Two American climbers are missing after an attempt to climb one of the highest mountain peaks in northern Pakistan.
Kyle Dempster and Scott Adamson set out early August 21 to climb the north face of Ogre 2, near the Choktoi Glacier, authorities said.
They have not been seen since August 22, according to a GoFundMe site set up to raise funds for their rescue.
“Their initial plan included five days for the climb and descent,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a statement. “When they did not return on the expected date, the base camp team informed us. We then started communication with all concerned local authorities and the climbers’ families.”
The 23,000-foot peak sees intense snowstorms and bad weather this time of the year, complicating search efforts.
The government has not dispatched a rescue helicopter because of weather conditions, local official Muhammad Iqbal said.
Ogre 2 is one of the steepest peaks in the region and has been ascended three times between 1977 and 2012, said Ayaz Shigri of the Baltistan Tour Operator Association.
The campaign for the search efforts has raised more than $130,000 so far.
