Géographie du Cachemire
CLIMBING IN BIAFO AREA
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Barbanchen -c5,700m-
Biacherahi Towers -~c5,700/c5,850m-
Biacherahi towers, South tower (violeta Peak) -c5,800m-
Biacherahi Tower, Central tower -c5,750m-
Biacherahi towers, Northern tower -c5,850m-
Bobisghir -c6,414m-
Bravo Brakk -c5,999-
Goma Brakk (Gama Sokha Lumbu) -c5,200m-
Chikkorin Sar -c6,205m-
Ganchen -c6,462m-
Hanispispur Group -c5,885m/c6,049m (c6,300m)-
Hanispispur, Northern summit
Hanispispur -c6,047m (6300m)-, South peak
Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-
Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-, Southwest face
Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-, East pilar
Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-, South face

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Here joints maps of the area :


Barbanchen -c5,700m- :

Dave Wilkinson returned to old haunts in 1999 with a visit to the Arandu (Basha River) Valley in the company of fellow British mountaineers, Bill Church, Gus Morton and Stewart Muir. The objective this time was a fine, pointed snow peak of c5,800m towards the head of the valley that rises east from the village of Zil towards the flanks of the Ganchen Massif.
After climbing Shek Chakpa (see Shel Chakpa), Church and Morton now had to depart for home but Muir and Wilkinson were able to climb another peak during their remaining time in the area. Barbanchen (c5,700m) is situated on the South Ridge of Ganchen (6,462m) and was climbed on the 19th August from a camp at c4,800m on the northern branch of the glacier in the main valley. The summit was reached after a relatively straightforward climb of Alpine AD standard via the glacier slopes on the West North West Flank.
Church and Morton now had to depart for home but Muir and Wilkinson were able to climb another peak during their remaining time in the area. Barbanchen (c5,700m) is situated on the South Ridge of Ganchen (6,462m) and was climbed on the 19th August from a camp at c4,800m on the northern branch of the glacier in the main valley. The summit was reached after a relatively straightforward climb of Alpine AD standard via the glacier slopes on the West North West Flank.

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Biacherahi Towers -~c5,700/c5,850m- :

The history of climbing on the Biacherahis is complex and uncertain but has mostly been carried out by climbers whose main objectives were either the Ogre or Latoks. Biacherai Towers are three : The South Tower (approx. c5,800m), central tower (approx. c5,750m) and the North tower (c5,850m.). The base camp is on the Choktoi glacier, North west from the base camp of the Latoks.

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Biacherahi towers, South tower (violeta Peak) -c5,800m- :

During July and early August 1997, was the four-man British team of Richard Garnett, Dean Grindell, Mark Harris and Oliver Howard. This team enjoyed excellent weather, interrupted by only two short bad spells. The four climbed the smallest of the three Biacherahi Towers (5900m) via an easy snow couloir on the north side and then climbed a fine arête on one of the many flanking rock buttresses of Latok III. The route, which took two days to complete, finished at 5800m and gave many technical pitches up to British E2/5c on good solid granite.
the South Summit was first climbed in 1989 by the Spanish, Jon Lazkano and Javier Mugarra, who named it Violeta Peak. Their 20-pitch route up the c550m South East Face/Pillar was rated 6a+ and A3+. The pair report fixing 600m of rope over several days before jumaring to their high point and reaching the top in a 22-hour push.
North Ridge of South Tower (thought to have been ascended in July 1997 by Richard Garnett, Dean Grindell, Mark Harris and Oliver Howard but probably climbed before this date.

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Biacherahi Tower, Central tower -c5,750m- :

The middle tower of the Biacherahi peaks, situated to the northwest of Latok Base Camp on the north side of the Choktoi Glacier, has three summits and a proposed alternative name of Triple Biacherahi Towers.
The Biacherahi central Tower probably received his first climb in 1990 (Rick Allen, Sandy Allan, Doug Scott and Simon Yates), Allan Arénacé, Doug Scott et Simon Yates), the South ridge probably climb by a norvegian team.
Starting from the col up and left of the Spanish Route, the Yamanois and Kurtyka climbed the c350m South Face in 11 pitches over the 14th and 15th August with difficulties up to 5.9 and A2. The main difficulties were found on the first four pitches but above, although the technicalities were less, the rock was often poor to dangerous and the route, overall, not as good as it promised from a distance. On the summit of the South Spire they found an old rappel sling. Approaching up the 400m snow slopes (40°) to the broad col below the South Face, the three passed a cache of abandoned rope at the base of the South East Face and now presume that both it and the summit rappel sling must have belonged to the Spaniards.
In 1999, on the 19th July, Dave Hollinger and Scottish resident, Paul Schweizer from the USA, climbed the Biacherahi Tower, the prominent 5,800m shark's fin formation opposite Latok I. The two made their ascent from the col that links the Choktoi and Nobande Sobande Glaciers.

