CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS, I984 295

Kande Hiunchuli Attempt. British climbers Garry Kennard and Mark Adams attempted to reach the northern of the two northeast summits of Kande Hi- unchuli. [This peak has erroneously been called Sisne Himal by earlier expedi- tions. The A .A .J., 198 1 on page 272 used that name for the peaks when report- ing a climb of the Swiss. Sisne Himal actually lies farther west.-Editor. ] On April 19 Adams alone reached the expedition’s highest point of 5800 meters on the northeast ridge, which leads from Bhulu Lhasa to the two northeastern summits, in a bid to get to the 6470-meter northern one. They abandoned the climb the next day. Kennard was exhausted and feeling the altitude, their fuel supply was finished and the route to Base Camp far too long to get fresh sup- plies. Above Adams’ high point was a steep rock step. They had gone to a completely unexplored ridge after having switched from their original intention to repeat the Swiss 1980 northwest-ridge climb. They made four high camps.

MICHAEL J. CHENEY, Himalayan Club, and ELIZABETH HAWLEY

India-Garhwal

Uju Tirche. The objective of Ajit Shelat and me was Uja Tirche (6202 meters, 20,348 feet) in eastern Garhwal. It lies on the Siruanch Glacier. Ours was the third ascent, following the Scats Weir and Murray in 1950 and a team from Calcutta in 1974. We followed the route of the Indians up the west ridge. We established Base Camp at 14,000 feet on the Siruanch Glacier on October 9. We climbed a scree-filled gully to Camp I at 17,000 feet on the 14th. Camp II was placed at 18,000 feet two days later. We then climbed up to gain the west ridge and reached the summit on the 18th. The climb was mostly on scree and loose boulders. We found little snow.

C.D. TAMBAT, India

Kamet. An Indian expedition led by Pradyut Chatterjee is said to have made a successful ascent of Kamet. but at this time there are no details.

Bidhan, Third Ascent. Bidhan (6520 meters, 21,390 feet) was first climbed by Frank Smyth in 1937 and again by a Calcutta team in 1966. All ascents, including ours, were by the rather easy northwest spur. The peak lies at the head of the Deoban Glacier south of Kamet. We were Nandu Page, Shared Natekar, Ravi Palkar and I as leader. Base Camp was placed on May 14 near the snout of the Bankund Glacier. We established Camp IV at 5700 meters on May 21. On May 22 we crossed the Deoban Glacier and all reached a 6100-meter co1 on the spur. Page and two high-altitude porters, Indra Singh Pal and Chandra Singh Negi, reached the summit at 3:30 P.M.

ANAND PALANJJE, Giripremi, India

2% THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL. I985

Satopanth, South Face Attempt and Tragedy, 1983. A Hungarian expedition of seven, led by Peter IXkany, made an attempt on the south face of Satopanth. After establishing Base Camp at Nandanban on October 4, 1983 and Camp I at 18,375 feet on October 9, they started an alpine-style attempt on October 18. They climbed the right side of the south face and, after a bivouac at 19,700 feet, reached the east ridge, fixing 500 feet of rope. They bivouacked on below the crest of the east ridge at 21,000 and 22,000 feet. On October 21 IXkany and Attila Oszvath traversed toward the center of the south face. This pair was trapped for three days in a crevasse at 22,300 feet by bad weather and eventually had to return because of avalanche danger. The other four descended from the 21 ,OOO-foot camp on October 22; Laszlo Jankovics was killed when he slipped descending the ice face. A photograph of the route appears on page 8 1 of Iwu To Yuki N” 103.

Sutopanth. On April 27 an Austrian expedition set up Base Camp at 4400 meters. They transported their gear on skis without porters to Camp I and II at 5150 and 6100 meters. Camp II was at the foot of the northeast ridge, which merges into the face at 6500 meters. The first summit attempt on May 11 by Kurt Kirchner and Klaus Keller failed at 6950 meters in bad weather. On May 12 Gottfried Mayr and Dieter Bliimel reached the summit (7075 meters, 23,212 feet), followed solo on May 16 by Kirchner, whose companion Rolf Wiederho- fen had to turn back at 6800 meters.

Sutopanth. Germans Viktor Stangassinger, Jilrgen Grohall, leader Herbert Streibel, Sherpa Dorje and I reached the summit of Satopanth (7075 meters, 23,212 feet) by the northeast ridge on June 16.

CESTMIR LUKE.!?, Czechoslovakian living in Switzerland

Gangotri Region. Our four-man team of Dave Cuthbettson, Pat Littlejohn, John Mothersele and me came to attempt the east face of Kedamath Dome in late September. Unfortunately Cuthbertson developed pneumonia soon after arrival at Base Camp, necessitating his speedy evacuation to a hospital. Therefore we decided not to try the impressive 5000-foot-high rock wall which forms the central prow of the east face. Instead we undertook shorter climbs from an Advance Base on the Ganohim Bamak. Littlejohn and Mothersele attempted the west ridge of Kharchakund alpine-style by the German route but failed due to a lack of time and exhaustion less than 250 men-es from the top. I teamed up with New Zealander Don French and between October 10 and 13 climbed the fine 600-metre-high rock spur which falls from the subsidiary ridge of Kedamath Dome’s east flank. It gave a magnificent 20-pitch route on perfect granite with a summit altitude of around 5800 metres or 19,000 feet. The pillar was ap- proached by the side glacier of the Ganohim Glacier which flows close beneath the main east face. We bivouacked at the bottom of the pillar, in a notch at

CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS, 1984 297

two-thirds height and again at the bottom after an abseil descent. The climbing was all free with protection solely from wires and Friends, except for one piton which was left in place. The weather was dry and fine but very cold and windy at altitude. The cold prevented difficult free climbing except during hours of sunshine. After this Littlejohn and Mothersele made a major rock climb on the impressive granite walls of the Gangotri valley, several of which are 500 metres high. They ascended the northeast ridge of the clean granite dome which rises on the south side of the valley three kilometres upstream from Gangotri village. It gave 450 metres of good free climbing. The summit altitude was about 4000 metres or 13,125 feet. There is a vast potential as bad-weather options or for low-budget rock-climbing trips.

MARTIN MORAN, Alpine Climbing Group

Kedarnath Dome and Bhagiruthi II. Italian Renato Moro organized two successful commercial expeditions to the Gangotri region. In August Moro, F. Zurloni, P. Cappanetti, J. Summer and Henry Bizot climbed Kedamath Dome (6830 meters, 22,408 feet). From October 6 to 9, A. Sarchi, V. Raveschietto and E. Bonapace climbed Bhagirathi II (6512 meters, 21,365 feet) by its west face, a new route. The first 2500 feet were of UIAA difficulty VI and A3 on rock, and the upper 2000 feet were of mixed terrain.

Bhagiruthi II. A five-man Japanese expedition led by Mineo Kawai climbed Bhagirathi II (6512 meters, 21,365 feet) by its east face. Base Camp was set up on July 23. After reconnoitering the north face, they turned to the east face. Camps I and II were placed at 5200 and 5800 meters. Rope was then fixed from Camp II to 6100 meters. All five and porter Budhi Singh started out from Camp II planning to climb the 1983 Japanese route, but rockfall forced them onto the snow face. They all reached the summit at 12:15 P.M.

Bhagirathi III, West Face. Our team was formed by Juan C. Aldeguer, Sergio Martinez, JosC L. Moreno and me. On April 26 we arrived at Base Camp at 4300 meters. The following day we began to ferry loads to Advance Base at 5000 meters at the foot of the west face of Bhagirathi III. This took us ten days. On May 5 we started to fix rope on the wall. The route was on the pillar to the left of the Scottish route of 1982. The rock is a magnificent white granite and the climb was vertical and difficult. Since the leader could climb only in rock- climbing shoes, we could not start before hours of sunlight, which began at 11:30. In eight days we fixed 350 feet of rope. Two climbed while the other two hauled 330 pounds of food and equipment. A first summit attempt was frustrated by snowfall. On May 16 we began the final attempt in capsule style, bivouack- ing in hammocks. Removing the lower ropes, we spent four nights in the first bivouac site. We climbed the central dihedral and moved up our hammocks on May 20. In three days more, we overcame an overhanging section and reached

THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL. 1985

6000 meters, where the granite ends and mixed schists begin. On May 24 we threw away most equipment and headed for the summit alpine-style, bivouack- ing at the beginning of the schist. The following day we crossed the schist, which was very difficult and dangerous. After an uncomfortable bivouac, on May 26 we climbed 60” ice to arrive at the a&e and finally the summit at five P.M. We descended a short way on the southeast ridge in the direction of Bhagirathi I to bivouac. On the twelfth day on the wall we made eight rappels down the northeast face on bad rock. We joined ropes to descend snowfields and finally climbed down bad snow to the Chaturangi Glacier, which we followed to reach Base Camp at night.

JUAN TOM&, Barcelona, Spain

Bhagirathi III, West Pillar, Alpine-Style. After arriving at Nandanban on September 10, Scott Flavelle and I spent until September 22 acclimatizing. From September 23 to October 2 we made the first alpine-style ascent of the west pillar of Bhagirathi III, following the route done capsule-style by Spaniards in the pre-monsoon season. Unfortunately the Spaniards did not leave the moun- tain as they found it. They left garbage at the base of the route as well as dozens of fixed pitons, an unnecessary bolt, more trash on the ledges and much rope on the upper route. We did our best to clean up the mess at the base and cut down most of the fixed rope. The route is an instant classic. We enjoyed cold clear days on the climb and perfect climbing conditions in a spectacular setting. On September 23 we carried two big loads each up the ice to the beginning of the rock, climbed four pitches and hauled three bags up two of them. On the 24th we hauled the rest of the bags and then climbed two difficult aid pitches. On the 25th we did four aid pitches in dihedrals to the snow terrace. On September 26 we fixed three pitches and hauled a bag with the ice gear. The next day we jiimared the three pitches and climbed two more to a second snow terrace. We also fixed another pitch. On the 28th after jiimaring the rope, we climbed the crux, two long difficult steep aid pitches to the crest of the buttress where the ice begins. On the 29th we did an aid pitch and then three mixed pitches to bivy on 50” mixed ground. After sorting gear and leaving a cache, on the 30th we climbed three mixed pitches and bivouacked at one P.M. October 1 was summit day. We climbed five pitches to get to the top at ten A.M. We then threw most of the unnecessary and unbreakable gear off to be picked up at the bottom. We bivouacked on the second snow terrace. On October 2 we rappelled down our route to reach the base of the wall at noon.

DAVID LANE, Alpine Club of Canada

P 6702. After the six-man Japanese expedition led by Kijoji Aizawa had failed to climb the long east ridge of Bhagirathi I, one of the members, Takaaki Fujii made a solo ascent of P 6702 (21,988 feet) on September 24. This peak lies south of Vasuki Parbat,

PLATE 68 Phoro by Allen F\fi-e

+--a Canadian Route on BHAGIRATHI III. Dots represent bivouacs. Solid line at bottom was rappel.

300 THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL 1985

Shivfing. On June 5 Patxo Davila, Jose Luis Femandez Bedia, Jose Carlos Tamayo and I reached the summit of Shivling (6543 meters, 21,467 feet) by its south buttress. We left Uttarkashi on May 24 with ten porters, a cook and a liaison officer. Three days later we established Base Camp at Tapovan. After a few days of acclimatization, we got to the base of the wall at about 14,750 feet. On the 3 1st we climbed the bottom of the face to reach a gendarme that marks the beginning of the south ridge. On June I,2 and 3 we climbed the buttress and on the 4th we reached the icy plateau at 6300 meters. From there we headed for the summit, which we reached at 9:30 A.M. on June 5 after climbing some pitches of bad ice. We descended the northwest ridge in various rappels to the Meru Glacier and were back in Base Camp at noon.

ALBERTO POSADO, Federacibn Vasca de Montatia, Spain

Shivling. After Hans Lanters and I acclimatized by reaching 6350 meters on Kedarnath Dome, we climbed Shivling by its west ridge in four days from Tapovan. We bivouacked at 5500,565O and twice at 5950 meters. We reached the summit at 5:30 P.M. on September 27. It took another day to descend. The difficulties included two 150-meter rock bands or steep slabs on the first two days and a 300-meter rock ridge on the third with 13 hours of climbing on huge snow-covered slabs and blocks (UIAA V to V + ). On the fourth day going to the summit we had mainly gentle snow climbing apart from a lOO-meter s&c barrier that led to the plateau between the main and west summits and below the final snow face. This barrier was three pitches of superb ice climbing. The weather was bad on the first two days. We had good tent sites, good belay stances and no objective dangers.

