Team EPIC Xtreme HALO Team, LLC

'The recovered climbers will now begin their final journey home to their families'

Sohail Sakhi built his legacy on courage, endurance and self-sufficient climbing. He will be remembered not only for the summits he reached, but for the way he climbed them.

Originally from Aliabad in Pakistan’s Hunza Valley, Sohail studied pure mathematics before dedicating his life to the mountains. He became a high-altitude mountaineer, expedition leader, guide and mountain photographer.

MAJOR NO-OXYGEN ASCENTS

Sohail summited K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II without supplemental oxygen.

In August 2022, he summited Gasherbrum I without supplemental oxygen as part of a Pakistani team that included Sirbaz Khan and Naila Kiani. Powerful winds and exhaustion made the descent a severe test of endurance.

In July 2025, Sohail summited Nanga Parbat without supplemental oxygen or personal porter support. He had led a group of six young climbers from Hunza to give them experience in commercial expeditions and high-altitude mountaineering.

Five weeks later, on August 11, 2025, he returned to the summit of K2 without supplemental oxygen or a personal porter. He was also part of the rope-fixing team during the expedition.

KANGCHENJUNGA AND HIS WORK FOR HUNZA

On May 20, 2026, Sohail summited Kangchenjunga, the world’s third-highest mountain, as a member of the rope-fixing team.

Through Moving Mountains, the Hunza-based expedition company he co-founded, Sohail worked to improve opportunities for local guides, porters and aspiring climbers. He spoke about unequal wages, inadequate equipment and the limited recognition given to Pakistani high-altitude workers.

He also helped establish a climbing wall in Hunza where boys and girls could learn climbing techniques. He advocated for organised rescue teams and stronger experience requirements for climbers attempting Pakistan’s highest mountains.

THE BROAD PEAK TRAGEDY

Broad Peak was the last of Pakistan’s five 8,000-metre mountains left for Sohail to summit. He travelled there to guide American climber Mallory Geis on her first 8,000-metre expedition. Although known for climbing without bottled oxygen, Sohail planned to use supplemental oxygen because he was responsible for his client.

On July 30, 2026, an avalanche struck the ten climbers while they were moving between Camps 2 and 3 at approximately 6,600 metres. Tracker data from several climbers showed sudden descents of hundreds of metres around the time of the avalanche. All ten climbers were later confirmed dead.

RECOVERY AND REMEMBRANCE

Despite repeated aerial and ground searches, Sohail had still not been located on Broad Peak. Searchers found his backpack and damaged Garmin, but his position on the mountain remained unknown, preventing a targeted recovery attempt.

Steep terrain, unstable snow, avalanche danger and poor weather made further search operations exceptionally risky. Any renewed effort would depend on safer conditions on the mountain.

Sohail leaves a lasting legacy in Pakistani mountaineering through the people he guided, the young climbers he supported and his advocacy for safer and fairer conditions for local mountain workers.

Deepest condolences go to his family, friends, colleagues, the people of Hunza and everyone affected by the Broad Peak tragedy.