SAMAYA x SYMON WELFRINGER
CONFIDENCES ON THE PREPARATION OF HIS EXPEDITION TO PAKISTAN
After his spectacular ascent to the Grandes Jorasses in February 2023, mountaineer Symon Welfringer is leaving for a new challenge in Pakistan. Ahead of his trip, Symon gives us the genesis of this project, the way he prepares for it and what motivates him to constantly push back his limits.
What inspired you to embark on this expedition to Pakistan?
Symon Welfringer : We are a team of 4 going to Pakistan at the end of June, with Matteo Della Bordella and Silvan Schüpbach, 2 friends with whom I have already gone to Greenland in 2021, and François Cazzanelli. We go to a mountain, the Baintha Brakk, nicknamed the Ogre. Its main summit, at 7,200 meters, has already been climbed twice, but its eastern summit, at 7,300 meters, is completely virgin. What is special is its south-east pillar, which really follows the ridge line and gives really great climbing lengths. It's a super wild place so it's one of the routes that make you dream. I had this project in mind for a while.
This climb involves spending several nights on the cliff. How do you plan to organize your bivouac?
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SW : It's much less steep than the north face of the Grandes Jorasses, so we hope it can work with two tents of two places each, because sleeping up there without a tent is a bit complicated. The idea is to be able to use the tents as much as possible to be able to protect yourself and counter the wind which is very present at altitude, as well as the cold.
We hope you will have enough space to set up your bivouac. Regarding your progress on this expedition, how do you plan?
SW : The first 15 days, we will be on the Choktoi Glacier and we will gradually climb in altitude to try to acclimatize, up to 6000-6500 meters. We will take the skis and go through fairly easy routes. The idea is to sleep at least once at 6500 meters before hitting the route. We then hope to be able to make the ascent in 4 days.
Do you have any apprehensions about this expedition? Do you feel limits?
SW : I think it doesn't work all the time. This is also where it gets dangerous, when you get really confident in yourself. When I came back from Pakistan with Pierrick and we had the golden ice axe, that's when I had an ice climbing accident. I think I had too much confidence in myself. There I feel that I have a little experience, so I know that potentially it may not work, but on the other hand, deep down inside, I really want it to work. Maybe also that sometimes I left with too many questions. How do you explain that to your relatives, your friends, your girlfriend? It's super complex. This is where I ask myself the question of what motivates me, despite the risks. It's not for the glory, but really for the adventure, the sensations I feel there. Even if it's ugly and I'm in my tent watching Netflix series, deep in a glacier, that's what drives me.
