Norwegian climbs the ninth mountain in search of the “Super Peaks” record

A Norwegian remains on course to climb the world’s 14 “super peaks” in the shortest possible time, her Instagram account said, after climbing Pakistan’s Broad Peak, the ninth mountain in her quest.

Pakistan is home to five of the world’s 14 super peaks – those over 8,000 meters (26,246 feet). Climbing them all is considered the ultimate achievement among mountaineers.

Kristin Harila equals Nepalese adventurer Nirmal Purja’s 2019 record of six months and six days for climbing all 14.

On Thursday, day 76 of her pursuit, she scaled Broad Peak, the 12th highest, according to a message on her Instagram page.

Officials from the Alpine Club of Pakistan were not immediately available to confirm the 36-year-old’s latest feat, but it comes just six days after they said she scaled K2, the world’s second-highest peak.

“She is now descending to base camp and then heading towards the final two mountains, Gasherbrum I and II, in the second phase of this project,” the Instagram message reads.

A record number of climbers are tackling Pakistan’s peaks this year, but the mountains have taken their toll – with six people missing and presumed dead since the season began in June, including four foreigners.

Canadian Richard Cartier, Australian Matthew Eakin, Afghan Ali Akbar and Pakistani Sharif Sadpara are presumed dead on K2, Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department officials said.

Briton Gordon Henderson got lost climbing Broad Peak and Pakistani Iman Karim got lost on Gasherbrum II.

Pakistani officials do not typically list missing climbers as dead until their bodies have been recovered.

According to the Alpine Club, records have fallen in Pakistan’s mountains this year, with over 140 people climbing the 8,611-metre K2 – including 20 women.

Up until this year, it had only been climbed 425 times, while Everest – the world’s highest – has been climbed by more than 6,000 people since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first summited in 1953.

Last week Sanu Sherpa of Nepal became the first person to double summit all 14 super peaks after summiting Gasherbrum II.