This ambitious project has the aim of reaching the 14 highest summits of our planet, without oxygen and without porter support: the so-called “Fourteen 8,000ers”. These are the only mountains that rise above this majestic height and are situated in the Himalayan range and the Karakorum Range.
So far, in our country, only Juan Oiarzabal and Alberto Iñurrategi have successfully completed this adventure.
Aragon, Kingdom of mountains, has always had, and still has, magnificent mountaineers, and through their effort and dedication some of these summits have been reached, although nobody from Aragon has ever managed to complete this project. There are still several 8,000ers waiting to be climbed, for the first time, by someone from our region.
Carlos Pauner has been fortunate to have climbed some of these mountains in the last few years. These achievements have encouraged him to continue with his unique career, by climbing more and more mountains over 8,000 meters, and to conquer all of them. It is a tough and difficult challenge, but also a fascinating one for a climber.
Aragon, a Kingdom of beautiful mountains, deserves to be represented in the elite world of Himalayan mountaineering, and therefore, in 2002, the International Year of the Mountains, the Government of Aragon decided to initiate this project.
With this important support and trust shown, Carlos Pauner begins this adventure, convinced of his abilities, determined, as in previous efforts, to overcome all obstacles, and to stand on all those beautiful and far away peaks that brush the sky with their white summits.
To reach the fourteen highest summits on the planet, without oxygen and without porter support, the fourteen great “8,000ers”. As of July 2007, Carlos had attained seven of the fourteen.
- To spread the word about vanguard climbing, both at national and international
levels.
- To show the public the different ways of life of the inhabitants of
these regions, their religious beliefs (Islamism, Buddhism, Hinduism,
etc) and their current social structures.
- To spread and teach activities commonly considered risky and adventurous,
which are currently gaining in popularity.
- To obtain photographic and audiovisual material to be used in video
presentations upon Carlos’ return, as well as the publishing of
a video/dvd of the entire adventure.
- To place Aragon at the head of national and international Himalayism,
reaching the most prestigious summits of the planet, and representing
a region that possesses one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the
world.
- To publicise the on-going adventure through as many regional broadcasting
media outlets as possible. To do so, Carlos Pauner will rely on cutting-edge
technology, to be able to bring the expedition, day by day, to the people
of Aragon.
- To overcome the most difficult technological challenges, by filming
and broadcasting from extremely hard-to-reach locations in extremely unfavourable
conditions.
- To excite the interest of Aragonese society, once again, with a mountaineering
project that can be experienced on the streets, and enjoyed by a great
number of citizens, and to re-instill, in the people of Aragon, a sense
of pride and accomplishment.