IFMGA guides Tino Villanueva and Alan Rousseau set out for the Indian Himalayas in early September of 2017 with their eyes set on a peak called Rungofarka. The 6495 meter peak sits in a mountainous zone previously closed to the public due to a border dispute between India and Pakistan, and is thus unclimbed in documented history. Six weeks later, Villanueva and Rousseau returned to the US having recorded an alpine style first ascent of the peak. The duo made the ascent over five days from basecamp, spent four days, and three nights on route, climbing 1200 meters of vertical on technical terrain grade VI WI4+ M6.

We sat down with Villanueva to talk about the climb and his experience in these mountains.

Read the interview here: hellyhansen.com