Hanispur. Our expedition was composed of Duncan Tunstall, Wiz Pasteur, Angus Atkinson and me. We had hoped to cross the Karakoram from Skardu to Shimhal via Snow Lake, ascending by the little known Nobande Sobande Glacier and descending by the Virjerab Glacier. With the help of nine porters, we established Base Camp on the Nobande Sobande Glacier at 4100 meters on July 16. The porters left. On the 21st, we set up Advance Base at 4600 meters seven miles up the glacier. Atkinson and Wiz Pasteur set off on July 29 and bivouacked at 5400 meters on the west ridge of Hanispur (5900+ meters, 19,357+ feet). The next morning they completed the ascent along a technically not difficult but long ridge with many false summits. On August 3 and 6, they made the ascents of two other smaller peaks. Meanwhile, Tunstall and I skied over the Skam La to Snow Lake. On August 8, we skied up the West Sim Gang Glacier to the Virjirab Pass, which we climbed by an easy 70° snow ramp. This is almost certainly the first ascent of the pass. We got only glimpses of the Virjerab Glacier because of poor visibility. We did not continue on to Shimshal but returned to Askole and Skardu by the Biafo Glacier.

Chris Pasteur, Scottish Mountaineering Club