Long-awaited first ascent in Pakistan's Karakoram

Posted by Lindsay Griffin on 08/10/2011
Hispar Sar from the south west. Rufus Duits

Three of America's most experienced mountaineers, Doug Chabot, Bruce Miller and Steve Su, have made the coveted first ascent of 6,400m Hispar Sar, an elegant pointed summit north of the Hispar Glacier.

The team climbed the South West Couloir, which had been attempted twice before.

Leaving at midnight, they climbed the 1,100m couloir in 20 hours, finding varied terrain from WI4+ to delicate mixed.

Near the top they moved right to avoid afternoon stone fall and climbed seven difficult mixed pitches over unstable snow and loose rock (up to M6) to the crest of the South Ridge, c300m below the summit.

After a bivouac, they reached the top next day, and the following morning rappelled the couloir

In 1991 Jon Nankervis led a small New Zealand team that attempted the virgin Hispar Sar via the north face from the Khani Basa Glacier.

They were turned back at 5,850m by avalanche prone slopes, while a second attempt, from the next glacier immediately down valley, was frustrated by an dangerous icefall.

In September 2004, and taking advantage of a relatively recent deregulation of formalities for peaks below 6,500m, a strong British duo of Andy Parkin and Simon Yates attempted the peak from the south west.

The two chose the elegant couloir that rises above the east bank of the Yutmari Glacier and climbed it over four days, with an exit right up a steep mixed spur (crux) to reach a shoulder on the South Ridge.

Unfortunately, a "slight mishap" on the first bivouac had resulted in most of their food, all their drinks and a spare cylinder of gas disappearing into the void.

By the time a storm arrived on the night of their fourth bivouac, estimated to be c300m below the summit, the stove was producing no more than vapour and the pair felt it prudent to retreat.

To the high point they'd climbed 1,100m of superb runnels of steep ice at an overall grade of ED.

The next attempt was also British, also by the South West Couloir, and, remarkably, by a one-man expedition

In 2008, after acclimatizing by making the first ascent of 5,684m Emily Peak, Rufus Duits soloed the entire couloir in a single day.

He passed the high point in the couloir, where Parkin and Yates had traversed out right, and continued direct until stopped at an estimated 6,000m, about 50m below the exit onto the South Ridge, by precarious snow-covered granite slabs.

To this point the difficulties were rated ED AI4/5.

He rappelled from Abalakovs to the base of the route, completing his round-trip attempt in just 18 hours.

To both parties the remaining ground to the summit had appeared to be relatively straightforward snow slopes. However, whilst the three Americans also thought it looked easy from below, it took them a full day to climb to the top and rappel to their bivouac.

Next day, Chabot, Miller and Su made a further 20 rappels down the ascent route to the glacier.

The photo shows the elegant Hispar Sar from the south west. The route climbs the obvious couloir right of the summit fall-line and then the upper South Ridge back left to the summit.



« Back

Post a comment Print this article

This article has been read 788 times

TAGS

Click on the tags to explore more

RELATED ARTICLES

The Jeremy Willson Mountain Exploration Grant
0
The Jeremy Willson Mountain Exploration Grant

The Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust (JWCT) awards an annual £1,000 grant via the BMC to qualifying mountaineering expeditions.
Read more »

List of general mountaineering grants
0
List of general mountaineering grants

A list of organisations, Trusts, commercial companies and charities that are able to provide funding support for trips. Be sure to check out each organisation's awarding criteria carefully before making an application to avoid disappointment and also wasting your time.
Read more »

Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers
1
Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers

Have you done Scottish winter climbing or been to the Alps and are yearning for more adventure? Have you been on a commercial expedition and want to do something similar with friends? You might be planning an expedition right now! If any of these apply, or you just want to know more, Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers is for you!
Read more »

Post a Comment

Posting as Anonymous Community Standards
3000 characters remaining
Submit
Your comment has been posted below, click here to view it
Comments are currently on | Turn off comments
0

There are currently no comments, why not add your own?

RELATED ARTICLES

The Jeremy Willson Mountain Exploration Grant
0

The Jeremy Willson Charitable Trust (JWCT) awards an annual £1,000 grant via the BMC to qualifying mountaineering expeditions.
Read more »

List of general mountaineering grants
0

A list of organisations, Trusts, commercial companies and charities that are able to provide funding support for trips. Be sure to check out each organisation's awarding criteria carefully before making an application to avoid disappointment and also wasting your time.
Read more »

Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers
1

Have you done Scottish winter climbing or been to the Alps and are yearning for more adventure? Have you been on a commercial expedition and want to do something similar with friends? You might be planning an expedition right now! If any of these apply, or you just want to know more, Expedition Essentials for Women Explorers is for you!
Read more »

BMC MEMBERSHIP
Join 82,000 BMC members and support British climbing, walking and mountaineering. Membership only £16.97.
Read more »
BMC SHOP
Great range of guidebooks, DVDs, books, calendars and maps.
All with discounts for members.
Read more »
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Get covered with BMC Insurance. Our five policies take you from the beach to Everest.
Read more »