ASIAN ALPINE E-NEWS
Issue No. 41 November 2018

Climbing towards the upper wall on Kishtwar NE faceContents– Special Submission on the Indian Himalaya –Genji Narumi② Himalayan Club Spiti expedition 2018
Diyvesh Muni
③ JAC Tokai Karcha Nala, Spiti 2018
Kazuo Hoshi④ Mulung Tokpo-Zanskar 2018
Derek Buckle① Cerro Kishtwar northeast face 2018

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Page 2 ～6Page 7 ～17
Page 18～25
Page 26～43

GENJI NARUMI

Cerro Kishtwar northeast face 2018
When Hiroki showed me the phototaken by Slovenian Alpine master
Marko Prezelj and asked if I’d wantto join his plan to try untouched NE
face of Cerro Kishtwar with Yusuke,
I immediately made up mind to gowith them. After some notorious andcomplicated procedure with Indianembassy, we obtained x-mountainvisa just 4 days before departure.
(on the summit around 10:00pm in the night)

Northeast face with ascent line. Triangle indicates bivy on day 1
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We set up our base on Sep 3rd. After some acclimatization and resting, watching movies
at BC, we set out for ABC on Sep 19th.
On day 1 we climbed first 1000m by easy snow gully and ice then went for 500m summit
push on day 2 without tent and sleeping bags because we knew the weather window
would be almost closed.
Day 2 started with skinny ice pillar and then tricky mixed pitches that lead to the upper
wall which consist of rocks and thin ice and made for some serious pitches. We kept on
going into the dark, then finally summited around 10:00pm.
We then immediately started rappeling, stopping after a while for two hours brew
session. About 10 rappelling brought us to the first camp around noon. At this point snow
finally started to fall and avalanche came down from everywhere on the wall. We kept
on rappelling down for another 20 pitches in the terrible situation and finally found safer
place to sleep around midnight.
On day 4, we made another 3 rappel and finally stood on the glacier, only to crawl in 60
inches snow and found ABC tent completely collapsed underneath. We re-built ABC tent
and rested there but realized it wasn't safe enough-, avalanche blast shakes the tent
quite strongly, so we decided to move down in the night. Another swimming in the snow
took us almost 4 hours-, to move only 200m. But here we found small cave under the
rock. On the next day we stayed there, enjoyed some sun, waited for snow to be stabilize.
On the day 6 finally the sky cleared up and snow firmed up, we could walk back easily
to the base camp.
We named our route “AAL IZZ WELL” after famous Indian movie “3 idiots”. Weather
was relatively bad and wet during entire stay in the area, but this movie gave us an ideaof “being positive”. Although the title “3 idiots” is suited for us because we spent 6 days
at BC, watching movies under almost perfect clear sky then went for climbing and got
caught by the storm.
Pictures follow.

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Yusuke on Day 1
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First bivy

Hiroki on lower ice part4

Yusuke before upper wall

Yusuke on upper pitch 2
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Sulah – Sulah
A relaxed expedition in Spiti
Divyesh Muni

