On the afternoon of 26th February 2016, three mountaineers stood on the summit of Nanga Parbat. It should have been four who embraced gleefully in the icy temperatures at 8,125 metres, hugging each other through thick down jackets. All the expected live news feeds reported the progress every 10 minutes. Four mountaineers were standing just below the summit. Then: Two could be seen in a steep couloir. One moved along the rocky part of the summit. At 3:37 p.m. came the news: The Pakistani alpinist Ali Sadpara reached the peak. Shortly afterward two others on the expedition arrived at the top, Italian Simone Moro and Spaniard Alex Txikon. Mountaineering history had just been written. A figure appeared to begin to descend shortly before the summit. Where is GORE-TEX athlete Tamara Lunger? 
On her ascent of Manaslu in Nepal last winter, she learned a lot and determinedly set her mind on the ascent of Nanga Parbat. “I am nearly 100% sure that the mountain will be summited this winter. One just has to be patient and fight for the dream. And that’s why I’m here!”, she said in an email from the base camp at Nanga Parbat at the end of January. Now, the expedition is over. Tamara is likely back at her home in South Tyrol. And she wasn’t on the summit of Nanga Parbat. She turned back at about 8,050 metres.
3-to-1 loss?
We listen, and we don’t know yet what’s wrong. Why did Tamara start her descent? Andreas Marmsoler, PR Manager for Gore, gets nervous. Of course, he was hoping for a successful historic summit by “his” athlete. But much more was clear to him: To turn back so close to the goal, that’s not something you do for no good reason. Especially not Tamara Lunger. Those who know her, know how tough she is and know how much suffering she can so unbelievably withstand. “Before we release any news, I must first find out if she’s OK”, said Andi succinctly.
Or 3-to-1 win?
A short time later, the announcements from base camp are clear: Three on the summit, Tamara turned back. Now all are back in the high camp at 7,100 metres. Huge relief! Congrats go out to Tamara and her teammates! Andi, who also comes from South Tyrol, is relieved that his fellow Tyrolean seems to be fine.
That great man high in the heavens simply likes me
The mountain isn’t really yours until you’ve descended again – living and, if possible, also uninjured. How close of a call that could be, was what Tamara experienced. During the descent to Camp 4, she slips and skitters down the mountain. Fortunately, after about 200 metres, she slides to a stop but has injured her ankle. And her physical condition just simply isn’t particularly good anymore. She’s shivering uncontrollably, has some frostbite on her toes, and her entire body aches. Shortly before her return flight to South Tyrol, she gave us an interview. Is your health good?
When I fell above Camp 4, I most likely pulled a ligament in my left ankle and my whole body hurts. On my right second toe, I have some blisters from the frostbite. But like my mum always says: “That’ll all heal up before you’re married!” Of course, that’s just silly since I’m not planning on that!” Why did you turn back? The thought just all of a sudden shot into my head, if you continue to the summit, then you won’t go home. That was reason enough. I never once doubted this feeling and just accepted it. Was that a tough decision? No, it just simply was. About 150 metres below the summit, I told Simone: ‘I think you’ll have to help me on the descent!’ But when I thought about what I said, I realised that was impossible. Every step from Camp 4 to the summit can end in a fall to your death. We had no fixed ropes and no ropes with us. Thus, it really wasn’t possible to consider getting help. I didn’t want to be a burden to anybody, and I wanted to get to Camp 4 safely under my own power. What did you think and feel when you turned and took your first steps back down? It was just normal, I don’t know. I think the great man high in the heavens just likes me. He always gives me a feeling of security. Also security in my actions. To me, mountaineering is a very intimate thing. I have to feel it before I do it. It’s like with a man. When the chemistry doesn’t click, then it’s over. That of course wasn’t the case in this situation. Nanga is very attractive and is a breathtaking mountain. Did you know the others would reach the summit? Yes, that was quite clear, and I had already seen Ali Sadpara on the summit. That morning, I was already pretty sure that it would work out, the conditions were just so good, as was my feeling. How did your push for the summit go?
We were always together along the way. Of course, with some distance between us because we couldn’t overwhelm the thin fixed rope. All four of us gave our all and held nothing back. I fixed the rope toward Camp 4 with Ali on the afternoon after reaching Camp 3 so we wouldn’t have so much work the next day (the day before our summit attempt). From Camp 3 to 4, Simone and Ali had done that job, whilst Alex and I had packed up the tent. We all contributed our part for this success. We always had fun and got along very well even though we first met up in base camp! How was your reunion in Camp 4 after the summit? It was perfectly normal. I congratulated them but at the same time was a little battered and bruised up from my fall that happened above Camp 4. I thought my nice life was over. Then, the whole night I shivered uncontrollably, and I asked myself how I was ever going to make the 3,000 vertical metres down to base camp. Everybody was pretty done, but we all pulled ourselves together collectively, boiled water and warmed up. Just like it should be! Were you just a little melancholy, which would of course be understandable? Joyful, I was only joyful, even when the historic ascent for me failed. But I completely trust the good Lord in the heavens, who always knows what’s good for me and what isn’t. 
How would you rate your own summit attempt? Without trying to sound too arrogant: If I had been in my normal physical state on summit day, it really would not have been a problem reaching the summit. Of course, perhaps we didn’t really acclimatize enough. Still, Simone and I only slept once at 6,100 metres before we pushed for the summit. When however this thought just shot through my head like a bolt of lightening, I simply put faith in it, followed its message and turned back. I was just so weak from all the vomiting and the wind. And even that morning my muscles just felt especially weak. No surprise really when you sleep for four days in these conditions with four people on two sleeping mats. Actually, I’m a little proud that I can now look back and say: Yes, I am happy with my decision. To me, mountaineering is an act of many feelings and emotions. Not everyone always has the strength to listen to his or her intuition. In the long run, I know my intuition will save my life. Everything happens as it is supposed to for me. If it’s not meant to be, then I won’t achieve this goal. I pursue my goals with a lot of effort, hard work and dedication. But inside of me is still a soft core that is governed by another much higher power. I am extremely grateful for this gift, and I will always care for it and appreciate it as a great treasure!
