Asia, Afghanistan, Mir Samir

Publication Year: 1966.

Mir Samir. Our expedition consisted of Hiroyuki Maruko, Yukitoshi Sato and myself as leader. Our first hope was to get permission from the Pakistani government for the Karakoram but we failed because of the sudden warfare between Pakistan and India. We turned to the Hindu Kush. On August 4 we reached Kabul. Since the villages under Bandako were raged by cholera, we went to Mir Samir (19,059 feet). After leaving Kabul on the 12th, we established Base Camp at 13,600 feet on August 16 on a plateau under the mountain. To our astonishment, we found the Newcastle University expedition from England. Though here some six weeks they failed to reach the summit. We heard from them that a German party had left after an unsuccessful attempt. Camp I (15,250 feet) was placed on the 18th on a grassy slope and Camp II (15,750 feet) on the 20th on a snow plateau under the col of the southwest ridge. In fine weather on the 22nd we fixed ropes to 17,400 feet. We climbed to the summit on August 26. The most difficult pitch was a 650-foot ice gully between Camp II and the col, which took six hours, 10 rock pitons, 6 ice pitons and 500 feet of fixed rope. The last rock ridge just under the summit gave us fine rock climbing. We found on the summit the record of H. Biller who led the German party in 1959 on the first ascent. This tough, interesting and worthy peak is a playground for a small party, which desires to climb and wander light-heartedly.

Jiro A mari, Hitotsubashi University