Although we love to travel, trek and climb in the mountains, we tend to apply ‘urban’yardsticks as deadlines, schedules and targets bind us - friends plan mountaineering
expeditions in this way – Stok Kangri in one week, Satopanth in three weeks, Nun in 20
days and so on. A pilgrimage to Manasarovar and Kailash Yatra is done in 10 days byhelicopter and Everest Base Camp in five days (with a helicopter visit to Base Camp for
20 minutes). I always thought pilgrimages are for spiritual upliftment, reflection etc.
and treks and climbing trips are to enjoy the mountains, and experience the solitude
and grandeur of the hills. Then why the hurry?
We planned to explore and climb in Spiti this year, and we decided that our expedition
motto would be ‘Sulah – Sulah’ which in Himachali language means take it easy.
Our six-member team from The Himalayan Club consisted of Rajesh Gadgil, Vineeta
Muni, Ashish Prabhu, Ratnesh Javeri, Imran Pathan and yours truly.
Our plan was to enter the Karcha nala from Batal on the Manali – Gramphu – Kajaroad. It was interesting to read the accounts by P. F. Holmes (1956) and J. P. O’F
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Lynam (1958) who had visited the area. Subsequently, several teams had visited the
Karcha nala and climbed peaks in its various glaciers.
The Karcha nala has five major subsidiary valleys/glaciers. For our convenience we willname them 1 to 5 starting from east to west.
Valley 1 leads towards Karcha Parvat and Fluted Peak. At the head of Valley 2 is abeautiful peak with twin summits. The Tokai section of the Japanese Alpine Club
named this peak Chemma after they made the first ascent of the east summit (6105 m)
in 2011. Chemma means twin. They followed Valley 2 to the base of the peak andclimbed the east summit from its north ridge.
At the head of Valley 3 lies the Chemma peak on the east and a beautiful dome shaped
peak on the west. Holmes climbed the dome shaped peak in 1956 from the col between
the peak and Chemma. The Tokai Section of the Japanese Alpine Club climbed the peakin 2009 and named it Ache meaning daughter.
Valley 4 goes towards the Bara Shigri glacier and Valley 5 leads to Gunther peak and apossible exit to Spiti valley from the Karcha nala.
We were keen to visit the Holmes col and locate a route into the Gyundi nala that lay tothe south of the col. We decided to head up Valley 3.
On 10 July we flew to Chandigarh and were on the road to Manali. By the time wereached Manali, it was raining heavily, as if to set the mood for the rest of the
expedition. We spent the next few days re-packing ration and equipment. A shortexcursion to Patalsu peak helped us acclimatize and get to know our support staff. We
had with us Pemba Norboo Sherpa (aka King Kong), Sangbu Sherpa, Vipin Sharma,
Rakesh Kumar (Keshu), Devinder Kumar (Shiva) and Ajeet.
On 18 July, we were on the road to Batal on the Manali – Gramphu – Kaja road. Thatnight, we travelled further on to the Chandra Tal camping ground. A short walk nextmorning to the lake helped us to acclimatize. By afternoon we were camped at Batal. We
met the famous Chacha – Chachi (uncle and aunt) couple who ran a dhaba of the same
name. I was blown away by their enthusiasm and warm hospitality which included
lodging, boarding, parental advice and assistance to all travellers who dropped by. Paper
clippings and news articles stuck on the walls by their admirers told stories of theinvaluable support they provided to anyone and everyone passing by. They have aterrific sense of humour and food and bed is provided with beaming smiles, regardless ofthe time of day or night. A not-to-be-missed experience for anyone visiting Batal.
Our horsemen were to join us on the 19th, but there was no sign of them. There was nocommunication facility in Batal so we sent one of our staff to Gramphu to enquire. While
we waited for the horses, our porters made a light ferry of loads to base camp. There was
no update on the horses but we were fortunate to meet a horseman with 12 horses who
was passing through. He agreed to carry our loads to base camp from Batal. It was only
a day’s walk so he could drop us and be on his way for his assignment. With 12 horses
loaded, we set off to cross the Karcha nala just about two kms from Batal. Fortunately,
the water level was not too high in the morning which allowed us an easy crossing. The
route then goes along the true left bank of the river. It was a steady climb on easy
ground for the next four hours. We reached altitude of 4500 m. We had to put up a2

temporary camp just across the nala from base camp since the river was in spate byafternoon. The expedition started on a sombre note. There was a shepherd across the
Karcha nala with his flock grazing on the slopes of the valley. For some inexplicablereason his dog decided to swim across the river to visit our camp. But in seconds he was
swept away leaving our entire team in shock and grief.
Base camp could be established next morning on 22 July.We were at the junction where
Valley 4 meets the main Karcha nala.
Next morning, after a small puja at base camp, we recced a route to advance base camp.
The route went along the true left bank of the Karcha nala. It was a steady but gradualheight gain for the next few kms on the lateral moraine of the valley. We were soon at
the junction where Valley 2 and 3 meet. We left Karcha nala and turned right tocontinue about one km further up Valley 3. The main difficulty was to find a water
source on the glacier. The main nala was too muddy with silt. We finally found a small
glacier melt and reasonably even terrain for the campsite. The camp was among
boulders and scree of the glacier at an altitude of 4900 m.
We stocked up advance base camp next day before shifting on 25 July.
The weather remained unstable. It did not feel like Spiti. It rained heavily, like it wouldin Mumbai at this time!! We kept an eye on the slopes behind our camp. With thistorrential downpour, there was high risk of landslides. Fortunately, we were in a safe
location. Although a huge landslide took down a large chunk of the slopes of the valley
and there was continuous rock fall in most gullies, we were safe.
We had to spend the next day in our tents, enjoying hot cups of tea while catching up on
our reading. This was a good time to relax and do what we would otherwise not be able
to do – nothing. Evenings were spent exchanging stories and having hearty laughs at all
our escapades over the years.
We got an opportunity on the 27th to recce the route to camp 1. We found a way along thetrue left of the glacier. The glacier takes a sharp bend at its head before it merges withthe ridgeline that divides the Karcha valley with the Gyundi valley. We stashed ourloads just before the bend on a strip of medial moraine which appeared to be the safest
spot for the camp.
Ratnesh and Imran had run out of time, so they started their journey back on 28 Julyfrom ABC.
On 30 July, we shifted to camp 1 at 5400 m with the rest of our loads. The lead party
found an excellent spot to camp on the true right of the glacier on a fairly even slope oflateral moraine. With a good source of water, it was at a reasonable distance from therock and scree slopes.
The head of the glacier was hidden behind the sharp turn behind the ridge of Chemma
peak (6130 m). We walked up the glacier for a good look at what lay ahead of us, so we
could plan our adventures ahead. We saw promising routes to the high col between
Chemma peak and Ache peak (6075 m) and a possible route to approach the west ridgeof Chemma peak. Both would need closer inspection later.

