Asia, Pakistan, Ascent of P 5495 and Attempt on P 5956, Sokha Glacier, Baltistan

Publication Year: 1993.

Ascent of P 5495 and Attempt on P 5956, Sokha Glacier, Baltistan. Our expedition was made up by Chris Howarth, Mick Wringley and me. We traveled by jeep from Skardu to the roadhead at Doko and walked for 3½ days via Bisil to the junction of the Solu and Sokha Glaciers and up the Sokha Glacier to Base Camp at 4030 meters. We were west of Sosbun Brakk and the Biafo Glacier. This was an ideal position flanked by numerous peaks of about 6000 meters. From August 3 to 5, we all three climbed for acclimatization P 5495 (18,038 feet) by rock and ice on the south face (UIAA IV+). We bivouacked at 4830 and 5010 meters. We made our first attempt on P 5956 (19,541 feet) via the northwest face on August 13 and 14. We reached a bivouac ledge at 4780 meters below the second snowfield. We retreated as Wrigley had injured his knee. Howarth and I made a second attempt from August 23 to 26 via the same route. We bivouacked below the rockband at 5100 meters. Our high point was 5250 meters but we retreated because of technical difficulty and the risk of accident.

Ian Arnold, England