Now THAT’S off-piste: Stunning photographs capture extreme skier who uses crampons to reach powder fields at the top of 19,000ft Himalayan peaks in Pakistan
- American backcountry skier Luke Smithwick first visited the Himalayas in 2001 and was immediately hooked
- Last June he skied a mountain range in Pakistan that was more than 19,000ft high
- In 2013 he was in a storm in the Garhwal Himalayas of India that brought seven feet of snow in 36 hours
The Pakistani Himalayas isn’t your typical ski destination. But Luke Smithwick isn’t your typical skier.
The American has logged more than 1,600 days backcountry skiing in some of the world’s most remote mountain regions and he heads off for weeks alone in a bid to explore new unskied areas.
Despite a near-death experience during an avalanche in India in 2013, Smithwick went straight back to doing what he loves most and new photos capture him in action, zooming down peaks that in some cases are more than 19,000ft high, near the lofty Pakistani village of Shimshal.
Pakistan isn’t your typical ski destination. But for extreme backcountry skier Luke Smithwick, the country’s remote Himalayan mountain ranges are his dream terrain
Stunning photos show the American in action, with him scaling peaks more than 19,000ft high and descending at high speed
In some cases, to get to specific slopes, Smithwick uses crampons and climbing ropes to ascend – with his skis packed on his back – before changing up his gear for the descent
In some images he appears as an isolated dot amid the snowy landscape, the only human for miles around.
In some cases, to get to specific slopes, he uses crampons and climbing ropes to ascend – with his skis packed on his back – before changing up his gear for the descent.
The North Carolina native first visited the Himalayas in 2001 and was immediately hooked on the otherworldly landscape and ‘sense of mystique’.
In 2010 he started a project called the Himalaya 500 in a bid to ski 500 lines or routes in the region, with some of these taking him to a height of more than 26,000ft (7,924m).
Each year he heads into the mountains alone, but works with locals to get to the especially hard-to-reach places and sometimes travels with photographer Muizz Ud Din, from Pakistan’s Hunza Valley.
Along with exploring the beauty of these areas, learning about different cultures is another of Smithwick’s passions.
Smithwick first visited the Himalayas in 2001 and was immediately hooked on the otherworldly landscape and ‘sense of mystique’
In 2010, the alpinist started a project called the Himalaya 500 in a bid to ski 500 lines or routes in the region, with some of these taking him to a height of more than 26,000ft. Each year he heads into the mountains alone, working with locals to get to hard-to-reach places
When quizzed about his scariest ski encounter to date, Smithwick simply says ‘people, people at ski resorts’. He continues: ‘That’s the biggest danger skiing. It’s really nice to ski in the backcountry away from the resorts and remove the crowds factor’
He tells MailOnline Travel: ‘The people, ancient cultures have thrived here for centuries, each with their own unique language, customs and pastoral way of life.
‘When you pair that with deep powder and extraordinary terrain without another skier in sight, you’re onto something.’
When quizzed about his scariest ski encounter to date Smithwick, who has been skiing since the age of five, simply says ‘people, people at ski resorts’.
He continues: ‘That’s the biggest danger skiing. It’s really nice to ski in the backcountry away from the resorts and remove the crowds factor.’
However, taking a little more time to think about a specific event, the outdoorsman reveals: ‘In 2013 I was in a storm in the Garhwal Himalayas of India that brought seven feet of snow in 36 hours.
‘Five thousand people died in that storm, most of them were on pilgrimage to the sources of the major rivers of India.
‘We barely escaped with our lives, with massive avalanches stopping only feet away from us. The wildlife (blue sheep) of the valley followed us as we broke a trail to escape.’
That terrifying event didn’t put Smithwick off and he continued with his Himalaya 500 project, which he is still working on to this day.
In 2013, Smithwick found himself in a storm in the Garhwal Himalayas of India that brought seven feet of snow in 36 hours. He said: ‘We barely escaped with our lives’
Over the past 11 years Smithwick has racked up more than 70 climbing and skiing expeditions, making him one of the most seasoned skiers in the region
During his time in Pakistan, Smithwick (seen above as a speck amid the snow) says he has seen skiing grow as a sport, with ski areas in the Hindu Kush and Pir Panjal ranges continuing to develop
Over the past 11 years he has racked up more than 70 climbing and skiing expeditions, making him one of the most seasoned skiers in the region.
During his time in Pakistan, Smithwick says he has seen skiing grow as a sport, with ski areas in the Hindu Kush and Pir Panjal ranges continuing to develop.
He adds: ‘I expect to see the Himalayas as a whole grow for skiing and adventure tourism.
‘The Olympics coming to China for the 2022 Winter Games will also have given skiing a boost across Asia. I’ve heard China has claimed to be building something like 800 ski resorts.’
After he’s finished with the season in the Himalayas, Smithwick heads back to North America to catch up with friends and family and, of course, indulge in some skiing in some more familiar terrain.
Looking ahead, after two successful ski expeditions in Nepal which saw him whizz down Dhaulagiri (26,795ft) and Gasherbrum II (26,362ft), he has his sights set on the Pakistan Karakoram, the Indian Himalaya and the Nepal Himalaya – and is currently training in the Tetons of Idaho in the U.S.
After he’s finished with the season in the Himalayas, Smithwick heads back to North America to catch up with friends and family and, of course, indulge in some skiing on more familiar terrain
Asked what fires his passion for extreme backcountry skiing, Smithwick says: ‘Aesthetics drive what I do. I look for lines that inspire. When I look at them it’s clear that I want to experience skiing there’
Looking ahead, after two successful ski expeditions in Nepal that saw him whizz down Dhaulagiri (26,795ft) and Gasherbrum II (26,362ft), he has his sights set on the Pakistan Karakoram, the Indian Himalaya and the Nepal Himalaya. He is currently training in the Tetons of Idaho in the U.S
Asked what fires his passion for extreme backcountry skiing, Smithwick concludes: ‘Aesthetics drive what I do. I look for lines that inspire. When I look at them it’s clear that I want to experience skiing there.
‘I was drawn to Shimshal in Pakistan, for instance, because of its beauty, remoteness and mystique.
‘I feel like a lot of Himalayan climbers choose peaks for their altitude, as an example, the fourteen 8,000m (26,246ft) peaks.
‘When we look at these peaks not all of them are wildly attractive, or at least their most achievable routes aren’t.
‘I think it’s important to find climbing and skiing lines that inspire you, that draw you in, that make you want to study and know them better, and that aren’t experienced easily.
‘There should be challenge, there should be uncertainty, and there should be some unknown. If a route isn’t completed on the first attempt then even better.’
To follow Smithwick on his travels and his Himalaya 500 project visit www.instagram.com. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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