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Biacherahi towers, Northern tower -c5,850m- :

It's possible that the North and highest tower may have been climbed by the 1986 Norwegian Latok I expedition via the snowy Northern Ridge but the East North East Ridge was definitely climbed in 1991 by the New Zealand pair, Carol McDermott and Andy McFarlane.
In 1999, After a four-day walk from Askole a primarily Scottish-based expedition set up Base Camp on the north bank of the Choktoi Glacier with the aim of attempting the unclimbed North Spur of Latok III (6,949m). An initial reconnaissance of the spur revealed an objectively dangerous approach followed by a difficult lower rock wall that would require protracted work in capsule style. However, after a huge serac fall from high on the North Face left of the Spur caused an avalanche that completely obliterated previous tracks over a 400m section and nearly eliminated three of the members approaching the spur in late afternoon, the route was abandoned. The expedition was now forced to focus its attention on available alternatives and on the 19th July Dave Hollinger and Scottish resident, Paul Schweizer from the USA, climbed the Biacherahi Tower, the prominent 5,800m shark's fin formation opposite Latok I. The two made their ascent from the col that links the Choktoi and Nobande Sobande Glaciers.

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Bobisghir -c6,414m- :

Robert Dawson's seven member British team wanted to attempt the first ascent of this 6,414m peak in the Panmah Mustagh. It is a little known summit which lies close to the head of the Nobande Sobande Glacier and on the watershed with the Braldu Glacier. Unfortunately, their choice of time, from late August to early October, proved disastrous last year. Approaching the Southwest side from Skardu via Askole, the Panmah and Nobande Sobande glaciers, the team reached Base Camp only to be hit by heavy snowfall. Time did not allow them to sit it out and the mountain was never seriously attempted.

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Bravo Brakk -c5,999-:

In 1995, Another peak christened Bravo Brakk (peak of the Three Ridges: c5,999m) was also climbed by both Huber brothers and Gutsch in seven hours from Base Camp via a snow/ice couloir up to 70 on the Southwest flank.

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Goma Brakk (Gama Sokha Lumbu) -c5,200m- :

In a good example of exploratory mountaineering during July/August the experienced four man British team of Bill Church, Tony Park, Colin Wells and Dave Wilkinson climbed three previously virgin peaks from a Base Camp off the Kero Lungma Glacier (immediately south of the Hispar and approached from Skardu via Arandu). The team's original intention had been to attempt a c6,000m peak seen the previous year and dubbed Mystery Mountain. They were able to locate its position on existing maps but once in the field found that an intervening glacier basin, not marked on any maps, meant that the peak was unreachable from the Kero Lungma. In changeable weather and with masses of old spring snow (but little problem with fresh snow) they turned their attentions to a 5,200m peak (Goma Brakk) directly opposite on the north side of the glacier (1,000m: F).

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Chikkorin Sar -c6,205m- :

[To complete]

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Ganchen -c6,462m- :

[To complete]

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Hanispispur Group -c5,885m/c6,049m (c6,300m)- :

Northeast of Latok Base Camp lie the Hanispispur peaks. Hanispispur peak is an relative easy peak to climb and several forays were made on to Hanispispur South, the peak directly behind Base Camp and opposite Latok III.
This peak, which has rebuffed several parties, saw its first ascent in July 1999 by Dave Hollinger and Paul Schweizer via the North Ridge. In largely stable weather Alex Franklin, Will Garrett, Fiona Hatchell, Colin Spark and Guy Willett, all from the UK, attempted several peaks from the Choktoi Glacier during the latter part of June plus July.
Hanispispur (5,990m) was climbed by Atkinson and Pasteur from the Nobande Sobande Glacier in 1991 via the West Ridge. This rarely ascended peak was climbed again last summer from the same glacier by a British organized expedition. A GPS reading on the summit gave between 5,885m and 5,900m for the altitude. Hanispispur South (6,049m) now appears to have been first climbed on the 21st July 1998 by Americans, John Bouchard and Mark Richey, and not in 1999 by an Irish-American pair from a primarily Scotland-based expedition as reported in INFO 208. Bouchard and Richey climbed the Southwest Couloir and South Ridge at 5.8 and M4, and called the peak Harpoon. Most maps record three summits to Hanispispur but this is untrue. The point marked 6,049m is more like a shoulder on the South Ridge of the true South Summit.
July Dave Hollinger and Scottish resident, Paul Schweizer from the USA, first climbed the Biacherahi Tower. In largely stable weather Alex Franklin, Will Garrett, Fiona Hatchell, Colin Spark and Guy Willett, all from the UK, attempted several peaks from the Choktoi Glacier during the latter part of June plus July. Hanipispur South (6,047m) on the north side of the Choktoi was tried via the East Face and North Ridge. A high point of 6,000m was reached after AD standard climbing before bad windslab conditions advised retreat. It was heavy snow conditions that had stopped a previous British party from making the ascent in 1990. Two members tried Pt 6,166m, reaching a high point of c5,800m before the line they were trying blanked-out.

