2008 DISTAGHIL SAR NORTH RIDGE EXPEDITION
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THE GEOGRAPHY: The fabled Hunza Valley, cutting through the Karakoram, can be considered as the crossroads of Central Asia. Hidden behind the formidable Hispar Range, the Shimshal Valley is one of its remotest outposts, and was described by no less than Eric Shipton as among the most challenging and rewarding journeys he ever made. While Shimshal village is now accessible by a truly vertiginous jeep track, the surrounding passes and mountains have lost none of their wildness, and the Shimshalis retain a reputation as the strongest, toughest people in the Karakoram. 
THE HISTORY: Distaghil Sar has been climbed only two times, in 1960 and 1982, by its easier southern slopes. The north side of the mountain remains unclimbed. In 1988 a German expedition was deterred by the approach up the badly crevassed Malangutti Glacier and the threat of avalanches. In 1996 three members of a New Zealand/UK expedition were killed in an avalanche and the attempt was abandoned.
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Peter Thompson, Bruce Normand, Don Bowie, and Ben Cheek
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Don & Bruce on the Summit of P.6150 as reported to Don's Support Team |
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On July 4th, Bruce and Don finally reached the summit of P.6150, the key to accessing the basin and continuing the approach to the North Ridge of Distaghil Sar. On the summit, the pair set up camp and recorded elevation via GPS as 6247 meters (20,495ft). This is the second time the summit of this peak was reached since Bruce first ascended it in 1999. Don & Bruce reported that climbing conditions on the once (relatively) easy ridge have since become considerably more complex due to cornices, seracs, and crevasses.
Snow conditions during the ascent were deep and unstable after the previous week's snowfall, further complicating the climbing. According to Bruce, "...from the summit the outlook was grim. Clearly, serious transformations had taken place to the entire northern aspect of Distaghil Sar and the basin below Yazghil Domes." Despite these observations, on July 5th Bruce and Don descended into the heavily crevassed basin toward the ridge, while Ben and Pete climbed to P.6150 and set up camp on the summit. More to follow soon...
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See Don's profile and more:
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