JOOST PIELAGE, Koninklijke Nederlandse Alpen Vereniging

Shiv&g Ascent and Tragedy. Six Japanese climbers led by Koichi Minami all reached the summit of Shivling by the north ridge. They established Base Camp on September 12 at Tapovan. On October 9 Katsuhiko Takeuchi, Atsushi Yokoyama and Hiroshi Hanyu got to the top, followed on October 10 by Minami, Shinji Kamegome and Mikiko Katayama. During the descent on the 10th Takeuchi was hit by a falling rock in the abdomen and died a few hours later at Camp II at 5600 meters.

Bhrigupanth, West Couloir and North Ridge Attempt. I was able in the pre-monsoon to climb the west couloir in one day, though it was a long one. The climbing was snow and ice up to 70”, with a bit of mixed climbing near the top. I dropped over the north ridge about 100 feet to a small bergschrund in which I was looking forward to a bivouac and some liquids. Unfortunately, my gas- cartridge stove refused to comply and resisted all attempts at repair by bursting into flame. I managed to escape injury by throwing the burning thing into the

CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS, 1984 301

schrund, but I could no longer melt snow or cook. From my bivouac I had 1700 feet of climbing to the summit, which I judged to be less difficult than what I had already climbed, but I decided to retreat, having no way to rehydrate myself. I down-climbed and rappelled, starting late that afternoon and reached a bivouac site by two A.M. some 500 feet above the glacier. The next morning I returned to the glacier and was able to find some free water, which I greedily drank. I returned to Base Camp but had to leave for the Annapuma region before I could return to complete the climb.

PETER ATHENS

Jogin I, North Ridge, 1983. Eight Japanese led by Kaoru Aoyagi established Base Camp at 15,425 feet on Kedar Tal on September 8, 1983, Advance Base at 16,075 feet on the 1 lth and Camps I and II at 18,550 and 19,850 feet on the 18th and 22nd. On September 30, 1983 Aoyagi, Masataka Suzuki, Yoshihiro Oshima and Norihiro Tsuda climbed the knife-edged north ridge to the summit (6465 meters, 21,211 feet). They were followed on October 3, 1983 by Shigeru Nakata, Hiromichi Nomura and Hiroshi Togawa.

P6166 on the Arwa-Sweta Divide. A four-member ladies’ team from Calcut- ta, Munmun Chatterjee, Dola Sirkar, Mousumi Ghosh and Amita Bhattarchar- jee, set up Base Camp at Nandanban at 14,500 feet on May 14. They set up six higher camps: Visukital, Sundar Glacier, Suralaya Glacier, Sweta Glacier and Camps I and II at 15,000, 17,200, 17,400, 18,500, 19,100 and 19,700 feet respectively. On May 26 Dola Sirkar and two high-altitude porters, Kalu Sherpa and Tej Bahadur, reached the 20,320-foot summit.

KAMAL K. GUHA, Himalayan Club

Gangotri Region, Indian Expeditions. A great many Indian expeditions were active in the Gangotri region. An expedition from Jadavpur University in Calcutta was led by Sudipta Nanda. On June 23 Goutam Datta, Ajit Naskar, Kamal Sarkhel and Shital Singh reached the summit of Jaonli (6632 meters, 21,760 feet). An expedition led by J.P. Singh Segu climbed Gangotri II and III. Gangotri III (6577 meters, 21,575 feet) was climbed by S.S. Bisht and C.S. Pandey on June 16 and by Homyar Mistry and Bachan Singh on the 17th. K.S. Charak, Heera Lohia and Bharat Bootha made it to the summit of Gangotri II (6599 meters, 21,650 feet) on June 17. An expedition led by Amulya Sen set up Base Camp on the Raktvam Glacier and three high camps. On June 2 Sibu Das, Krishna Das, Gorachand Pal, Sherpa Lhakpa Tsering and a high-altitude porter from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering reached the summit of Sudarshan Parban (6507 meters, 21,350 feet). A 12-man team set up Base Camp at Nan- danban on May 13 and four more camps. On May 31 S.N. Dhar, D. Seal, P. Saha and leader P.K. Majumdar climbed the northwest ridge to the summit of

302 THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL. 1985

Chandra Parbat (6728 meters, 22,073 feet). Kedar Dome (6831 meters, 22,410 feet) was climbed on May 28 by leader Prosanta Kumar Barman and a high- altitude porter. In June Sandip Narin, Chandra Shah, S. Mhaisalkar and N.S. Rana climbed Avalanche peak (6198 meters, 20,330 feet). An expedition led by Bilwa Nath Ghosh climbed Shri Kailash (6932 meters, 22,743 feet) in Sep- tember. Details are lacking.

