After two winter attempts, David Goettler is ready to try Nanga Parbat alpine style in a warmer season, and in great company. He is climbing with speedster Benjamin Vedrines.
As usual, Goettler just posted a brief note before disconnecting from the internet on his way to Pakistan. “I’ll look forward to sharing thoughts and images when we are back online in a few weeks,” he wrote.
He has not shared information about their route or strategy. All we know is that the climbers will reach Nanga Parbat before most commercial teams get there in June. They will also stay loyal to the “pure and light” criteria.
David Goettler approaches winter Dhaulagiri some months ago. Photo: David Goettler/Facebook
Powerful partnerships
Goettler usually engages in cutting-edge projects with excellent partners, such as Kilian Jornet, with whom he attempted the Everest-Lhotse traverse, and Herve Barmasse, his partner on the winter attempts on Nanga Parbat and Dhaulagiri. Last year, Goettler found no partner and climbed Everest on his own without oxygen or Sherpa support.
As far as we know, this is the first time that Goettler has paired with Vedrines, one of the younger generation of outstanding climbers. Born and raised in the Alps, he is now turning to pure alpine-style ascents in the Himalaya.
Vedrines is also one of the fastest climbers around. He climbed Broad Peak in an astonishing 7 hours 28 minutes last year. He also smashed records, both climbing and on skis, at home in the French Alps all last winter. In the Himalaya, besides climbing Broad Peak and K2, he opened a new route on Chamlang with Charles Dubouloz in 2021.
Benjamin Vedrines at home in France’s Ecrins Alps last winter. Photo: Benjamin Vedrines
Vedrines confirmed that they are already on their way and wrote about his motivations in his usual poetic style.
“I feel weak but I give myself the strength to believe in powerful dreams, so powerful that they sometimes make me think I am capable of great things,” he wrote. “I want to feel my flaws, to be at the foot of giants, to feel tiny and vulnerable…I want to give myself the means to deserve the goal, and to return to the world below, invigorated.”
Check his post (in French) and a short video of Nanga Parbat here:
