world record for flying in karakoram

As of 2007, the ninth-tallest peak in the world, Nanga Parbat (26,567 feet) had been climbed by 276 people, but Ramón Morillas and Thomas de Dorlodot of Spain and Belgium have found a new way to reach the summit: flying. The two have set the world record for the highest-altitude paragliding flight at 25,590 feet near the summit of the peak.

“The flying was amazing and very tricky,” Dorlodot told Rock and Ice. “You don’t have many options to get out if you get in trouble.”

The expedition took place in the region of Karakoram, with practice flights occurring over the course of a month. To reach the summit, Morillas and Dorlodot launched their paragliders from the Nanga Parbat base camp at 13,123 feet and caught thermals that brought them to the height of the surrounding mountaintops.

“This flight was very scary because we didn't take oxygen,” states Dorlodot. “I could not see anything. According to the GPS track, I went up to 6625 meters (21,736 feet) in 11 minutes in a very strong thermal and was then flying in between 7000 meter (22,965 foot) high mountain peaks.”

The altitude record is 6,889 feet higher than the previous 14,849 feet flown by Robbie Whittall of the UK.

In order to complete the flight the men had to fly close to high mountain glaciers and into snow clouds at temperature of -31° Fahrenheit. At the high altitude and with the freezing temperatures the equipment still worked sufficiently.

Planning for the expedition started a year ago when Morilas ask Dorlodot if he could go to Pakistan with the hope of flying above Nanga Parbat. It took months for the men to create a prototype of a paraglider that would be able to fly in the extreme conditions. In preparation the team made numerous flights in the Sierra Nevada, flying in strong thermals, cold weather and strong wind conditions.

On August 25^th the team left for Pakistan and on October 9^th, they returned with a new world record.

Nanga Parbat translates as the Naked Mountain, derived from the Sanskrit words parvata, meaning mountain or rock, and nanga meaning naked or bare. Known as the “Killer Mountain,” Nanga Parbat was one of the deadliest for climbers in the first half of the twentieth century.

For more information and photos please visit: www.thomasdedorlodot.blogspot.com and www.altitudenangaparbat.org