Govt. License No. 2046
 

Climbing History

Climbing attempts started very early on Nanga Parbat. In 1895 Albert F. Mummery led an expedition to the peak, and reached almost 7000m on the Diamir (West) Face, but Mummery and two Gurkha companions later died reconnoitering the Rakhiot Face.

Six German expeditions attempted the peak in the 1930's, but none succeeded, and dozens of climbers died in storms and avalanches. However, an altitude of about 7700m was reached on the East Ridge, attained via the Rakhiot Face.

Nanga Parbat was first climbed on July 3, 1953 by Austrian climber Hermann Buhl, a member of a German-Austrian team. By the time of this expedition, 31 people had already died trying to make the first ascent. The final push for the summit was dramatic: Buhl continued alone after his companions had turned back, and spent a night standing up on the descent. Buhl is the only mountaineer to have made the first ascent of an eight-thousander solo (at least at the summit) and without oxygen.

The second ascent of Nanga Parbat was via the Diamir Face, in 1962, by Germans Toni Kinshofer, S. Löw, and A. Mannhardt. This route is now the "standard route" on the mountain. The Kinshofer route does not ascend the middle of the Diamir Face, which is threatened by avalanches from massive hanging glaciers. Instead it climbs a buttress on the left side of the face.

In 1970 Reinhold and Günther Messner reached the summit via a direct route on the huge, difficult Rupal Face; this was the third ascent of the mountain. Their descent was epic: they were unable to descend their ascent route, and instead made the first traverse of the mountain, going down the Diamir Face. Unfortunately Günther was killed in an avalanche on the Diamir. (Messner's account of this incident was disputed, and cast a further shadow over this achievement. However, in 2005 Günther's remains were found on the Diamir Face, corroborating Reinhold's story.)

In 1978 Reinhold Messner returned to the Diamir Face and achieved the first completely solo ascent (i.e. always solo above Base Camp) of an 8000m peak.

Among other ascents of the peak, the 1985 ascent by Jerzy Kukuczka et al stands out. They climbed a bold line up the Southeast Pillar (or Polish Spur) on the right-hand side of the Rupal Face.

Recently some well-known climbers have been attempting very quick ascents of the Rupal Face. In particular, late summer of 2005 was a busy time on the face. In August, Pakistani military helicopters rescued renowned Slovenian mountaineer Tomaž Humar, who was stuck under a narrow ice ledge at 5900 metres for six days. It is believed to be one of the few successful rescues carried out at such high altitude. In September, Vince Anderson and noted alpinist Steve House did an extremely lightweight, fast ascent of a new, direct route on the face, earning high praise from the climbing community.

On the 17th or 18th of July 2006, José Antonio Delgado Sucre, an elite high altitude climber from Venezuela, died a few days after making the summit, where he was caught by bad weather for 6 straight days and was not able to make his way down. He was the only Venezuelan climber, and one of the few Latin Americans, to have summated five eight-thousanders.


Rakaposhi 7788

Rakaposhi is a mountain in the Karakoram mountain range. It is situated in the Nagar valley approximately 100 km north of the city of Gilgit. Rakaposhi means "shining wall" in the local language. Rakaposhi is also known as Rakaposhi Peak, Rakapushi and Dumani ("Mother of Mist"). It is ranked 27th highest in the world and 12th highest in Pakistan, but it is more popular for its beauty than its rank might suggest and is said to be one of the most beautiful mountains in the world.

Rakaposhi was first climbed in 1958 by Mike Banks and Tom Patey, members of a British-Pakistani expedition, via the Southwest Spur/Ridge route. Both of them suffered minor frostbite during the ascent. Another climber slipped and fell on the descent and died during the night.

Rakaposhi is notable for its exceptional rise over local terrain, almost unmatched in the world. For example, it rises 6000m in only 16.5km horizontal distance from the Hunza River. There are magnificent views of Rakaposhi from the Karakoram Highway on the route through Hunza. A tourist spot in the town of Ghulmat (located in the Nagar Valley) called "Zero Point of Rakaposhi" is the closest convenient view point of the mountain.

Climbing History

• 1892 Martin Conway explores the south side of Rakaposhi.
• 1938 M. Vyvyan and R. Campbell Secord make the first reconnaissance and climb a north-western forepeak (about 5,800m/19,000') via the northwest ridge.
• 1947 Secord returns with H. W. Tilman and two Swiss climbers; they ascend via the Gunti glacier to 5,800m/19,000' on the south-west spur.
• 1954 Cambridge University team, led by Alfred Tissières, attempts the peak via the south-west spur but only reached 6,340m/20,800'. Also, an Austro-German expedition led by Mathias Rebitsch attempted the same route.
• 1956 A British-American expedition, led by Mike Banks, reaches 7,163m/23,500' on the Southwest Ridge, above the Gunti glacier.
• 1958 The first ascent, noted above.
• 1964 An Irish expedition attempts the long and difficult Northwest Ridge.
• 1971 Karl Herrligkofer leads an attempt on the elegant but difficult North Spur (or North Ridge).
• 1973 Herrligkofer returns to the North Spur but is again unsuccessful due to time and weather problems.
• 1979 A Polish-Pakistani expedition ascends the Northwest Ridge from the Biro Glacier. Also, a Japanese expedition from Waseda University, led by Eiho Ohtani, succeeds in climbing the North Spur. Summit party: Ohtani and Matsushi Yamashita. This ascent was expedition-style, done over a period of six weeks, with 5000m of fixed rope.
• 1984 A Canadian team achieves a semi-alpine-style ascent of the North Spur, using much less fixed rope than the Japanese team had. Summit party: Barry Blanchard, David Cheesmond, Kevin Doyle.
• 1985-1987 Various unsuccessful attempts on the long East Ridge.
• 1986 A Dutch team climbs a variation of the Northwest Ridge route.
• 1995 An ascent via the Northwest Ridge.
• 1997 An ascent via the Southwest Spur/Ridge (possibly the original route).
• 2000 An attempt from the East side (Bagrot Glacier).


