Asia, Pakistan, Hunza

Publication Year: 1990.

Hunza. Following a visit to the area by Pete Thompson and me in 1988, I returned for a second visit in 1989 with Andy Trull, Chris Lloyd-Rogers, Hilary Fouweather and Mick Wilcock. Our original intention of climbing in the Snow Lake area of the Hispar Glacier was thwarted by bad weather and so we based ourselves at Shigambarish, directly across the Hispar Glacier from the Uyum Haghuch Pass to Arandu. After climbing there, we returned to Hunza and attempted other peaks. No permits were needed as we always stayed below 6000 meters. On August 4, Trull, Wilcock and I backed off the first peak east of the Uyum Haguch Pass due to deep snow on the final north ridge. On August 9, Trull and I climbed the southern peak of the horseshoe north of the Hispar La. We climbed a wide couloir which led to the col and then traversed northward along a snow-and-rock ridge to the summit. On August 12, Lloyd-Rogers, Fouweather and Wilcock ascended the most northerly peak to the west of the Hargtum Glacier. Trull and I reached the summit block of Ibex Peak, the highest pinnacle northeast of Shigambarish on August 17. Beyond Hunza, Mick Nunwick joined Wilcock and me to attempt the highest peak south of Bubli-ma-Tim. On September 11, after reaching the col immediately north of the summit, we followed the ridge on steep, unconsolidated snow, but quit 150 meters short of the summit. The Hunza area provides a wealth of unclimbed peaks that are easily accessible for a lightweight, low-budget, liaison-officer-free expedition.

Walter Phipps, British Mountaineering Council