Swarthmore resident Samuel Sidiqi reaches new heights

Samuel Sidiqi is the first Afghan to summit Mt. Aconcagua. Located in Argentina, it is one of the seven tallest peaks in the world at 22,840 ft.

Sidiqi left the U.S. on Jan. 30. After a few days in Mendoza, the group of six clients and two guides left for their hike.

“There’s nothing technical about Aconcagua, and the beginning parts are not that difficult, but the summit day of Aconcagua is a very big day because there is a lot of elevation to be gained in one day,” Sidiqi said.

Due to the altitude, the process of hiking Aconcagua is broken up into three camps. After hikers make it to the first camp, they need a day of rest in order to adjust. Only then can they continue to the following camp.

As Sidiqi and other groups made the trek through the camps, the weather soon became dangerous as winds hit 50 miles per hour.

“When the gusts are coming through, you crouch down and stand still,” Sidiqi said. “You wait for that gust to finish, and then start going again.”

On Feb. 14, the weather improved slightly, making it the only day conducive to a summit attempt. Siqidi and one of his guides, Luco, were the only two members of the party to make it to the top of the mountain.

“I was really thankful that the guiding company was well prepared and had a plan,” Sidiqi said. “We went across a very hard traverse and experienced a lot of hard wind. I could see that another group was going really slowly. One of the guides had to explain to them that they weren’t going fast enough to make the summit.”

According to Sidiqi’s estimate, only 5% of the people who attempted to summit the mountain that day were successful compared to typical summit rates of 30%.

“I really wanted to be the first Afghan to summit Aconcagua,” Sidiqi said. “In order to decrease all the risks, I took some medicine and I pre-ordered oxygen.”

When climbing above 26,000 ft, on peaks like Mt. Everest, it is normal for hikers to use supplemental oxygen.

Regardless of assistance, Sidiqi still faced difficulties while summiting.

“The main thing I focused on was how my goggles were fogging up,” Sidiqi said. “Dealing with that gear issue while struggling to go up is a challenge when you’re trying to save your energy and focus. When under duress, each little thing can aggravate you; therefore, you just have to stay calm and put one foot in front of the other.”

Sidiqi returned to Swarthmore on Feb. 21. To learn more about Sidiqi’s travels, climbs, and projects, visit his YouThe Tube channel at www.youtube. com/@squidlee7876.

Or, engage with Sidiqi in person on Friday, March 13, 7-9:30 p.m., at the PAC Center. Sidiqi will host a viewing of the awardwinning movie, Champions of the Golden Valley, documenting the annual Afghan Peaks ski race in the Bamyan Province of Afghanistan. Guests can also enjoy traditional Afghan sweets from Swarthmore's own Azim of Aria Mediterranean Cuisine.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased on the PAC Center website: https://paccenter.ticketspice.com/ski-afghanistanchampions-of-the-golden-valley-screening.

Sidiqi is the founder of Afghan Peaks, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing mountain skills among Afghans while promoting environmental stewardship. Donations support the ski event and ski equipment.