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On 1 August,one team went for a look at the Holmes col and the other towards Chemma
peak. The route to Holmes col involved negotiating a 100 m ice wall to reach the col. We
fixed rope on the col and were rewarded with good views towards Gyundi as well as
Ache peak. While the route to the peak looked straightforward, the route down towards
Gyundi looked horrific. The snow had receded from the southern slope of the col towards
Gyundi. The entire slope below the col was exposed to rockfall. The second team foundan easy route to the west ridge of Chemma. They came back very happy with thelocation of the proposed summit camp and the route to the summit.
We decided to attempt the west Chemma peak immediately. On 2 August, we climbed tothe summit camp. Initially the route followed the glacier. After the sharp left bend on
the glacier, we climbed on the lateral moraine on its true right. We then traversed on
the steep scree slope to top-out on the west ridge of Chemma. A short distance along thebroad ridge brought us to the summit camp. It was a delightful location with fantastic
views all around. Just as we reached the camp site, we were hit by strong winds thatmade it very difficult to pitch out tents. It required one person to crawl into the tent tohold it down while the others anchored the tent. Fortunately, the wind subsided byevening. We enjoyed the most wonderful sunset while we lazed around our camp.
On 3 August, we started off for the summit at 7:00 a.m. along the northwest ridge ofChemma peak. The initial route was over steep scree and then on snow and ice slopes.
The ridge has several steep sections followed by easy angled slopes. The longest steep
section was 100 m. We reached the summit by 11:00 a.m. in clear weather with gorgeous
views in all directions. For more than an hour we were lost in the scenery around us,
taking photographs and identifying the peaks around.
We were back to summit camp by early evening and decided to stay the night. Next
morning, we took it easy and left for our camp 1 by 10:00 a.m. We were down in twohours. We decided to rest a day at camp 1 before starting for Holmes col.
On 6 August, the weather took a turn for the worse with rain battering our tents
through the day and night. Sometimes it would snow and sometimes rain. We were all
set to shift to Holmes col but decided to wait till the weather settled. The rain and snow
continued for the next three days relentlessly, showing no sign of abating. The cloudlayer was thick and the rain would come down with gusts of wind. It did not look good.
After several days of being confined to our tents, we ran out of patience. We decided thatgoing across Holmes col was not advisable considering the time on hand, nature ofterrain and the weather. It now appeared that we would have to abandon our attempton Ache peak also.
Finally, on the 9th we decided to wind up the expedition. Our support staff went to bring
down the equipment we had dumped for the summit attempt. But around early
afternoon we were happy to see a few patches of blue sky. It raised our hopes for a lastminute attempt. We decided to take a chance from camp 1 itself, if the weather was
clear early next morning.
And luck favoured us. At 2:00 a.m. on 10 August, we woke to a starry sky and quickly
prepared ourselves. A couple of hours later we were off, making quick progress toHolmes col. The 100 m ice wall slowed us down but shortly we were on the east ridgethat led up from the col. Most of the ridge was easy angled with a few sections of steep
ground. We negotiated a steep step just before reaching the summit by 11:00 a.m. We
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spent a joyful hour at the top photographing the panorama around us. We found a cairnon the summit with a sealed note left behind by a team from ‘Himalay’s Bekon’ inAugust 2015.
This was a wonderful end to our expedition. Over the next three days we made our way
down to Batal. It rained heavily. We just managed to reach Manali and all hell brokeloose. There were landslides in many places of Himachal and most roads were blocked.
We were out just in time. It took a few days for the weather to clear and the roads to
open. But our time was well spent, relaxing in a Manali hotel.
Sulah…Sulah it was!!

