Tirich Mir and Other peaks. Mine was a one-man enterprise, based on the fact that I knew that in this region there were other expeditions, with which I could participate; as for geology and exploration, it was as well to be alone. I climbed peaks with various companions, Japanese, Austrian, German. The German Dietmar Proske also was alone and we joined to a large extent. The Austrian Kurt Lapuch was a member of an expedition to Istor-o-Nal and the Japanese climbers were members of the Chiba Expedition to Tirich Mir. I climbed the following mountains: Nobaisum Zom (23,196 feet; northwest of Istor-o-Nal and south of Shingeik Zom) on July 10 with Kurt Lapuch. We had one camp above our 16,500-foot base on this first ascent; Ghul Lasht Zom South (c. 21,000 feet) on July 20 with Proske, a first ascent with one high camp. H. Handler, F. Lindner and I failed on this peak in 1965 because of heavy snowfall; Anogol Zom (c. 19,685 feet; north of Ghul Lasht Zom) on July 23 with Proske, a first ascent; Tirich West IV (24,076 feet; fourth peak northwest of Tirich Mir and southwest of Tirich North) on August 6 with Proske up the difficult north face with three camps including a bivouac above our advanced base at 19,350 feet, a first ascent; Achar Zom II (20,670 feet; second peak northwest of Pyramid, about three miles northwest of Tirich Mir) on August 11 with the Japanese Masazumi Nishina and Sadamasa Takahashi, a second ascent; Pyramid (or Dirgol Zom) (22,238 feet; west of Tirich Mir) on August 14 with Proske and Masaaki Kondo, a second ascent; Tirich Mir (25,260 feet) on August 19 with Kondo, a third ascent by a partially new route. We had two high camps above an advanced base at 21,325 feet. The Czechs had just climbed a route to the northwest col and then continued up the north ridge to the summit. Proske fell ill to dysentery and so Kondo joined me. After establishing a dump below the northwest col between the main and west peaks, on August 16 we climbed to the dump and up a 23,000-foot rock spur between two couloirs, where we bivouacked. We met the unsuccessful Japanese summit party on the 17th as they descended. By nightfall we had climbed a 250-foot chimney to the northwest col, using Czech pitons and Japanese lines, which saved us a day. After reconnaissance from the Czech tent in the col, we set out on the 19th for the summit. We followed the north ridge to 24,275 feet and then broke new ground. We traversed to a couloir and climbed a rock wall in the west face. Then we slabbed across the whole west face to the south ridge and ascended this snow ridge to the summit. I did considerable exploration and geological research. I forced my way to both cols northeast and south of Anogol Zom (both c. 18,375 feet) to investigate the possibility of crossing to the Upper and Lower Gazikistan glaciers, but these would be difficult. I found a more favorable crossing over Anogol Zom’s south ridge and from the ridge at about 19,000 feet to the west down to the Lower Gazikistan Glacier. I found that only about a quarter of the nameless glacier in the wide glacial base north of Ghul Lasht Zom flows west into the Lower Gazikistan Glacier. The main part flows east joining the Anogol and eventually joins the Tirich Glacier system. The barrier between Anogol Zom and Ghul Lasht Zom, which appears on the maps, does not exist. I made the first circumvention of the Tirich Mir massif in 16 days. My route was Shagrom, Tirich Glacier, Anogol Zom to 19,000 feet, Lower Gazikistan Glacier, Arkari valley, Oiher pass and valley, Owir pass, Barum, Leth Zom, Atak, Shagrom. I collected much valuable geologic data and samples, which will complement the work done by my wife, Dr. M. A. Diemberger in 1965.

Kurt Diemberger, Österreichischer Alpenklub