Maidon Sar, Batura Group, 1985. From Karimabad, Kike de Pablos and I first ascended with two porters the Ultar Gorge, hoping to explore possible routes on Ultar and Bojohaghur Duan Asir. After three days of exploring very complicated terrain of rock needles, waterfalls and séracs, we descended to Karimabad, convinced there were too many falling stones, séracs and avalanches. We did climb a minor 5900-meter (19,350-foot) peak on the ridge that descends to the southwest from Bojohaghur Duan Asir. We then went to Pasu and ascended the Batura Glacier to the junction with the Rupur Glacier. The north faces of the Batura chain offer faces of 3000 to 4000 meters with no alpine-style possibilities. We again descended to Pasu from where, with three porters, we ascended to camp at 4000 meters on the Pasu Glacier. In four days we climbed by its east ridge Maidon Sar (6600 meters, 21,654 feet), which lies on the ridge between the Pasu and Batura Glaciers. (It is the second peak to the east of Pasu Peak. A shepherd told us what the peak is called.) We bivouacked once at 5100 meters and twice at 5900 meters and reached the summit on August 13, 1985. We next made an attempt on the east ridge of Shispare (7611 meters, 24,971 feet), which we reached by a spur on the north. We had to withdraw because of bad weather after bivouacs at 4300 and 5500 meters. We finally explored from the village of Gulmit the approaches to Shispare from the southeast from the Ghulkin Glacier and also the Baltbar valley, which leads to the southwest face of Lupghar Sar. Its western summit (7010 meters, 22,999 feet) is unclimbed and offers a magnificent route on its southwest spur.

José Luis Zuloaga, Bizkaiko Expedizioa, Spain