Broad Peak North, First Ascent, Solo. My wife Goretta and I left Skardu with 32 porters on May 12. After only four days of walking, our liaison officer felt so ill that we continued on alone without him. We reached Base Camp at 16,400 feet on May 22. On May 26 Goretta and I walked to the base of the north face of Broad Peak North, carrying all material needed for the climb. We had to cross an area full of séracs and crevasses. After two attempts frustrated by bad weather, on June 22 I started up the beautiful north spur, an elegant route with an 8000-foot rise of altitude which presents great difficulties on ice, rock and mixed climbing. I used some fifteen ice and rock pitons, of which I left ten in place to secure my descent. I used two ice hammers and 100 meters of rope. My highest bivouac was at 24,600 feet; I was without sleeping bag, tent or pack, having been overtaken by nightfall. I was frightened. I kept standing all night awake, from eight P.M. to four A.M., in order not to fall off, rubbing my hands and feet continuously. The summit of Broad Peak North (7600 meters, 24,935 feet) was still 335 feet above me. I got there on the morning of June 28. I took seven days for the ascent and three for the descent. This was probably the highest unclimbed summit in Pakistan.

Renato Casarotto, Club Alpino Italiano