LINDSAY GRIFFIN & DAVID HAMILTON Pakistan 1997

Thanks are due to Pakistan Ministry ofTourism, XavierEguskitza andkem Mustafa Awanfor their help in providing information.

1997 will be remembered as the year of the best weather conditions seen in the Karakoram for several decades. Low rainfall during the winter and spring meant that there were few problems with fresh snow at the start of the season. Long spells of settled conditions during June, July and August permitted a remarkably high number of climbing successes on both the high peaks and lower rock walls. Pakistan government figures show that 70% of this year's expeditions were successful compared with an average of 42% for the previous five years. _ There were several notable climbing achievements recorded. A Korean party made the third ascent of Gasherbrum IV by a new route on the impressive West Face. A huge Japanese expedition split its resources between Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum IT and successfully placed team members on each summit. The fine weather also suited those climbing big rock walls. A German team made the second ascent of Latok IT by the unclimbed SW Face, while several groups succeeded on other hard technical rock routes. However the main news of the season was the increasing popularity of 'normal routes' on 8000m peaks and the relative decline of exploratory mountaineering on lesser-known objectives. In celebration of the nation's 50th anniversary the Pakistan authorities relaxed the normal restrictions on the number of permits issued for the 8000m peaks. Ministry of Tourism statistics show that 57 expeditions from 16 countries received permission to climb peaks over 6000m. 23 of these expeditions came from Japan or Korea. A total of 40 expeditions concentrated on the five 8000m peaks, while the other 17 expeditions were spread over II different mountains. 29 expeditions succeeded in placing one or more members on the summit ofan 8000m peak (73%), while II succeeding on a 6000m-8000m peak(65%). There were 9 fatalities among the 500 foreign climbers. Several Japanese groups included experienced Sherpas in their climbing teams. This is thought to be the first time since the 1930s that Nepalese mountaineers have visited the Pakistan Karakoram. Kl (8611m) Despite record numbers of climbers on Pakistan's other 8000m peaks there were only two teams on Kl. Seven Basque climbers led by Jose Ramon Aguirre attempted the 1994 route on the SSE Spur. They found this route to be more dangerous and avalanche threatened than previously reported and retreated from a high point of nOOm. Tanabe Osamu led a team of nine Japanese climbers and thirteen Nepalese Sherpas on a siege-style assault of the West Face. All climbers used oxygen above 7500m and over 3000m of rope

278 PAKISTAN 1997 279 was fixed. Three Japanese members reached the summit on 19 July, followed by four more Japanese and four Sherpas on 28 July. The exact line of their ascent is not known but it is thought to be a partial new route. Broad Peak (8047m) Eight of the ten permits issued went to groups attempting the Normal Route. In addition two small teams tried the unclimbed SSE Ridge. Australian Andrew Lock, who had tried this route before in 1994 with a Swedish team, was joined this time by Rick AIlen. Spanish brothers Alberto and Felix Iiiurrategi had their eyes on the same line. Both pairs retreated from nOOm finding technical difficulties too great for an Alpine style ascent. Switching to the Normal Route the Spanish brothers made a very fast ascent of the Main Summit on 12 July, as did Andrew Lock on 7 August. Yoshio Matsu­ naga's Japanese group was first to establish itself on the Normal Route at the end of May. F Yokotagawa and Jeff Bubb (USA) were struck by an avalanche and killed, between C2 and C3, on 16 June. Six ofthe eight separate expeditions on the Normal Route were successful with approximately 25 climbers reaching either the Fore Summit or the Main Summit. (See MEFReports, re/. 97/38.) Gasherbrum I (8068m) Eight permits were issued for this peak which only a few years ago was the least popular of the Karakoram 8000m peaks. Permit sharing led to more than a dozen separate teams on the mountain all attempt­ ing to scale the Japanese Couloir Route. The large Japanese GUNMA group led by Nazuka Hideji did much of the early work preparing the route and fixing 600m of rope between C2 and C3. Seven members of this group reached the summit on 7 July followed two days later by 13 climbers from several other expeditions. It is thought that about 26 climbers in total reached the summit over a four-week period from early July to early August. Weather and snow conditions were close to ideal and with large numbers ofclimbers sharing the trail­ breaking, the ascent was made less arduous than in previous years. Gasherbrum n (8035m) More than 100 climbers assembled at base camp to attempt the Normal Route on G2. The Pakistan authorities had issued ten per­ mi.ts, but there were at least thirteen expeditions on the mountain. Some expe­ ditions had secured permission for both Gland G2 and a handful of climbers including Japanese, Koreans and Czechs summited on both peaks. Fred Barth's American team were the first to occupy base camp at the end of May and opened the route to Cl through the lower icefall. The large Japanese GUNMA group used their Sherpa staff to push the route out, fixing a