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CLIMBING
IN BIAFO AREA
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Here joints maps of the area :
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Barbanchen -c5,700m- :
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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- :
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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- :
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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- :
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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- :
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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- :
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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-:
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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- :
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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- :
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[To complete]
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Ganchen -c6,462m- :
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[To complete]
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Hanispispur Group -c5,885m/c6,049m (c6,300m)-
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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 :
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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 :
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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- :
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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 :
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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 :
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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 :
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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.

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To the same topics:
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Révision A - 23/12/06 (http://blankonthemap.free.fr)
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