P 6309, North of Chaturangi Glacier. We reached Base Camp at Nan- danban at 14,500 feet on September 13, set up Advance Base at Vasuki Tal at 16,000 feet on the 18th and Camp I at 16,500 feet at the base of P 6309 on the 23rd. From Camp I we climbed the southwest ridge alpine-style with two biv- ouacs. The first bivouac at 18,000 feet was made in a snowstorm on September 25. On September 27, from a higher bivouac at 19,500 feet, Steve Bain, John Bannister, Jonell Geller and I completed the new route and made the second ascent of the peak (20,700 feet). The technical difficulties were concentrated in the upper part of the ridge close to the summit. As no porters were used above Base Camp, the mountain’s remoteness, 10 miles from Base, posed the major obstacle to the ascent.

NIGEL CLEAVER, Sierra Club

Sudarshan Parbat, Southwest Ridge. Chu expedition was successful in climbing a new route on Sudarshan Parbat, mainly because of good weather and good acclimatization of the members. Base Camp was established on the Rakt- vat-n Glacier at 4600 meters on October 4. The route to Camp I on the Thelu Glacier was without ice on scree. This was placed at 5200 meters on October 8. From Camps I to II, established on October 14 at 5800 meters, it was mainly on ice and loose rocks. The gradient was steeper on the way to Camp III at 6000 meters in the Sudarshan-Thelu col. We fixed rope to the co1 and established the camp on the 19th. The summit (6507 meters, 21,350 feet) was reached on October 21 by Shinobu Sakai, Makoto Miyamoto and me, on October 22 by Nobuhiro Okajima and Dr. Norio Kawai and on October 23 by Akio Fujijima, Kazuo Higuchi and Masaya Takahara.

TE-IWYASU Kuuo, Academic Alpine Club of Hokkaido, Japan

Kala Nag. In June an Indian group from the Doon School climbed Kala Nag. The summit was reached by H. Nautiyal, Kalu Singh, S. Gopal, J.S. Bindra, A. Mahey and leader S.C. Biala.

Bandarpunch I. An Indian expedition led by Aniruddha Das successfully climbed Bandarpunch I (6387 meters, 20,955 feet) in August. Details are lacking.

Bandarpunch II West and Kala Nag. The Ruinsara Youth Expedition was organized to train young climbers between the ages of 16 and 21 and expose

CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS. 1984 303

them to high-altitude climbing. From the roadhead at Sankri we trekked through Dapsa and up the Ruinsara Nala to Base Camp at 13,800 feet at the lower Kiar Koti and Advanced Base at 14,100 feet ahead of the upper Kiar Koti. Routes were reconnoitered and training imparted. On May 26 we started for Kala Nag (Black Peak). Camp I was across the lateral moraine of the Kala Nag icefall at 16,500 feet. Camp II at 18,200 feet was through a maze of crevasses and 1500 feet below the col. On May 28 our first attempt failed for want of equipment to climb the 300-foot ice wall. On May 29, Kartik Bhagat, Dhiren Toolsidas and I left Camp II at 5:30 and reached the summit (6387 meters, 20,956 feet) at 4:45 P.M. Arun Samant, Ravi Mariwala and Sher Singh repeated the ascent on May 3 1. After three days of rest, Samant, Toolsidas and I traversed the Bandarpunch Glacier for 4 miles to make Camp I at 15,000 feet for Bandarpunch II West. We found a route over the true left lateral moraine of the Bandarpunch West Glacier. We crossed the upper icefall and placed Camp II at 17,400 feet. We spent a day fixing ropes in the last icefall and had to cross very delicate snow bridges. Camp III was at 18,600 feet. On May 10 we made the first ascent of Bandarpunch II West (6102 meters, 20,020 feet), following the northeast ridge to the highly corniced summit. Three minor peaks of about 18,000 feet were also climbed.

