Gasherbrum IV | Charles Dubouloz on the Shining Wall

“The mountain, one way or another, will teach you patience.”Alpinism is not only about reaching summits, but about accepting the mountain’s rules.

 

Gasherbrum IV (GIV) is a giant of rock and ice in the Karakoram range, standing at 7,925 meters. Yet the history of alpinism teaches us that it is much more than just a mountain. In 1985, alpinists Wojciech Kurtyka and Robert Schauer climbed its west face in pure alpine style. It was an extraordinary and visionary achievement on one of the world’s most difficult and vertical high-altitude walls. Despite turning back, exhausted and just meters from the summit, their ascent remains a masterpiece of purity and technique that defined an era.

 

Known as the “Shining Wall,” GIV’s west face is likely the reflection of the world’s best alpinists’ dreams. It was first climbed to the summit in 1997 by three Korean alpinists, who traced a new route up the central spur, but in a “heavy” style, using fixed ropes and intermediate camps. Since then, despite numerous attempts, no one has succeeded in opening new routes or repeating the two existing lines on the Shining Wall.

 

The Challenge of Charles Dubouloz

This summer, Charles Dubouloz, a strong French alpinist and member of the Scarpa® family, traveled to Pakistan with Symon Welfringer, with the intention of opening a new route in pure alpine style on this very face. But their adventure was not a race to the summit—it was instead a test of waiting and patience.

 

They spent weeks at base camp, equipment ready at the foot of the wall, waiting for a weather window that never came. An exhausting wait, a nonverbal dialogue with the mountain itself.

When they finally attempted the climb, the Shining Wall proved merciless. The conditions were prohibitive: no ice to place protection, only unstable snow. With the freezing level at 6,000 meters, there was little hope. While Charles was carving out a bivouac ledge with his snow shovel, he fell into a crevasse—luckily without consequence. Shortly afterward, a massive avalanche swept through base camp with a terrifying shockwave. A narrowly avoided tragedy.

After these events and the enormous energy spent reaching, at best, only 6,900 meters, the two Frenchmen decided to retreat. The risk was too high, and the mountain’s conditions undeniably poor.

 

 

 

Patience as a Form of Mental Strength

We asked Charles to share his thoughts on waiting, because once again, an expedition shows us that alpinism is not only about action but also about reflection and the ability to wait for the right moment.

Charles, patience is an important quality for alpinists. Could we define it as a form of mental strength?

"I have to be honest, I’m not naturally a patient person. But I’ve learned a lot, and I call that experience. In every process that leads to a result, patience is fundamental. Especially in alpinism, where so many things are beyond our control: the weather, the mountain’s conditions, and so on. But yes, I do think it’s a form of mental strength. A patient person can preserve energy during the waiting period and then be effective when the time finally comes to act. Everyone wants success, preferably quickly. But the mountain, one way or another, will teach you patience."

You are also a Mountain Guide: do you ever find yourself teaching the art of patience to your clients?

"I think a Mountain Guide, before teaching, has the chance to learn. With clients, patience is essential, because they don’t walk or climb at your pace, and you must constantly adapt to someone else’s needs. What I sometimes teach my clients is that with the mountain you cannot negotiate. It sets the rules, and we must follow them. Even when plans are perfect on paper, sometimes you simply have to wait longer."

How do you like to spend the waiting time at base camp?

"When I’m on an expedition, at base camp, I’m very different from usual. It’s as if I want to preserve all my energy for what’s to come. I remind myself that I’ve trained hard, made sacrifices, and traveled across the world to stand at the foot of this beautiful mountain. I know how difficult it will be to climb. That’s why I need everything in my favor: I wait, I rest, I stay patient, because when the moment comes, and only then, I must give everything."

How do you relax when you return home from such an adventure?

"As soon as I got back from Pakistan, I went to one of my favorite places to do hike & fly, near where I live. I hiked for about an hour, opened the wing, and flew over the place I love. It was the best way to feel at home."

Do you think you will return to Gasherbrum IV?

"I don’t think so, at least for now. I’ve traveled a lot in recent years, and now I want to return to solo climbs in the Alps. For me, it’s a powerful way to feel alive and to reconnect with the deeper motivations that drive me to live adventure and move through the mountains."