Peaks Above the Hispar Glacier. During August and September, Mike Searle, Sean Smith, Simon Yates, Mark Crawford and I visited the Hispar Glacier to climb small peaks and study the geology of the area. Our approach was delayed by bad weather, which persisted until mid September. We established Base Camp at Bitenmal on the east side of the junction of the Kunyang and Hispar Glaciers on August 19. From August 23 to 27, Smith, Yates and I climbed a relatively simple route up the snowy north ridge of P 5700 (18,701 feet), which lies at the western end of the Bal Chhish range, reaching the summit at ten A.M. on August 26. Smith and Yates then attempted the fine ice couloir on the west face of a 6000-meter peak near the Jutmau Glacier; after a two-day approach followed by two days and 800 meters of climbing in the couloir, they were forced to retreat 400 meters from the summit in a storm. From September 14 to 17, Yates and Searle climbed P 5700 (18,701 feet) at the head of the Makrong Glacier. They reached the summit at dawn on September 16 after a steep snow-and-ice climb from a bivouac on the glacier. The peak straddles the Hispar-Chogolungma divide. We left Base Camp on September 19.

Simon Richardson, Alpine Climbing Group