HARISH KAPADIA, Himalayan Club

India-Himachal Pradesh

Peaks in Lahul. There was much climbing activity in Lahul. Mulkila 5 (6370 meters, 20,900 feet) was climbed in September by Indians G. J . Jambotkar, P. B . Bodhane, D.T. Kulkami and three high-altitude porters. Mulkila 7 (6340 me- ters, 20,800 feet) was climbed by French Gilles Gadani and Mlle Blondine Wong in August. CB 10 (6226 meters, 20,427 feet) was ascended by Indians N.J.K. Singh, Shyam Kishor and L. Joy Kumar in August or September. A British Royal Air Force expedition climbed two peaks in September: CB 21 by C.M. Davidson, Daniel, Batson and Taylor and CB 24 by Batson, Taylor, Horth, Palmer, Cockwood, Wilson and Milmoe. CB 54 (6096 meters, 20,000 feet) was ascended by Indians G. Lobe and a porter in August or September.

Koa Rung 2. This virgin peak in Lahul was climbed by a Polish team. Andrzej Zboinski, leader, and Ryzsard Wrona reached the summit on August 23. The following day, Ryszard Tokarczyk, his wife Grazyna and Krzysztof Wroczyt’iski repeated the ascent. This peak had previously been attempted by Americans and Japanese.

J~ZEF NYKA, Editor, Taternik, Poland

CB 31. All 16 members of a Japanese expedition led by Heihachi Nomura climbed CB3 1. From Base Camp on the Samundar Tapu Glacier, they placed Camp I on the Candi-Ki Glacier at 4900 meters on July 26 and Camp II at 5600

304 THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL I985

meters on July 29. Rope was then fixed to 5800 meters on the northeast ridge. From August 2 to 7 all members climbed to the sumrnit (6093 meters, 19,991 feet).

CB54. Our expedition, comprising my wife Lizzie, my brother Peter, Adam Brown, Jim Shilling and me, set out on August 22. Brown and I were the climbers, the other working in support. Our aim was to make the first ascent of CB54 and then travel 30 kilometers north to climb KR5, exploring the region between. Our first attempt on CB54 failed at 18,000 feet in bad weather. The attempt on KR5 failed at 19,500 feet due to loose rock and continual storms. After we returned to Base Camp on September 10, Brown fell ill and was unable to climb. On September 12 a local porter La1 Chand and I set out for CB54. We spent the first night above the first of two icefalls. The second day we climbed the badly crevassed upper cwm and spent the night below a wide ice gully on the west face that led to the summit. The gully was steep and exposed to rockfall. We left at eight A.M. on September 14 and reached the summit (6096 meters, 20,000 feet) at 5:30 P.M. I led all twelve pitches on ice and seven on rock.

ROBIN HAMER, England

Phabrang. In June a nine-man Indian expedition climbed Phabrang (6172 meters, 20,250 feet). Leader Y.K. Puri, P.D. Dandriyal and high-altitude porter Devi Singh reached the summit. A second Indian expedition led by Kala Chand Chattejee also attempted the same peak. Base Camp was set up in the Karpat Nala on July 8. Camps I and II were established on July 11 and 14 at 16,500 and 19,000 feet. On July 16 Biswanath Ghosh, Goutam Chowdhury, Asim Dey, Prasanta Karar and high-altitude porters Devi Singh and Tikarn Ram Thakur reached the summit of Phabrang South (6140 meters, 20,144 feet) via the north shoulder. They then turned to Menthosa but were foiled by an ice wall on July 24. In August Sanat Kumar Ghosh, K. Mukhejee and Shyamal Hazara also reached the summit.

KAMAL K. GUHA, Himalayan Club

Guan Nelda I and II. An Indian expedition led by Bishnu Prasad Roy in August climbed Guan Nelda I (6303 meters, 20,680 feet) and Guan Nelda II (6157 meters, 20,200 feet). The summits were reached by B. Banejee and S. Biswas and two high-altitude porters.