 

Distaghil Sar
Overview
Elevation (feet)	25,869
Elevation (meters)	7,885
Range	Karakorum
Country	Pakistan
Continent	Asia
Year first climbed	1960 by an Austrian team
Easiest route	glacier/snow/ice climb
Description
Distaghil Sar is a mountain in the Hispar Muztagh range in the Karakoram region of Northern Areas of Pakistan or Gilgit-Baltistan. It is the 19th highest mountain on earth and the ninth highest peak in Pakistan. Distaghil Sar was first climbed in 1960 by G. Starker and D. Marchart of an Austrian expedition led by Wolfgang Stefan.

 

Khunyang Chhish
Overview
Elevation (feet)	25,761
Elevation (meters)	7,852
Range	Hispar Muztagh, Karakoram
Country	Pakistan
Continent	Asia
Year first climbed	August 26, 1971 by Zygmunt Heinrich, Jan Stryczynski, Ryszard Szafirski
Easiest route	glacier / rock / Ice climb
Description
Khunyang Chhish or Kunyang Chhish is the second-highest mountain in the Hispar Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram mountains of Pakistan. Alternate variations of the name include Kunyang Kish and Khiangyang Kish, among others. Its height is also sometimes given as 7823m. It is ranked 21st in the world and 8th in Pakistan.

 

Kanjut Sar
Overview
Elevation (feet)	25,460
Elevation (meters)	7,760
Range	Karakoram
Country	Pakistan
Continent	Asia
Year first climbed	1959 by Guido Monzino
Easiest route	snow / Ice climb
Description
Kanjut Sar is a Himalayan mountain located in the Hispar Muztagh region of the Karakoram range. It is the 26th highest mountain on earth and the 11th highest in Pakistan. Kanjut Sar consists of two peaks: Kanjut Sar I at 7,760 metres (25,460 feet). Ranked 26th in the world. Kanjut Sar II at 6,181 metres (20,279 feet).

 

Trivor
Overview
Elevation (feet)	24,859
Elevation (meters)	7,577
Range	Hispar Muztagh
Country	Pakistan
Continent	Asia
Year first climbed	1960 by Wilfrid Noyce, Jack Sadler (British/US)
Easiest route	Northwest Ridge: glacier / snow / ice climb
Description
Trivor is one of the high peaks of the Hispar Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Its height is often given as 7,728 metres, but this elevation is not consistent with photographic evidence. The height given here is from a Russian 1:100,000 topographic map.

 

Pumari Chhish
Overview
Elevation (feet)	24,580
Elevation (meters)	7,492
Range	Hispar Muztagh, Karakoram
Country	Pakistan
Continent	Asia
Year first climbed	1979 by S. Chiba, K. Minami, M. Ohashi, H. Yokoyama (Japanese)
Easiest route	Northwest Ridge: glacier / snow / ice climb
Description
Pumari Chhish, (or Pumarikish, Peak 11) is a high peak of the Hispar Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range. It lies about 4km east of Khunyang Chhish, in the heart of the Hispar, north of the Hispar Glacier. Pumari Chhish was first attempted by an Austrian group in 1974, who failed to climb or bypass the Yazghil Glacier on the north side of the peak. In 1979, a Japanese group from the Hokkaido Alpine Association succeeded in climbing the mountain via a long route starting from the Khunyang Glacier, well to the west of the peak. They first had to cross a significant col to access the upper Yazghil Glacier; they then ascended the north ridge of Pumari Chhish.

 

Yukshin Gardan Sar
Overview
Elevation (feet)	24,704
Elevation (meters)	7,530
Range	Hispar Muztagh, Karakoram
Country	Pakistan
Continent	Asia
Year first climbed	June 26, 1984 by Willi Bauer, Walter Bergmayr, Willi Brandecker, Reinhard Streif (Austrian)
Easiest route	South Ridge: glacier / snow / ice climb
Description
Yukshin Gardan Sar is a high peak of the Hispar Muztagh, a subrange of the Karakoram range. Its height is also often given as 7,469 m (24,505 ft) or 7,641 m (25,069 ft). It lies about 15 km (9 mi) northeast of Khunyang Chhish and 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Kanjut Sar. It is flanked on the northwest by the Yazghil Glacier and on the northeast by the Yukshin Gardan Glacier; both drain into the Shimshal River. Yukshin Gardan Sar was first climbed in 1984, by a Pakistani-Austrian group, led by Rudolf Wurzer. They ascended via the South Ridge, which they accessed via the Yazghil Glacier on the west side of the peak. The second ascent followed very shortly after the first, on July 23, 1984. A Pakistani-Japanese group that had been on the mountain simultaneously with the first ascent party switched from their unworkable North Ridge route to make an alpine style ascent of the first ascent route on the South Ridge. The third ascent of the peak was in 1986, by a Spanish team comprising Alejandro Arranz, Inaki Aldaya, Alfredo Zabalza, and Tomás Miguel. They used the same route as the first-ascent party. According to the Himalayan Index, there have been no other ascents or attempts on this peak since that time.

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