and Madhu Shala Akhtar also participated in the expedition.
Women Climbers Make History on Dangerous Route
The expedition created history by taking women climbers across Phargam An Pass for the first time.
Mehrosh Akhtar was among the women who reached the summit and completed the difficult crossing.
The achievement highlighted the growing participation of Pakistani women in mountaineering, trekking and other outdoor sports.
The climbers faced long hours of movement over snow, loose rock and exposed mountain slopes. Route selection was particularly important because the trail had changed since the last recorded crossing.
The expedition was led by experienced local guide Zamurd Khan.
Team members said retreating glaciers, rockfalls and shifting mountain conditions had significantly altered the route during the past 27 years.
Phargam An was historically used as a summer passage between Golain Gol and Laspur Valley before modern roads improved access across Chitral.
The old route supported travel, trade and communication between remote communities. Modern trekking descriptions continue to classify it as a demanding trail involving steep terrain, large rock fields and difficult navigation.
The reopening allows present-day climbers to follow a route once regularly used by mountain communities.
It may also support future guided expeditions, scientific visits and adventure tourism programmes.
However, officials and climbers stressed that the route requires preparation, experienced guides and careful assessment of weather and glacier conditions.
Historic Memorial Rediscovered During Expedition
During the journey, the climbers rediscovered a memorial plaque dedicated to Austrian mountaineer Georg Kronberger.
Kronberger died in the area in 1975.
The plaque had remained largely inaccessible because the route had not been crossed by an organised expedition for decades.
Its discovery added historical importance to the mission and connected the modern team with earlier mountaineering activity in the Hindu Kush.
Officials said preserving such sites could help document Chitral’s exploration history and honour climbers who travelled through the region.
The expedition was organised under the Tirich Mir Project.
The initiative aims to locate, document and promote historic trekking routes across Upper Chitral.
It also seeks to develop sustainable adventure tourism while protecting mountain communities, natural landscapes and local heritage.
Officials believe the reopening of Phargam An Pass could attract domestic and international climbers seeking difficult and less-travelled routes.
The surrounding region offers views of major peaks, remote valleys and largely untouched mountain terrain.
Tourism experts say carefully managed trekking expeditions could create employment for local guides, porters, transport providers and accommodation businesses.
The successful crossing has therefore been presented as more than a mountaineering achievement.
It has reopened a historic connection between two valleys, created a milestone for Pakistani women climbers and renewed attention on Chitral’s largely unexplored adventure tourism potential.
