Everyone who have the slightest interest in mountaineering knows that K2 was first scaled by Italian mountaineers( Achille Compagnoni and Lino Lacedelli ) but no one knows how it was made possible by a man who was later to be cheated out of the glory and almost died due to selfish motives of these individuals.
Amir Mehdi was born in Hassanabad, Hunza(1933) which is a region located in the extreme north of Pakistan. He worked as a high altitude porter which means he helped mountaineers carry gear and equipment and help them set up camps at the highest altitudes possible (7000 meters and above usually) on an expedition. His only passion was climbing (he never learned to read or write).
He was a participant of the 1953 German expedition to Nanga Parbat in which Hermann Buhl made the first ascent of the deadly mountain. Mehdi reached up to camp IV but due to health issues had to come down. Later he and another local porter helped Buhl reach the base by carrying him on their backs.
In 1954 he was selected among many other porters for the Italian expedition which was responsible for the conquering of the savage mountain. He accompanied the mountaineers, carrying the heavy loads of supplies and equipment and helped them setup the high camps. A day before the summit bid Mehdi helped a young Italian climber Walter Bonatti to carry oxygen cylinders up to a height of about 8000m. According to his son, Amir did this because he was offered a chance to get to the top. As they reached the designated spot and searched for Compagnoni and Lacedelli's camp they were instructed to leave the oxygen and go back down. It was pretty dark by then and Mehdi and Bonatti were forced to open bivouac (highest at that time, 8100m) with temperatures at -50C. It was later revealed that the camp was deliberately moved by Compagnoni to an inaccessible spot to prevent Bonatti to steal the limelight.
Mehdi suffered severe frostbite on the descent and was carried on a stretcher to a hospital in Skardu. All his toes were amputated and spent eight months hospitalized.
The official narrative showed Bonatti as the bad guy - accused of risk taking and scheming to claim the summit himself. While his Italian colleagues went back home, wrote books and made money, Mehdi never climbed again. It was only in 2007 that the Italian Alpine club recognized the essential role of Mehdi and Bonatti in K2's conquest but it was already too late as Mehdi died in 1999 aged 85.
Amir Mehdi's tale shows the loyalty he offered to the task and price he paid for the success of the expedition. He should be hailed as a hero of the nation.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28696985
http://altitudepakistan.blogspot.de/2012/11/amir-mehdi.html
Amir Mehdi was born in Hassanabad, Hunza(1933) which is a region located in the extreme north of Pakistan. He worked as a high altitude porter which means he helped mountaineers carry gear and equipment and help them set up camps at the highest altitudes possible (7000 meters and above usually) on an expedition. His only passion was climbing (he never learned to read or write).
Amir Mehdi with the medals awarded to him by the Italian government
He was a participant of the 1953 German expedition to Nanga Parbat in which Hermann Buhl made the first ascent of the deadly mountain. Mehdi reached up to camp IV but due to health issues had to come down. Later he and another local porter helped Buhl reach the base by carrying him on their backs.
In 1954 he was selected among many other porters for the Italian expedition which was responsible for the conquering of the savage mountain. He accompanied the mountaineers, carrying the heavy loads of supplies and equipment and helped them setup the high camps. A day before the summit bid Mehdi helped a young Italian climber Walter Bonatti to carry oxygen cylinders up to a height of about 8000m. According to his son, Amir did this because he was offered a chance to get to the top. As they reached the designated spot and searched for Compagnoni and Lacedelli's camp they were instructed to leave the oxygen and go back down. It was pretty dark by then and Mehdi and Bonatti were forced to open bivouac (highest at that time, 8100m) with temperatures at -50C. It was later revealed that the camp was deliberately moved by Compagnoni to an inaccessible spot to prevent Bonatti to steal the limelight.
Mehdi suffered severe frostbite on the descent and was carried on a stretcher to a hospital in Skardu. All his toes were amputated and spent eight months hospitalized.
Amir Mehdi's tale shows the loyalty he offered to the task and price he paid for the success of the expedition. He should be hailed as a hero of the nation.
Sources:
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-28696985
http://altitudepakistan.blogspot.de/2012/11/amir-mehdi.html
