UNKNOWN
FACTORS

Exploring India’s Baspa Valley

Five climbers. One valley. No expectations.
And plenty of patience. All united by a common goal: climbing in honour of Hansjörg Auer.
Unknown Factors is an exploration into the lighter side of climbing.

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WHO

WHERE

WHAT

WHERE

Rakchham village
in the Baspa Valley

Himachal Pradesh

WHAT

Realising a dream of Hansjörg Auer, climbers Matty Hong, Jacopo Larcher, Siebe Vanhee and brothers Iker and Eneko Pou headed deep into the Baspa Valley.

They had no objective, other than to explore the granite walls from the valley’s boulders to the sheer faces of the highest peaks. With open minds and hearts, they brought the same light-hearted approach to climbing as they do to life: exploration, before being a physical act, is a state of mind. 

JACOPO
LARCHER

ROCK CLIMBER

“You can explore whatever you want. You just have to get out of your comfort zone and see everything from another perspective.”

JACOPO
LARCHER

ROCK CLIMBER

“You can explore whatever you want. You just have to get out of your comfort zone and see everything from another perspective.”

MATTY
HONG

ROCK CLIMBER

“It’s not just about first ascents. It’s not just about finding rocks and climbing them. It’s about stepping into the unknown.”

MATTY
HONG

ROCK CLIMBER

“It’s not just about first ascents. It’s not just about finding rocks and climbing them. It’s about stepping into the unknown.”

Siebe
Vanhee

ROCK CLIMBER

“For first ascent climbing you need to choose adventure, because sometimes only 10% is actual climbing. But that is part of it. That is part of the adventure.”

Siebe
Vanhee

ROCK CLIMBER

“For first ascent climbing you need to choose adventure, because sometimes only 10% is actual climbing. But that is part of it. That is part of the adventure.”

Iker
Pou

ROCK CLIMBER

“This route has an important significance for us. After Hansjörg’s accident we had to come here and this route honours him.”

Iker
Pou

ROCK CLIMBER

“This route has an important significance for us. After Hansjörg’s accident we had to come here and this route honours him.”

Eneko
Pou

ROCK CLIMBER

“Looking at these lines from the bottom, we just said ‘wow’. We’ve finished up very proud of this line. The route is amazing.”

Eneko
Pou

ROCK CLIMBER

“Looking at these lines from the bottom, we just said ‘wow’. We’ve finished up very proud of this line. The route is amazing.”

Eneko & Iker Pou

sent “The Latin Brother” (7C+, 560m)

in memory of Hansjörg Auer