Denis Urubko & Maria Cardell Blaze New Alpine Route on Nanga Parbat
In a feat that blends boldness with mastery, veteran mountaineers Denis Urubko and Maria Cardell have completed a new alpine-style ascent of Nanga Parbat (8,126m)—one of the world’s most formidable peaks—without fixed ropes, high-altitude porters, or supplemental oxygen.
🗺️ The Route: “Nisabutka”
Named after the forget-me-not flowers at base camp, Nisabutka is a new line on the Diamir Face, weaving through ice, rock, and glacier terrain.
The pair began their summit push on July 5, reaching the top on July 10 at 11:30 a.m. local time, and returned safely to base camp.
Though some experts suggest it may partially overlap with the 2009 Göschl Route, Urubko insists it’s a distinct path, diverging at key points and continuing along a different ridge.
🧠 Style & Strategy
The duo climbed in pure alpine style: no fixed camps, no bottled oxygen, and no Sherpa support.
They acclimatized on peaks near Skardu before launching their ascent over previously uncharted terrain
Despite wind gusts up to 90 km/h, they maintained a fast and light approach, completing the climb in just five days.
🏆 The Climbers
Denis Urubko, a Polish-Kazakh legend, has now completed 28 ascents of 8,000-meter peaks, including seven new routes and two first winter ascents.
Maria “Pipi” Cardell, a Spanish elite mountaineer and ski rescuer, marked her fourth eight-thousander with this climb.
🎙️ Reflections
“Maria and I are happy,” Urubko shared after the summit. “It was a perfect moment and a harmonious team effort”
