Batura Glacier Exploration. The “Old Codgers’ Expedition” visited the Hunza Valley and the Batura Glacier during June and July. During 18 days on the glacier, we explored two of its seldom-visited side canyons, the Warton and the Yoksugoz, using a map prepared by Chinese cartographers in the late 1970s during their intensive study of the Batura Glacier to determine flow patterns affecting the then under-construction Karakoram Highway between Hunza and Sinkiang. The excellent Chinese map may be purchased from the Institute of Glaciology and Cryopedology, Academia Sinica, Lanzhou, China. The Batura, one of Asia’s longest glaciers, was earlier explored by a Dutch party led by Ch. Visser in 1925. After several days on the Batura, we set up Base Camp at Warton Nala at 13,800 feet in its upper western section. From there we made three non-technical climbs, all presumed first ascents. On June 29 Paul Kustra and Jim Caruthers climbed P 5332 (17,493 feet) by way of a snow rib. Two days later, Nadia Billia and I made the second ascent by a direct south gully. On July 1, Paul and Eva Kustra, Johan Hultin, Caruthers, Dr. Reinhold Ulrich and Jim Williams climbed P 5844 (19,173 feet) to the east of Base Camp after a 14-hour struggle in poor snow. Our Hunza guide Rahmet Ullah Baig and liaison officer Captain Bokhari ascended P 5426 (17,802 feet), an easy snow dome from which they could look north into the unexplored Lupghar Valley. After returning to the Batura, we continued along its true left bank to the Yoksugoz Icefall, which we ascended to about 14,000 feet, where we set up camp on the same spot used by the Visser party 59 years before. We reached a pass leading to the seldom- visited Karambar Valley but did not descend. Our plans to descend into the Lupghar Valley and rejoin the Karakoram Highway were thwarted by the authorities, who would let us visit the Lupghar only if we returned the way we had come in. At present, no parties are allowed to proceed beyond the Batura Bridge and no climbing permits for peaks north of this point are available. High porter rates may discourage people from going to the Batura. Current rates charged by local (Pasu-area) porters are 100 rupees per day. The government of Pakistan is trying to reduce these rates so that they will conform with rates in Skardu (40 rupees) and Rakhiot (50 rupees).

Leo Le Bon