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Stories: Pakistan

Mountain adventures create the best stories, and we want to share some of ours with you. Dive into Alpenglow Stories to stay up to date on expeditions in the field, read blogs, and get tips and tricks from guides.

Esteban 'Topo' Mena coiling a rope while guiding a Cotopaxi Expedition with Alpenglow Expeditions.

“Give Yourself the Time”: Graduating from Trekking to Climbing with Topo Mena

While ‘walking’ may sound trivial, a number of big mountains involve a lot of walking, albeit in extreme places. To talk about the journey, we connected with IFMGA-certified Alpenglow guide Esteban ‘Topo’ Mena about graduating from trekking to climbing. For beginners, he had this advice to offer: “At first, it’s important to give yourself the time to walk in the mountains and appreciate the land and the opportunity to just be there.”
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Five Expeditions Before Climbing Everest with Topo Mena

Now that Everest season is in full swing, this week we connected with IFMGA-certified Alpenglow guide Esteban ‘Topo’ Mena to talk about five expeditions that are perfect for building the experience necessary to climb the tallest mountain in the world.
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Adrian Ballinger climbing up Makalu during his ski descent of Makalu

Why Hire an IFMGA-Certified Guide for Climbing 8000-Meter Peaks?

In high altitude environments, having a skilled and experienced guide is not just beneficial: it’s crucial for ensuring safety and success. This is where the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) certification comes into play, providing assurance and expertise to stack every card in your favor while climbing at 8,000 meters.
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Gasherbrum II Route

Gasherbrum II is the perfect 8,000m peak to climb in the Karakoram Range, here is how our Rapid Ascent Expedition’s climbing route.
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Footprints in the snow on a Gasherbrum II Expedition

Why Alpenglow guide Topo Mena is excited for Pakistan 2023

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New Expeditions in Pakistan!

After Alpenglow Expeditions Founder Adrian Ballinger and fellow Alpenglow guides Carla Perez and Esteban “Topo” Mena completed their successful summit of K2 in the Karakoram mountain range of Pakistan in…
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