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Hanispispur, Northern summit :

The "north" or "main" peak of Hanispispur (quoted as c6,100m) was first climbed in 1991 by Angus Atkinson and Liz Pasteur from the Nobande Sobande Glacier via the long but not too difficult West Ridge.

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Hanispispur -c6,047m (6300m)-, South peak :

Hanipispur South (6,047m) on the northern side of the Choktoï glacier was attempt via the East Face and North Ridge. A 6,000m high point was reached after a AD standard climbing before bad windslab conditions advised retreat. It was heavy snow conditions that had stopped a previous british attempt in 1990. Two members tried to reach a point qoted at c6,166m, stpped at 5,800m. Up to this point they evaluate difficulties as Scottish VI and A2.
The South Peak has been attempted on a number of occasions by British and American parties but is at least 200m higher than the 'main' summit and possibly 6,300m in altitude. The most recent attempt, by John Bouchard and Mark Richey in 1998 followed the South Couloir to the West Ridge and so to the most western summit block, a point approximately four pitches from the highest point of the mountain. Here, the American pair were repulsed by hard technical ground. Four members of the Scottish group, Sam Chinnery, Ally Coull, Neil Crampton and Dave Long also attempted this line and failed at the same point as the Americans in '98. Fortunately, they had the Bouchard/Richey in situ rappel anchors to assist with their descent. Later, Crampton, Long and Muir Morton attempted the North Ridge from a high camp established on the col at its foot but retreated in bad weather having reached the foresummit.
Finally on the 28th July, Hollinger and Schweizer climbed the steep rotten ice and mixed ground of the North Ridge, reached the foresummit, rappelled 15m into the gap beyond and climbed two pitches to the highest point, to make a probable first ascent of this peak. They rated the overall difficulties as Scottish IV.

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Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m- :

The Lakpilla Brakk is growing at the front of the Ogre as a Thumb, as his "Thumb". There have now been a number of fine routes put up on the various granite formations that surround the Uzun Brakk Glacier, making the area a worthy venue for a lightweight rock-climbing trip on lower-altitude spires. Here joint the essantials climbing history of the Lukpilla Brakk :

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Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-, Southwest face :

The first ascent of the Ogre's Thumb, a conspicuous rock tower on the Uzun Brakk Glacier about four and a half kilometres south southwest of the Ogre, is attributed to the Americans, Tony Jewell and Tom Walter. This pair climbed the Southwest Face/Buttress in three days during mid August 1987. Their 21-pitch climb took the dominant prow and gave difficulties up to 5.10+ and A2.
In 1990 Americans, Pete Gallagher and Robert Warren, made the first Alpine style ascent of the peak via a combination of the German and Original Routes. They made three bivouacs and climbed 27 pitches up to 5.11 and A2.

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Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-, East pilar :

The 17 August 1995, Alexander Huber which have previously visit the sector to attempt the fabulous South pillar of Ogre leaved early in the morning in order to try the direct route, in free climb and in one day. The higher section of the East pillar 900m high (1400m in full) proved to be generally V and VI, except the final part of 120m around F7b/7b+. It was a very impressive climb at this high altitude by Alexander Huber which was well acclimatized, with in his best conditions.

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Lakpilla Brakk (Lukpilla Brakk/Ogre's Thumb/Uzun brakk) -c5,380m-, South face :

The 31th august 1988, Germans Ulrich Eberhardt, Bernd Eberle, Christian Futterer, Eduard Koch, Stefan Kohler and Michael Saumweber, climbed the South Face via a line they graded VII and A4. The Germans note that their route clearly lay to the right of the American line but might have joined it for the final few pitches. This team reached the summit after a prolonged siege and had to resort to extensive bolting of the blank granite that comprised the sixth and seventh pitches.
On the 17th August 1995 Hans-Christian Hocke and Alexander Huber made a one-day ascent of the German Route. They were unable to free climb the two bolt ladders (A1) but managed to climb the remaining 24 pitches completely free, finding maximum difficulties of 'only' VII+.
From the 8th-11th July 1996 Mauro Fronza, Maurizio Giordani and David Jonathan Hall climbed the face somewhat further to the right where it is bigger, creating Via del Popo at VII+ and A3. The c1,000m quasi-vertical wall was climbed in 33 pitches and only the main belays (a number of pegs and five bolts) remain in place. Giordani had tried this route twice before, in 1991 and '93.


To the same topics:
Himalaya du Cachemire Hindu Raj : Description géographique Hindu Kush : Description géographique
Cartes géographiques du Cachemire
Images satellites du Cachemire Statistiques géographiques Index géographique

Révision A - 23/12/06 (http://blankonthemap.free.fr)


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