Asia, Pakistan, Masherbrum Range, Nangma Valley, Zang Brakk (4,800m), Southwest Face, Hasta la Vista David

Publication Year: 2005.

Zang Brakk (4,800m), southwest face, Hasta la Vista David. Between August 10 and 13, Silve- stro Stucchi, Anna Lazzarini, Enea Colnago, and I climbed a new route on the southwest face of Zang Brakk. Our route follows the most obvious line up the center of the face, climbing a series of cracks and slabs up the lower portion that is less than vertical. On the second half, where the wall becomes vertical, we climbed a series of fairly obvious dihedrals. The quality of the rock we encountered was generally superb. The slabs are very compact and do not offer many options for protection. Thecracks tend to be very shallow and thin, and only take knifeblades, which were difficult to place, and occasionally an angle piton. We placed one bolt and one piton in each belay, which in turn we used on the descent, and placed only two other bolts in between pitches.

In bad weather we fixed the lower 200 meters, and camped in a broad grassy ledge that we dubbed “il giardino” (the garden). In less than ideal weather we fixed another 120 meters of rope above this point, and on the 13th, under a bright blue sky, we climbed the remaining 430 meters to the summit.

We named the route Hasta la Vista David (750m, VI+ Al) in honor of a climber on an expedition from Navarra (Spain) with whom we shared basecamp; he died during an attempt on Drifika (6,447m)

Elena Davila, Bergamo, Italy Translated by Rolando Garibotti