Asia, Pakistan, P 19,200 Between Bualtar and Barpu Glaciers

Publication Year: 1987.

P 19,200 Between Bualtar and Barpu Glaciers. Our expedition was composed of Colonel Richard H. Hardie, Captain John James F. Farquharson, Lieutenant Peter Robson, Lance Corporal Anthony Williams, Troopers Stephen Williams, Simon Prince and Ulrich Romf and me as leader. Our objective was an unnamed peak of 19,200 feet (5852 meters) in the Rakaposhi Range of the Karakoram. [The mountain climbed lies 16 miles due west of Rakaposhi. It is just south of a peak which is shown on Baltit NJ 43-14 Series U502 of the US Army Map Service as being 19,625 feet (5982 meters) high. On many other maps, however, the altitude of the latter peak is given as 5669 meters (18,600 feet). The peak climbed may therefore be somewhat lower than 19,200 feet.—Editor.] All British members reached the summit via the northwest ridge. Base Camp was established at 14,000 feet on July 3 just below the snout of the Koro Glacier. The route to Camp I bypassed the glacier by contouring across snowfields on the northwest side of the glacier. Camp I was placed on July 6 at 16,000 feet on the bend of the Koro Glacier. Camp II, a snowcave at 18,200 feet, was placed above two icefalls on July 8. We put in 600 feet of fixed rope in the upper icefall. From there we climbed 200 feet to the north col and then followed the northwest ridge, steep in places, to the top. The summit was reached on July 13 by Hardie and Prince, on July 14 by Farquharson, S. and A. Williams and on July 15 by Robson, Romf and me.

Alistair M Roxburgh, Lieutenant, Queens Dragoon Guards