Asia, Pakistan, Batura IV

Publication Year: 1984.

Batura IV. An expedition of nine Poles and a German led by Wladylaw Wisz succeeded in making the first ascent of Batura IV (7500 meters, 24,607 feet) by the splendid south face. This face of about 11,500 feet had very difficult passages and could be compared in difficulty to the great north faces of the Alps. Base Camp was established on July 26 at 12,500 feet at the foot of Hachindar Chhish. Camps I, II and III were placed at 17,050, 17,725 and 21,000 feet, the latter on August 25. The face was fixed with 8000 feet of rope. On August 29 Zygmunt A. Heinrich, Pawel Mularz, Poles, and Volker Stallbohm, German, set out alpine-style. They bivouacked at 22,000 and 23,625 feet and reached the summit on August 31. On September 2 Jan Jaworski, Andrzej Paulo and again Mularz reached the summit. They had no high-altitude porters. While crossing Iran, close to Tehran, the expedition was robbed of its money by two armed bandits who pretended to be police officers.

Józef Nyka, Editor, Taternik, Poland