Indira Col, Sia Kangri and Saltoro Kangi. (Editor’s Note: Although this is placed under Pakistan, one must bear in mind that this is disputed territory and is considered India by Indians.) After driving to Panamik, the Indian Army Eastern Karakoram Expedition hired ponies which took us to Base Camp near the snout of the Siachen Glacier. This journey of 50 miles was made in four days. Another four days’ journey took us to the junction of the Siachen and Lolofond Glaciers. Our next camp was placed where the Saltoro Glacier meets the Siachen. The next two were established east of the Sia La in the center of the Siachen Glacier and near a glacial lake. From there on June 29 A.C. Chopra, D.K. Duarah, Des Raj, Sonam Lingzen, Vinod Kumar and I skied up to the ridge and then traversed to 19,000-foot Indira Col on the divide between central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. We also skied to the following passes: Turkistan La, Bilafond La, Sia La and the gap between the Peak 36 Glacier and the South Dong Dong Glacier. Camps I, II, III and IV for Sia Kangri were established at 17,800 feet on June 24, two kms northeast of Sia La at 19,000 feet, on the col just above the Kondus Glacier opposite Conway Col at 20,600 feet on July 3 and on the western slopes of the Sia Kangri massif respectively. The team had to negotiate a small icefall. On July 13 an attempt on the summit fell 600 feet short, but the party, Chopra, K.D. Shelley, Suli Mao and Chhering Mutup climbed a lower peak of about 24,000 feet (7315 meters) south of the great main plateau, probably first climbed by Dyhrenfurth in 1934. On July 14, Y.S. Pathania, Des Raj, Vinod Kumar, Dujman Rana and I reached the summit of Sia Kangri (7422 meters, 24,350 feet) at 2:45 P.M. On Saltoro Kangri we followed the route attempted in 1936 by John Hunt. Camp I was placed at 17,600 feet on the Peak 36 Glacier on June 30. Camp II was established below the eastern face of Saltoro I at 19,000 feet on July 5. After overcoming an overhanging section, Camp III was placed at 21,000 feet on July 10. Camp IV at 22,500 feet was established on July 13 after crossing a treacherous overhanging ice wall. We placed Camp V at 23,400 feet on July 14 just below the southeast ridge and made an unsuccessful assault on July 15 to within 400 feet of the top. On July 18 and 19, heavy avalanches obliterated the route to Camp IV and slopes above Camp IV peeled off to bury the camp deep under snow. A second team finally remade the route to Camp IV. On August 1 Kalam Singh, Gaj Bahadur, Chhering Tondup and Swarn Singh, supported by nine others, went straight from Camp III to Camp V, as Camp IV was considered too dangerous. It was a marathon climb! On August 2 they got to the summit (7742 meters, 25,400 feet). All were back in Base Camp by August 15.

Narindar Kumar, Colonel, Indian Army