Asia, Pakistan, Chogolisa, Northeast Ridge, and Broad Peak

Publication Year: 1987.

Chogolisa, Northeast Ridge, and Broad Peak. Our original group, Mari Agrego, Josema Casimiro and I had hoped to climb together, but for reasons with the permissions, the first two had to join Renato and Goretta Casarotto; they climbed K2 as reported elsewhere. I joined another Spanish expedition led by Sebastián Alvaro, composed of Antonio Pérez, Ramón Portilla, Félix de Pablo, Guillermo de la Torre, Juanjo Sansebastiân and José Carlos Tamayo. We established Base Camp on June 10 on the Upper Baltoro Glacier at 4900 meters. We ascended a glacier that is below Chogolisa’s northeast ridge, which divides the north from the east face. With some bad weather, we placed Camp I at 5500 meters on June 14. We reached the northeast ridge, climbing some 50° to 60° slopes between ice séracs. We continued along the ridge crest at 40° to 50° to a hollow at 6300 meters, where we placed Camp II on June 20. Flatter slopes on a plateau took us to the foot of séracs at 6950 meters, where we installed Camp III on June 21. On June 22 Tamayo and de Pablo got to the summit and on the 23rd Portilla and I reached the top. On the summit we found a small doll dressed as a Japanese child, evidence of the only other ascent to this northeast summit by a Japanese expedition 28 years before. The other four ascents of Chogolisa have been to the southwest summit. Ours was the sixth ascent of Chogolisa if you count both summits and the first up the northeast ridge. De la Torre descended by hang-glider on June 23. On July 6 Sansebastián and Portilla reached the summit of Broad Peak in a two-day alpine-style ascent.

Gregorio Ariz, Club Anaitasuna, Spain