Asia, Pakistan, Batura I Winter Attempt

Publication Year: 1982.

Batura I Winter Attempt. Our expedition had as members Edi Koblüller, Franz Six, Dr. Gustav Ammerer and me. In weeks of winter climbing we got two-thirds of the way up the 12,000-foot south face of Baturi I (7785 meters, 25,540 feet) and reached an altitude of 20,675 feet. We arrived in Gilgit on January 12 and on the 16th suffered a porter strike when still some eight miles from the base of the face. We got to Base Camp with three new porters and set out up the easiest route. While we were above our 15,100-foot Base Camp, it was destroyed by a huge avalanche. By February 2 we had recon- noitered a much more difficult but safer buttress and corniced-ridge route up to 16,400 feet. In the only stretch of good weather, three days, we made snow caves at 16,400 and 18,000 feet and climbed to 18,700 and 19,000 feet. Bad weather returned. Until February 22 we kept on climbing in the stormy weather, made a snow-cave camp at 20,350 feet and climbed on steep bare ice along the knife-edged ridge to 20,675 feet. We had to give up because of the bad weather (only four clear days in 42), avalanche danger, sub-zero F. temperatures and climbing difficulties.

Alois Furtner, Österreichischer Alpenverein