large quantity of rope, breaking trail and establishing C2 and C3 before summiting on 8 July. Climbers from other expeditions were able to make use of the Japanese fixed ropes and a total of 30-35 people from a variety of countries are thought to have summited in the four weeks following the Japanese success. The only two unsuccessful teams on G2 both arrived at base camp during August and there­ fore missed the settled weather found in June and July. Gasherbrum IV (7925m) The most remarkable ascent of the season was achieved by a Korean team led byCho Sung-Dae who returned to complete the project that he started in 1995 : the Central Spur on the West Face. The 12­ man team used a considerable amount of fixed rope, but most of the climbing above 6800m was done by four climbers, three of whom (Y Hak-Jae, B Jung­ Ho, K Tong-Kwan) reached the summit on 18 July. This was only the third ever 280 THE ALPINE JOURNAL 1998 ascent ofthe mountain and the first time that the summit had been reached by a route on the W Face. The route has been graded at IV-/V+ on rock and mixed ground with ice sections of 70°-80° and is said to be threatened by con­ siderable objective dangers. During their descent the Koreans discovered the body of Slavko Sveticic (Slovenia) who disappeared during a solo attempt on the face in 1995. Earlier in the season a strong four-man Basque team led by Miguel Rodriguez tried to make the second ascent of Gasherbrum IV's NW Ridge. They found the weather and snow conditions unfavourable and retreated from a high point of 7300m Skilbrum (7360m) A large and well funded Japanese expedition containing many Himalayan veterans aimed to make the second ascent of this peak west of K2, first climbed by members of the Austrian Broad Peak expedition in 1956. Eight members of the 17-strong team reached the summit via the S Face on 17 August. Tragedy struck three days later when base camp in the Savoia Glacier was destroyed by a huge avalanche, killing expedition leader Hiroshima Mitsuo and five companions. Mitsuo was visiting Pakistan for the 56th time having made the second ascent of K2 with Ashraf Aman (Pakistan) in 1977. This freak accident accounted for 660/'0 of the climbing fatalities recorded in 1997 which was in all other respects a very 'safe' year. Masherbrurn (7821m) on the southern watershed of the Baltoro was visited by a Spanish expedition led by Manuel Rodriguez. Bemused local staff report that the expedition members fell out with each other and abandoned their attempt without making any real impression on their intended SE Face route. Three separate expeditions visited the Trango Towers in the lower Baltoro. On Nameless Tower (6237m) Waiter Barkerled a strong four-man group from the USA and Canada which succeeded in climbing a new line on the N Face. Their 900m 17-pitch route (VI, 5.10, A4, W13) The Wall ofFiction is reported to be right of the existing line of Book ofShadows. Seven Scandinavian climbers from Sweden and Norway led by Jan Stensten repeated the 1987 Slovenian Route on the S Face, with four of the party reaching the summit. On Great Trango (6286m) Lee Sang-Cho was the leader of a four-strong Korean group. Climbing from the Dunge Glacier they are thought to have succeeded in scaling a new route on the E Side of the peak. Americans Mark Richey and John Bouchard were the latest climbers to attempt the compelling line of the N Ridge on Latok I (7145m). Objective dangers caused by the warm weather forced them to give up after reaching a high point of 6000m. Perhaps the most outstanding achievement of the season was the first ascent of the SW Face of Latok IT (7108m), and second overall ascent of the peak. This was achieved in fine style by the talented four-man team of Thomas Huber, Alexander Huber, Toni Gutsch (all German) and Conrad Anker (USA). All four reached the summit on 19 July via a 1000m­ long 'big-wall' route rising from the huge central couloir. Seven of the 25 pitches were given a grade of A3, and the whole route was graded at American VII. The Huber brothers had tried the peakpreviously in 1995. Two other members of the same expedition made the third overall ascent of the peak via another new route on the NW Ridge. Franz Fendt and Christian Schlesener graded their 11 OOm route VI+ and A3. Members of this expedition also climbed several PAKISTAN 1997 281 smaller peaks surrounding the Uzun Brakk Glacier. Two pairs of climbers with previous experience of Baintha Brakk (7285m) returned to attempt to be the first to complete technical lines on the south side of this formidable mountain. Germans Jan Mersch and Jochen Hasse reached 62S0m on the frequently tried S Pillar. The American pairTom Nonis and Barry Rugo failed to get established on the SE Pillar owing to dangerous conditions low down on the approach to the route. It appears that the exceptionally warm and dry conditions that suited those on the big peaks and lower rock walls caused considerable risk of rockfall on more 'mixed' objectives. Three expeditions visited the upper Chogolungma Glacier. The popular peak Spantik (7027m) received its annual visit from a French commercial group. Daniel Petraud led three clients to the top on IS August and returned to make a fast solo ascent three days later. An Italian group on the same permit was unsuccessful, while a Basque group led by Pedro Vdaendo reached the summit. Four Swiss climbers led by Dieter