P 5854, P 6025, P 5895 and Z2, Zanskar Range. Our expedition was composed of Gianni Calcagno, leader, Giustino Crescimbeni, Mario Pelizzaro, Stefano De Benedetti and me. From the Kargil-Padum road, we ascended the Rundum valley to Base Camp at 13,300 feet at the tongue of the Rundum Glacier. We climbed four unclimbed summits and made two first ski ascents and descents. We placed a high camp ten miles up the glacier at 14,275 feet. Calcagno, Pelizzaro, Crescimbeni and I climbed P 5854 (19,206 feet) on June 21 by the northeast spur and descended the easy southwest ridge. On June 26 Calcagno and I ascended P 6025 (19,767 feet) by the 70° ice northeast face and rappelled down the east face. Calcagno, Pelizzaro and I climbed P 5895 (19,340 feet) by the north face on June 28. Calcagno, Pelizzaro and I unsuccessfully attempted for three days to reach the unclimbed lower summit (6080 meters, 19,948 feet) of twin-peaked Z2 along the south ridge, but we could not get by a 35-foot completely smooth red-granite slab 1000 feet below the summit. We rappelled and then climbed the southeast face, which was a difficult mixed climb. De Benedetti made two solo ski ascents and descents: the higher of Z2’s twin summits (6175 meters, 20,260 feet) by the south face on July 9 and the north spur of P 5854 on July 12.

Tullio Vidoni, Club Alpino Accademico Italiano