India, Himachal Pradesh, Kinnaur, Pts 6,132m and 6,154m, First Ascents

Publication Year: 2006.

Pts 6,132m and 6,154m, first ascents. These previously unclimbed mountains are situated at the head of the Armasong Nala, which drains into the Baspa River. A 13-member team from West Bengal led by N. Prasad Rao traveled via Sangla, Chhitkul, and Dunthi in the Baspa Valley to a base camp at Nithal Thach (4,380m) on the banks of the Armasong Nala. They established two further camps at 4,880m and 5,560m. From the highest camp both peaks were climbed on the same day, August 19, by the leader with Subrata Banerjee, Bimal Krishna Biswas, Sanjoy Ghosh, Somnath Hazara, Ajoy Mondal, Molay Mukherjee, and Dilip Tirky with four high-altitude porters: Kolbahadhur, Lalbadhur, Balwant Singh and Himmat Singh.

There are few 6,000m peaks in the Baspa. The Indo-Tibet Border Police have been active in the area for many years, and some of their officers have written authentically about the valley. However, there does not appear to be any written record of their reported ascents of the three high peaks north of Dunthi.

Harish Kapadia, Honorary Editor, The Himalayan Journal