Fiinfschilling attempted MaIubiting West (7453m) the highest peak in the Malubiting group. Two members of the team reached the summit on 19 August after following the route of the first ascensionists (1971 Austn'an Route) via the Polan La. This is thought to have been only the second ascent of this attractive peak. Three elderly Japanese climbers led by Narisue Yosuke attempted the unclimbed peak of Phuparash 1 (6824m) 12km west of Malubiting. Despite the use ofhigh-altitude porters and fixed ropes they were reported to have been unsuccessful. A large group of Iranian climbers scaled the attractive peak Rakaposhi (7788m) which dominates the Hunza Valley. The expedition was supported by the Mountaineering Federation of Iran and led by Ramin Baghini. Six climbers reached the summitby the long SWSpur/RidgeRoute on6 July. Two expeditions arrived at the base camp of Diran (7257m) in early August. A small Japanese team led by Hideki Nakayama was successful while a 12-member German commercial partyled by Eckhard Radehose failed to climb the peak. It is thought that both groups were on the Standard West Ridge Route. On the other side of the Hunza Valley Yoshihurni Miyaji's six-member Japanese team was unsuccess­ ful on Hunza Peak (623Om) immediately north of Bublimoting, first climbed by a British pair in 1991. Forthe first time in recent years no expeditions applied for permits to climb in the Pakistani part of the Hindu Kush. Nanga Parbat (8125m) Fourteen permits were issued for Pakistan's most accessible 8000m peak. Ten ofthese groups concentrated on the KinshoferRoute on the Diamir Face while three teams chose less popular lines. Japanese climb­ ers were unsuccessful on the Sche//Route. The talented Czechs Leopold Sulovsky and Ludovit Zahoransky attempted an unclimbed line on the Rupal Flankwith­ out success. The hugely experienced pairing of Wojciech Kurtyka and Erhard Loretan made little progress on the unclimbed Mazeno Ridge owing to poor snow conditions. More than 30 climbers from eight separate expeditions reached the summit via the Kinshofer Route. A large joint Chinese/Pakistani expedition were first on the mountain and fixed ropes on the entire route to the top camp at 7400m. Eight climbers from this group sumrnited on 15 June. Other teams made use of these ropes to summit during the weeks that fol­ lowed. Catalan climber Joan Collet reached the summit with five others on 282 THE ALPINE JOURNAL 1998

27 July but fell to his death during the descent three days later. The final permit of the year went to a Polish winter expedition led by Andrzej Zawada. They were reported to be still attempting the peak in late January 1998. Several expeditions visited sub-6000m peaks throughout Pakistan's North­ ern Areas, attempting both steep rock walls and mixed mountaineering routes. The Pakistan Government does not collect statistics on these activities and it is therefore difficult to assemble comprehensive information. All the British parties in the following survey were supported by the MEF and further details will be found in their reports on pages 298-300. A six-member British group climbed two separate routes on the unclimbed SE Face of Beatrice (580Om) above the Charakusa Glacier. The routes were about 200m apart on the face and both were 750m long. The Huxter/Pyke/Thomas line was possibly slightly harder than the Farquar/Meyers/Turner route, but both were 20 pitch climbs graded E3 6a A3+. (See article 'Beatrice' by Louise Thomas, pp 117-125.) The well publicised ascent of Shipton Spire (5852m) in 1996 inspired two teams to visit the Upper Trango Glacier in 1997. The strong American pair Mark Synott and Jared Ogden claimed the second ascent of the spire via a new route christened Ship of Fools. This 27-pitch climb (VII, 5.11, A2, W 16) was completed in 25 climbing days with the summit being reached on 6 August. Earlier in the season a Hungarian/German group (G Berecz, 0 Nadasdi, T Tivader) spent three weeks climbing on the slightly lower East Tower. They reported 21 pitches of excellent climbing (5.10, A4) but failed to reach the summit. Two small British groups visited the Choktoi Glacier during the summer. Both parties narrowly failed to reach the summit ofBanipispur South (6047m) and found a variety of good climbing on rock and mixed objectives in the area. Making his third visit to the Chogolungma area in as many years Dave Wilkinson's three-man British party made first ascents ofthree unnamed peaks above the Bolocho Glacier: Bolocho V (524Om) by the E Ridge, Bolocho I (c6000m) by the N Ridge and Bolocho VI (c5200m). Three groups attempted peaks in the infrequently visited Ghujerab range located between the Shimshal Valley and the Chinese frontier. A 7-member Pakistani civilian group aimed to climb KoshikPeak(610Om), one of the many summits rising above the Khunjerab Pass. However the group seem to have been ill prepared for the endeavour and leader Muzaffar Faizi aborted the expedition in mid-August having only occupied base camp for one day. A small British group hoped to climb Zartgarbin (585Om) above the Murkhun Valley but found the route impossible in the snow and weather conditions encountered in late August. A British women's expedition made two non­ technical ascents of previously unclimbed peaks above the Shimshal Pass. Rwadun Sar (550Om) was climbed on 14 July by the NE Ridge, and Zarsanic I (590Om) on 17 July via the SW Ridge.