By SYED SHAHABUDDIN
SWAT: A five-member group of the International Skiing Mountaineers have reached the summit of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s highest peak, Falak Sar, which is 5962 meters above sea-level, in Kalam valley of Swat District.
Upon their return from the peak, the mountaineers performed a demonstration of Skiing on the natural resort of the Falak Sar (also known as Falak Sair).
The five -member group comprises of the skiers from the USA, UK, France and Slovenia including two women. This five -member group of mountaineers was led by US mountaineer Tom Grant.
Other mountaineers included UK’s Beth Haley, France’s Aaran Rolph and Bine Zalohar, while Juliet Willman is from Slovenia.
The mountaineers started their journey to peak from Kalam on May 18 and returned to Kalam on June 1st. This was the first group of foreign climbers to summit Swat’s highest and most difficult Falak Sar peak.
Arriving at Kalam, the Kalam Hotel Association and social activists gave a warm welcome to the skiers and they were dressed in traditional Swati shawls and hats.
Speaking to the media on the occasion, the mountaineers said that it took them fourteen days to summit the peak.
“All the colleagues had pledged that they would not return without reaching the summit of the peak and we are very happy that we succeeded in this adventure,” Tom Grant said.
He said that the people of Pakistan, especially Kalam, are very loving and hospitable and they would always remember their hospitality. Ahmed Zeb, a local mountaineer, was acted as guide for the International mountaineers.
