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There are approximately 200 peaks in the world that exceed the 7000 meter (23,100 feet) mark, with 168 of these located in Pakistan.
These mountains are accessible in one of two ways. First, you can sign up with one of the many 'adventure outfitters' listed in the back of Outside/Rock and Ice/Climbing, or other popular outdoor adventure magazines, where someone in the U.S. will collect a $5000 fee from you, keep $3000 and then send $2000 to the company representative in Islamabad, Pakistan who has never seen a Himalayan peak. That person will keep $1500 and give $500 to a mountain guide. The mountain guide will keep another $300 and will distribute $200 between 10 porters. So the at the end of the day, the locals who cook for you, carry all your gear, and provide entertainment through their cheerful songs at night only get $20.
Our company does not have an office; we have no secretaries, accountants, or other administrators. You pay less than half of what any other firm would charge you, and I will personally guide you in Pakistan with 3-5 hired porters. Our profits are applied only towards our airfare, with the remainder given to the locals who make all this possible. We follow leave-no-trace guidelines, so when your grandchildren want to ascend a peak you climbed in alpine style, they will find it in the same pristine condition that you left it in.
Five years ago I travelled to K2 and witnessed the environmental effects of large-scale ‘corporate’ expeditions on the fragile mountain environment. These careless practices instilled a desire within me to make a difference, to the beauty and longevity of these valuable resources for future generations to appreciate. As a result, I founded my own mountain guiding company: Unnamed Unclimbed Expeditions. The idea is to introduce people who have a passion for alpine activities, to the mountain grandeur of the Himalaya in Pakistan in a responsible minimal impact manner.
Our
Team
Ali Jaffri, Ph.D, President and
founder
Ali grew up
in northern Pakistan and has traveled extensively in the Lesser
Himalayas, Karakoram, Greater Himalaya, and Hindukush in
northern Pakistan. Climbing experience includes several
rock-routes up to 5.11 in Boulder Canyon, Clear Creek Canyon,
Shelf Road, Penitente Canyon, Horsetooth Reservoir, Poudre River
Canyon, and Kern River Canyon and several ice routes in the
Colorado Front Range. He has experience with some of the largest
alpine glaciers in the world, including the Baltoro, Batura,
Passu, Bazhin, Rupal, Ultar, and Raikot Glaciers.
Ali is
trained through the American Red Cross in Wilderness First Aid
and a licensed mountain guide through the Ministry of Tourism in
Pakistan. He teaches glacier-travel and crevasse rescue along
with introductory rock and ice-climbing courses.
Alison Kent, Ski Guide
, supervisor and recruiter extraordinaire
Alison
will be leading clients for
skiing trips across the Deosai Plateau in Pakistan and will be teaching beginners how to ski in the Colorado Rockies. She has been skiing for 15 years, which includes ski descents of
Colorado fourteeners. She has traveled extensively in Europe,
speaks Arabic and is certified in Wilderness First Aid through
the American Red Cross. Alison has also climbed the volcanoes in
Mexico.
Eric Bratschun,
Rock Guide
Eric
is passionate about climbing and has been so since the age of
15. He enjoys climbing of any type, whether it be bouldering,
sport, or trad, and is most fond of the mental, physical and
unique personal decisions and challenges found in trad. He
is new to our team and will be teaching all the rock courses
in Colorado.
Holly Bryson, Ski
Guide
Holly has been skiing for twenty-four years. Born to ski
instructor parents, she began formally competing at the age of
15. Holly competed internationally in the French Cup and
Canadian circuit as part of the Australian Development Freestyle
Team, and has coached and judged competitions. This experience
initiated an exploration into new ways of relating to the snow
and mountains: to meet these rather than attempt to control
them.
Passionate about wilderness exploration, Holly
obtained a Masters in
Wilderness Therapy
in
Boulder, Colorado 2009. Holly speaks English, French and
Maori and is a certified
Wilderness First
Responder. She has three years experience guiding and
facilitating adventure travel and experiential recreation, and
also works locally as a
yoga instructor
and ski therapist.
Ali Khan, Sirdar
AAli Khan
has been guiding independently in the Karakoram for over 10
years. He supervises porters and arranges expedition logistics
in Baltistan.
Naseem, Porter/Cook
Naseem is
our head porter. He lives in Shigar village where he runs a
convenience store. He has served as a porter on expeditions to
the Biafo-Hispar Glacier and Baltoro Glacier on several
occasions.
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