India-Jammu and Kashmir

Mardi Phabrang Attempt, Southeast Kishtwar Himalaya. In late August, Mark Miller, Sean Smith, Tom Curtiss and I visited the Kaban Nala, ap- proaching from Kishtwar via Galhar, Athole, Schol and Kaban in four days. We

CLIMBS AND EXPEDITIONS, 1984 305

established Base Camp at 12,000 feet on August 24. Our objective was the northeast buttress of Mardi Phabrang (6062 meters, 19,888 feet), which is in- correctly marked as “Gharol” on most maps. We approached from the southeast up a steep moraine that led to a large glacial basin. From there we climbed a 15OO-foot snow-and-ice couloir to an exposed 17,000-foot col at the start of the major difficulties. Consistent bad weather during the next two weeks allowed only one real attempt, which failed at the foot of the buttress itself at 17,400 feet after a long and complicated traverse. Above, a lOOO-foot-high rock buttress, comprised of friable rock and now draped with fresh snow, denied access to steep mixed ground. We retreated in yet another storm. Whilst the rest of the expedition walked out, I set off alone up the Kaban Nala and made the first ascent of Tuperdo II (5600 meters, 18,373 feet) via the south ridge. I then crossed a co1 near the east ridge of Agysol, mistaking it for the Kaban La, and made a long and difficult descent to Dangol in the Machail valley, from which I reached Kishtwar. Three expeditions have now visited the Kaban Nala, but only the 1981 Oxford party, which climbed Agysol, has ascended its main objective. Other fine lines exist, but the access is difficult and the weather variable.

SIMON RICHARDSON, Alpine Climbing Group

Nun-Kun Group. A number of the peaks in the Nun-Kun group were success- fully climbed. Nun (7135 meters, 23,410 feet) was ascended by Japanese Ma- sakatsu Nakamura and Takenobu Matsumoto on August 6 and by twenty-one Indians led by Colonel G.V. Gautam who reached the summit on August 24 and 27. Kun (7077 meters, 23,220 feet) was climbed in August by five members of a Deutscher Alpenverein (German Alpine Club) group. Pinnacle Peak (6930 meters, 22,737 feet) was ascended by French Marc Arnold, R. Guery, Philippe Burger, J.P. Fritz, K. Andre, J.C. Raguin and Bernard Gillet in August. White Needle (6500 meters, 21,325 feet) was climbed by Americans Andrew Selters, G. Embry, M. King, D. Koster, J. Farkas, U. Schoenmain, I. Mamedalian and A. Pack in July and by French Dominique Marquis, D. Leford, L. Brigandean and D. Morcamp in August and September.

28. Our expedition consisted of five climbers, Irish Jo Hastings, Donal O’Murchu and me, Scot Gordon Simpson, Indian liaison officer Ravi Chandra, and cameraman Karl Winkelman and Dr. Barry Daly, It is symptomatic of the changing Himalaya that we got a bus all the way to Base Camp on the Pensi La at 4400 meters. The planned route on 28 was the northeast ridge, but the ap- proaches from the Durung Dmng and 28 Glaciers were both unacceptably dan- gerous and so we switched to the previously climbed west ridge. We placed a camp on the 28 Glacier at 5OCO meters and on July 23 Simpson and O’Murchu climbed the peak from a bivouac on the ridge. A fall of new snow the previous night made the going difficult and the descent in the heat of the day required

306 THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL 1985

great care. Hastings, Ravi Chandra and I repeated the ascent on August 1 with much better conditions.

JOSS LYNAM, Federation of Mountaineering Clubs of Ireland

P 6000 and 23, Durung Drung Glacier. A Japanese expedition of ten men and one woman ascended the Durung Drung Glacier to make what they state was the first ascent of P 6000 (19,685 feet) at the head of the glacier. Katsuo Sakai and three others set out from Camp II at 5200 meters and reached the summit at one P.M. on August 17. The rest of the expedition, except for the leader, got to the top the next day. Four members climbed 23 (6270 meters, 20,571 feet) on August 29.

Kang Yisay. Kang Yisay (6400 meters, 20,998 feet) was climbed in August by Norwegian Olav Basen and T. Stromgren and in September by British S. Ehureuer, D. Galbraith, J.O. Neil, N. Richardson, I. Usuer, N. Adam, P.J. Jones, P. Cuesworth, P. Watkins and C. Fennel.

