Mathieu Maynadier and Mueez Uddin: first ascent of Spantik (7029 m)

A bond built on friendship, dreams and life projects

 

“Every time I come here I feel at peace, and I try, even through small gestures, to give back some of the happiness I receive.”

 

Mathieu Maynadier is a French Mountain Guide who has long been drawn to the peaks of Pakistan. Mueez Uddin is a young Pakistani climber passionate about alpinism. The two met a few years ago, and this year they launched a light and unique expedition: for the first time, a Pakistani alpinist teamed up on equal footing with a Western alpinist to attempt a first ascent in alpine style. This is their story.

 

Mueez: “My name is Mueez Uddin, I’m 27 years old and I live in Hunza Valley, in northern Pakistan. I have been working as a local Mountain Guide for eight years. Climbing mountains is not only my job, but also my passion: it gives me immense joy.”

 

Mathieu, how did you and Mueez meet and become friends?

“It was in 2021, when with Zomconnection we went to Pakistan to organize a snowboard event in Malam Jabba. Word quickly spread that some foreigners had come with ski equipment to teach the kids, and a lot of people showed up. Mueez was among them. We spent a week together and became friends. Later on, he became my go-to guide for other trips. Together we equipped the first sport climbing crag in the Hunza Valley, at Ali Abbad, and built a climbing gym in Karimabad. I could see that Mueez, beyond being talented and passionate, was truly dedicated to alpinism with great commitment. So this year we decided to go to Spantik together!”

How did you choose the objective of the expedition?

Mathieu: “I was searching for inspiration when I spoke with Michi Wohlleben, who mentioned this ridge. The line looked beautiful, despite some objective hazards. The approach was adventurous, exactly what I was looking for! And of course, Mueez was super enthusiastic: Spantik is the mountain right in front of his home, the one he has seen every day since childhood.”

What did this expedition mean to you both?

Mueez: “It was my first summit climbed in alpine style, my first experience on a new line. This ascent shaped me and defined my future approach to alpinism.”
Mathieu: “After 20 years of expeditions around the world, this was the first time I came to Pakistan alone. I built a fully Pakistani team: guides, photographer, filmmaker, everyone. This journey was only the first step of a bigger project: helping Mueez become the first internationally certified IFMGA Mountain Guide from Pakistan. In fact, this is just the beginning of our adventure!”

Were there difficult moments?

Mathieu: “I admit it was tough: I felt responsible for every decision. For Mueez it was his first experience of this kind, and we had a couple of delicate moments. On the last night on the wall, it snowed much more than forecasted. That stressed us a lot and forced us to change plans, because the original line was loaded with too much spindrift. The second difficult moment came during the descent: we were completely drained, with deep fresh snow and many crevasses. We descended to 5,800 meters, where we bivouacked one last time. And then, on the final day, just to reach our skis at the base of the wall, we had to hold our breath while crossing steep east-facing slopes, warming quickly under the morning sun...”
Mueez: “Early in the expedition I dislocated a shoulder. I was devastated, but luckily the bad weather, which we had been cursing just before my accident, gave me time to rest and recover. I always tried to stay optimistic and positive, even in difficulty. That attitude, combined with our determination, paid off and we made it!”

 

Mueez, why do you want to become an IFMGA Mountain Guide?

“I was born and raised in the mountains; I have been climbing since I was a child. Even though Pakistan has thousands of peaks and some of the largest mountain ranges in the world, there are no internationally certified mountain guides. I would love to be the first, not only to crown my passion for the mountains, but also to inspire future generations of Pakistani climbers and give my country the visibility it deserves in the professional mountaineering world.”

 

Mathieu, was it different to live this expedition with ‘locals’ instead of your usual partners?

“On past expeditions, I sometimes felt I was treated more like a client. This time I was truly a partner, one of them! I think it’s natural: when we Westerners travel with local companions in a foreign country, the relationship is often a bit more distant, even unconsciously. This year I was alone, and therefore naturally more open to dialogue and exchange. I understood a lot about how they live and how their country works. I learned more on this trip than in my 12 previous journeys to Pakistan. I think that when I’m old, I’ll still come back to Pakistan to climb untouched peaks, maybe at lower altitudes. Every time I come here, I feel good and I try, even with small gestures, to give back a little of the happiness I receive.”