Before making a rare south-to-north crossing of Chapchingol Pass, a team of mountaineers from Austria and Pakistan visited the Ghidims Valley to attempt an unclimbed summit clearly visible from the upper valley and Yahya Camp (4,400m). Starting from Shimshal at the end of an extraordinary Jeep road, we took three days to reach base camp in the Ghidims Valley via a crossing of Boesam Pass. After exploring possible routes we decided to climb up into the high, glaciated valley to the west of Dosti Sar (6,063m, see AAJ 2014), leading to North Ghidims Pass (a.k.a. Akalik Pass). On the way we passed four cairns marking an ancient trekking route. We made our high camp at 5,250m. 

Early on August 23 we set out for the summit. Due to heavy snowfall a few days earlier it was difficult finding our way through the steep labyrinth of snow and ice. Close to the top we needed to place several screws to cross a large ridge of ice. Christian Müller (Austria), Rahim Hayat and Naseer Uddin (both Pakistan), and I soon reached the summit, where we witnessed an incredible panorama. 

We called the mountain Igls Peak (6,014m GPS, 36°41’26.64”N, 75°31’58.26”E). Igls is the hometown of the two Austrians, and in German is pronounced very similar to eagle. [This peak is marked 5,932m on Jerzy Wala’s 2011 sketch map and lies across the glacier northwest from Dosti Sar.] 

Stephan Tischler, Austria