IndiGKarakoram

Mamostong. Five climbers from Japan and eight from India left Leh by truck, crossed the Khardung La and arrived after a tough drive at the roadhead, Sasoma, in the Nubra valley. Instead of waiting for the ponies that were to carry our gear to Base Camp, I set out with 14 Gorkha porters up the Tulum Puti Topko. On the third day, August 15, we set up Base Camp at Skyangpoche North at 15,100 feet on the Mamostong Glacier. The entire team was gathered by August 18 and we moved to Advance Base at 16,075 feet near a tarn north of the Mamostong Glacier. Previous plans were to ascend the Chong Kumdan Glacier but we were too late for this; too much snow melt was in the glacial streams. We went on up the Mamostong Glacier, a gentle walk despite the occasional jumble of boulders where glaciers join it. Hidden at its head is Mam- ostong, whose name means “Many Devils’ Peak.” None of us had as much as seen a picture of the peak with its sheer rock faces, crumbling narrow rock ribs and masses of hanging glaciers. The mountain seemed unclimbable from the south and east. A 20,000-foot col east of the peak leads to the Thangman Gla- cier. We fixed some ten pitches down to and across the Thangman and camped at about 20,000 feet. We then headed for a saddle that separates the Thangman and Chong Kumdan Glaciers northeast of the peak. By August 30 we had made Camp III in the co1 and fixed 20 pitches along the ridge as it weaved up ice of uncertain stability. We then made a tactical error and went down to Base Camp for a rest in clear sunshine. On September 2 clouds and high winds filled the valleys. After restless days we went up to occupy higher camps and were beaten back. We could occupy Camps II and III only on September 12. Five climbers left Camp III at 4:30 A.M. on September 13 and reached the summit of Mam-

308 THE AMERICAN ALPINE JOURNAL. 198.5

ostong (7516 meters, 24,660 feet) about eleven A.M. The next morning’s at- tempt did not come off due to cloud and snow. On September 15 five more reached the summit in zero visibility. Two others and I had pulled out of the viewless climb and were rewarded on September 16 with a clear, windless morning. The wind discovered us and the clouds accompanied us up the last 150 feet. The weather had been fine from August 18 to September 2 but it was unsettled afterwards with high winds. At the beginning of the expedition our mail runner was drowned crossing a glacial stream. We used Indian food up to Base Camp and Japanese food thereafter.

BALWANT SANDHU, Director, Nehru Institute OfMountaineering, Uttar Kashi. India

Rimo Group. An expedition of 25 Indian Army Engineers was led by Cap- tain K.S. Sooth. From August 11 to 13 they divided up among seven different peaks and climbed them all. The highest one climbed was P 7 159 (23,488 feet). The first ascent was made by Captain M.P. Yadev and G.K. Sharma in alpine style. They were followed by Sooth and Captain Y.C. Chibbar. The other six peaks were all about 6000 meters high.

P 7428, Saltoro Group. An Indian Army expedition of 54 members was led by Colonel Prem Chand. They established two camps on the Siachen Glacier before turning up a glacier north of the Saltoro group. They then placed three camps higher. Three climbers got to the summit of P 7428 (24,371 feet) by its west ridge on October 17. Further details are not yet available.

Pakistan

Chogolisafrom the Northwest and Broad Peak. Our group, Louis Deuber, Swiss, Richard Franz1 and Harald Nave, Austrians, and my wife Alice Ze- browski and I, Germans, left Rawalpindi on May 16 and proceeded to Concordia on the Baltoro Glacier. For our first objective, Chogolisa, we set up Base Camp on the true left bank of the Vigne Glacier at 4900 meters on May 3 1. On June 8, after acclimatization ski trips, we ascended the Vigne to its head on the west of Chogolisa, where we set up Camp I at 5500 meters. On the east side of the cirque, an 8OO-meter (2600-foot) ice slope rises to a giant glacial plateau, which lies under the northern side of the summit trapezoid. Brosig and the Germans, who first climbed this route in 1983 (A.A.J., 1984, page 289), climbed a rock spur. We could climb a snow gully left of the spur because of better conditions; in fact we skied all but the upper 100 meters. Camp II was on the plateau at 6300 meters. From this camp the whole team reached the summit (7654 meters, 25,112 feet) on June 10, my wife making the first female ascent. The 1300-meter (4250-foot) northwest summit slope was not difficult. We could ski