Summary:
A six-member team from The Himalayan Club entered Karcha nala and made first
ascent of East Chemma peak (6130 m) and an ascent of Ache peak (6075 m) during July
– August 2018. They had to suffer a lot due to bad weather.

Base camp in Karcha Nala5

On the summit of Chemma Peak

From the summit of Chemma Peak
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From the summit of Chemma Peak

From the summit of Ache Peak
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Crossing the Karcha Nala(from left) Chemma Peak, Holmes col and Ache PeakanoramaP
from Ache Peak8

Chemma Peak

Climbing to camp 2 on Chemma Peak
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Climbing the ice wall to Holmes col

On the summit ridge of Chemma Peak
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Climbing the summit ridge of Chemma Peak

Chandratal
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KAZUO HOSHI

Four Peaks in the Headwaters of Karcha Nala, Spiti
JAC Tokai Indian Himalaya Expeditions
The Japanese Alpine Club, Tokai Section (hereinafter described as JAC Tokai) conducted 13
expeditions to the India Himalayas since 1988, mainly in the Ladakh, Lahaul area and Spiti areas,
and ascended 17 summits over 6,000 meters high. Among them, the nine summits were firstclimbed.
This year, we organized expedition 2018 in the Indian Himalayas. We were 4th times decided toattempt climb the unnamed peak (6105 m) on the Karcha Nala since the summer 2009. We obtained
permission from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. Our expedition was organized specificallyfor the five senior members (in age) of the club who, despite their age and limited physicalcapabilities, still felt passionately about mountaineering and exploration.
Karcha Nala belongs to Kullu administrative district of the State of Himachal Pradesh, but anaccess route to get there is only from Batal in Spiti administrative district. Karcha Nala is a small
river about 17 km long at nearly N32°20′. It joins Chandra River at a point of 1.5km south of Batal.
Karcha Parbat (6,271m) and Fluted peak (6,139m) are dominant on the north side of the river. Fourglaciers fan out to the south of the river in length of 4～10km. We tentatively named these glaciersas ABC and D glacier from the east. These glaciers feed water to the stream of Karcha Nala.
Shepherds and a Flock of sheep are seen nearby Karcha Nala. The wide glaciers are separated byridges. Slopes of both sides of the ridges are pastures for grazing sheep. Side moraine is covered
with gravel.
There are 6,060m peak (Tashi Rang), in the headwaters of the A glacier, 6,105m peak (Chemma) in
the headwaters of the B glacier, 6,066m peak (Ache) in the headwaters of the C glacier, and 6090m
peak (Pyagski) in the headwaters of the D glacier respectively. These peaks range from northeast to
southwest. Steep rocky ridges of the east side line descend straightly down to the Gyundi River. The
D glacier is the largest and its south headwaters borders on the Lower Bara Shigri Glacier.
(Reference)
Rough map: LEOMAN MAPS (Sheet 5,6) 1:200,000
Russian map: 1:200,000/ 1:100,000
Panoramic photograph: HJ Vol.44(1986-1987) India party of Karcha Parbat
Google Earth 2018
1) Ascent of Unnamed 6,066m 2009
JAC Tokai 10th Expedition first planned to attempt Karcha Parbat 6,271m having studied a record1

