Asia, Pakistan, Baintha Brakk (Ogre), South Pillar Attempt

Publication Year: 1984.

Baintha Brakk (Ogre), South Pillar Attempt. From May 18 to 23 we made our approach to Base Camp at 15,750 feet on the Uzun Brakk Glacier. From May 24 to June 5 we carried loads and placed camps at 17,400 and 19,800 feet. We fixed 2500 feet of rope to secure carries. From June 6 to 9 all four of us made an attempt on the direct south pillar but climbed only four pitches before being driven down by the weather. One climbed while the other three jümared and hauled loads. From June 10 to 20 Michel Fauquet and Vincent Fine renewed the attempt. On June 15 they reached the top of the vertical pillar, having climbed 3000 feet of vertical rock in 24 rope-lengths of UIAAIV + to VIb, A3 difficulty and two pendulums. They used no fixed rope and belayed primarily with nuts and Friends. All were hanging bivouacs. They were still 2000 feet from the summit with 1300 feet of snow slopes and 700 feet of rock. The weather went bad on the 16th and they waited in their bivouac tent. On the 17th they set out in three feet of new snow but were stopped at 23,300 feet, still 600 feet short of the summit. They descended the pillar in 24 rappels. Meanwhile Dominique Suchet and I ascended four unclimbed summits above the Uzun Brakk Glacier around Base Camp. Two lay west of the Uzun Brakk Glacier, P 5904 (19,370 feet) and the peak just southeast of it. P 5745 (18,848 feet) lies some four miles east on the ridge north of the Baintha Lukpar Glacier. The fourth peak is the second summit on the ridge southwest of Baintha Brakk II. P 5904 was of difficult mixed climbing. The others were of snow and ice.

Gérard Pailheiret, Club Alpin Français