Col. Sher Khan, the Mountain Lion: A Forgotten Lead Climber

Col. Sher Khan’s (Retd) journey was not only defined by the conquest of summits but also by the fulfillment of a legacy—one that is etched in the grand shape of Rakaposhi. This mountain had determined his destiny long before he initially crossed its slopes. Sher Khan narrates;

“I would like to say that Rakaposhi, my backyard mountain will always be my most memorable climb” The Nation, 2020

This mountain symbolises historical stature, strength, and a deeply personal legacy. Sher Khan was born and raised in Hunza, and his life was closely related to the mountain that dominated his home valley. It was not the natural beauty of Rakaposhi that aroused his interest, but the unfinished dream of his father, the late M. Shah Khan, who was a member of the 1958 Pak-British Rakaposhi Expedition but failed to reach the summit. Sher Khan’s Himalayan expedition would be characterized by this absence, a gap which his father could not fill. Sher Khan, as leader of the Pak-Polish Expedition in 1979, did what his father could not, creating a new route on Rakaposhi’s North-West Ridge and creating a lasting stamp in the annals of mountaineering.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sher Khan (@col.sherkhan)

The legacy of passion

Sher Khan’s experience with Rakaposhi started in his early years, the mountain being a source of something greater than a marvelous peak; it was a part of his daily life. His father, Shah Khan, a trailblazer of the Karakoram mountaineers’ world, played a great role in the 1948 liberation of Gilgit. Although he made enormous advances in the world of mountaineering, he never succeeded in climbing to the top of Rakaposhi. This unmet objective turned became Sher Khan’s mission, which would take him down a more adventurous and less-traveled route. Sher Khan used to spend his leisurely days looking at Rakaposhi while growing up in Karimabad, in the capital seat of his ancestors, who ruled the former kingdom of Hunza. His childhood was surrounded by the tallest mountains in the world. Later, he would consider this enduring bond, and it was this love and obsession that would set his notable pioneering climbs in the Karakoram.

Standing at the top of Rakaposhi, looking down into the Hunza Valley, Khan recalls;

“I have always gazed up at this magnificent mountain in wonder, humbled by its beauty and sheer size. And here I was, reaching the summit and realizing both my father’s and my own dreams.” (Aisha Sarwari, Natura Magazine 2023)

Walks in His Backyard

According to his recent Instagram post, Sher Khan, the mountain lion, broke the news of publishing a book titled “Walks in My Backyard” on his mountaineering life. Another Instagram post affiliated with him states:

“For years he guided others to glory while his name remained in the shadows, now it’s time for his story to be told. Discover an untold story of a forgotten mountaineer”

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Walks in my Backyard (@walksinmybackyard)

In 1978, Sher Khan made history by becoming the first person to summit Passu Sar (7478m), a formidable mountain in his hometown. This accomplishment prepared him for his most audacious accomplishment to date, the ascent of Rakaposhi (7788m) in 1979. According to the Nation News, Sher Khan led an expedition of 14 climbers, including both Polish and Pakistani climbers, as they took on the challenge of Rakaposhi’s North-West Ridge, a route that had never been attempted before. The top moment in Sher Khan’s climbing career is being on the Rakaposhi. He romanticizes the idea that his wife and kids are looking at the mountain he is summitting, waiting for him to come home safely. (Interviewed by Aisha Sarwari, Natura Magazine 2023).

In 1984, he added another feather in his cap by standing at the top of Yukshin Gardan Sar (7469m) in Shimshal, which was one of the highest unclimbed peaks at that time. Setting new routes on the unclimbed faces of the mighty Karakoram mountains made the name of Sher Khan a mountain lion among the circles of elite alpinists. Reinhold Messner, therefore, made his alpinist team of strong men, including Nazir Sabir and Sher Khan, for his Gasherbrum II (8035m) and Broad Peak (8051m) mission in 1982. Making a new history, Sher Khan and his comrades climbed Gasherbrum and Broad Peak in less than 48 hours. He traveled to the Himalayas in Nepal on various mountaineering expeditions, including Pakistan’s Everest expedition in 1997. We eagerly await his long-anticipated book, which promises to unveil deeper insights into his untold climbing adventures.

Is there a Karakoram Style?

Unlike tourist summiteers, who race to finish the 14 eight-thousanders. For the indigenous climbers like Sher Khan, Nazir Sabir, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, and Ashraf Amman, mountaineering is a deeply personal endeavor. Likewise, Sher Khan’s approach to climbing was never about racing through peaks or chasing records.

“I am in love with the mountains. As with all love, this too needs a secret code that you alone have faith in. It needs blood and sweat and perhaps some tears, for the sole reason that love is enough, simple love.” (Aisha Sarwari, Natura Magazine 2023)

It seems there is a legendary style of climbing set by the classical local climbers. This style of mountaineering distinguishes itself from the alpine style in many ways, which primarily involves approaching a mountain with deep love and respect. A unique spiritual bond between man and mountain, combined with natural skills to climb mountains. According to famous Pakistani mountaineer Nazir Sabir, he has experienced deep spiritual experiences in the higher heavens while climbing to the highest peaks. This spirit characterizes the Karakoram style as a legendary approach in mountaineering. He is of the view that climbing should be “fair climbing”; it is fair because it is simply one man vs one mountain, no clutches (Aisha Sarwari, Natura Magazine 2023)

Moreover, the legacy of local heroes in making the early first ascents successful,  such as the role of Hunza Tigers, and later the role of Sadparas, Hushes and Shimshalis, is unparalleled.  It developed as a unique style of mountaineering because the local assisting climbers ascend mountains without porters, protocols, or basecamp luxuries. Sometimes they help others in making their dreams come true. The local climbers embark on an expedition carrying their gear and food from home, while the international climbers reach base camp with luxury services. Let us take the example of the Hunza Tigers of Nanga Parbat first ascent in 1953; they marched on foot for days from Hunza to the base camp of Nanga Parbat and had reached 7000m elevation of the killer Mountain, isn’t it a world record or style? Legendary stories of Sher Khan and many other local climbers manifest the existence of the Karakoram style.

Tales such as Sher Khan’s, coupled with those of other devoted climbers, will persist in defining the Karakoram ethos, motivating generations to come while establishing a lasting benchmark for climbing ethics and profound reverence for mountains.