of the Indian ascent in 1991. They departed from Manali by jeeps on June 30 and reached Batal(3,980m) on July 2. We further went up to a place at 4,600m of South Dakka Glacier for
acclimatization and returned to Batal. The expedition left Batal for base camp on July 6. They went
along a dry riverbed on the north side of Karcha Nala. Then they traversed a fragile cliff and passed
big snow bridges heading to the south side of Karcha Nala. After crossing a small river twice, they
established base camp at 4,400m.
From the base camp we found no snow on the ridge toward the summit of Karcha Parbat andrealized that it was difficult to reach the top of Karcha Parbat because of lack of water. They had tochange our target from Karcha Parbat to another peak in the upper Karcha Nala. Camp1 was set
up at 4,700m on July 13. They ascended to a craggy glacier (tentatively named as C glacier) in thesouth side of Camp 1 and found a beautiful snowy peak beyond snowfield. This peak has become anew target. Camp 2 was established on the C glacier at 5,200m on July 17.
Three Japanese members and four high altitude porters (HAPs) started from Camp 2 at 5:30 am on
July 18. Tsuneo Suzuki (leader 74 years old), Naoyuki Adachi (66) and one HAP retired at 5,400m
because of deep snow. Ritsuo Matsubara (75) and three HAPs carried on climbing of a steep anddeeply snowed slope and finally stood atop snow-clad peak of 6,066m at 2:30pm. Regrettably no
panorama could be viewed from the top because of fog. We gathered at the base camp on July 20 and
returned to Manali. This beautiful peak would hopefully be called as “Ache” which means adaughter in Lahul language.
2) First Ascent of Chemma Peak 6,105m 2011
JAC TOKAI 11th expedition members were an elderly group of an average age of 65 years old. We
were still not losen passion for expeditions. Period of expedition was 40 days from July 15 to August
23. Main objective was to climb a stunning dome-shaped peak in the headwaters of Karcha Nala.
19 July: Five members and liaison officer in Delhi moved to Manali (2,000m).
22 July: All staff members (instructor, HAP, and kitchen staff) gathered in Manali and necessary
preparation such as purchasing foods and checking gear and equipment was made.
26 July: Although it heavily rained and there was a landslide at the Rohtang Pass (3978m), they
departed to Rohtang Pass (3,978m) by three 4WDs at 3:00pm and arrived at Chhatru (3,330m) at
8:00pm.
27 July: We reached Batal (3,980m) in the afternoon and set up tents.
30 July: Horses caravan of horses headed to base camp along Karcha Nala. After having crossed thedangerous stream five times, base camp was set up on a dry riverbed at 4,400m in the afternoon.
The expedition members were in good health conditions suffering from no high-altitude sickness.
3 August: Camp 1 was set up at 4700m.
6 August: Camp2 was set up at snout of B glacier (5,250m). We further went up and looked forlocation of camp3 (5,550m). A route on the north east face was chosen as the best for climbing,which undoubtedly promised the success.
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7-8 August: We carefully avoided falling rocks and detoured hidden crevasses. Oxygen cylinders
were
In services for safety. It began to snow at night. Snow continued to fall on August 8.
9 August: Snow conditions seemed good though it was clouded and there was no visibility. At
7:30am, we started climbing a steep and deeply snowed slope. After one hour, we reached asnowfield. There are many crevasses here and there. The oldest member, Shinohara (72) was slow
but steady. Sky soon cleared up and strong sunshine annoyed us. They stood atop 6,105m at 11:45.
The top was narrower than Google Earth image. To their regret panorama pictures could not betaken as narrow space did not allow to do it. They returned Camp 2 at 2:00pm.
20 August: They returned to Manali at 2:00pm.
22 August: The Indian Mountaineering Federation officially recognized the first ascent of summit
which the 2011 Expedition succeeded in climbing and named it as Chemma Peak. Chemma means
twin peaks in local language.
Members:
Leader: Kazuo Hoshi (60)
Members: Motoyoshi Tanabe (61)
Yutaka Shinohara (72)
Hitoshi Ishii (68)
Katsumi Kuze (63)Liaison Officer: Gajendra Deshmukh (35)
Climbing Guide: Buumi Dev Sharma
Harsh Thakur
BC Manager: F.Namgial Negi
High Altitude Porter: Fateh Chand Thakur
Pyare Lal
Jeet Ram Thakur
Tej Ram Thakur
Cook: Lal Bahadur Thapa
Suresh Bahadur Shahi
Period of expedition: 15 July – 23 August,2011
3) First Ascent of Pyagski Peak 6,090m 2014
Commemorating the 110th Anniversary of Japanese Alpine Club (JAC), Tokai Section of the Club
organized the summer 2014 Expedition to 6,090m unnamed peak in the Indian Himalayas. We
obtained a climbing permit from the Indian Mountaineering Foundation in April of 2014, and our
expedition was organized by the three club members. The expedition period was planned 33 days,
15 June-16 July.
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The First objective of the 12th expedition was climb of a virgin peak in the D glacier, headwaters of
Karcha Nala. The second objective was to let the club’s young members join the expedition.
18 June: Three members and Liaison Officer in Delhi moved to Manali (2,000m)
23 June: Starting from Manali to Batal at 3:00 am.
They crossed Rohtang pass (3,978m) at 8:00 am. Three jeeps run smoothly along Chandra River,but, at 9:30am, snow shat our way, and the jeeps could not go farther. We walked three days fromhere to Batal (3,980m), and the baggage was carried on horseback.
25 June: We reached Batal in the afternoon and set up tents. Walked 14km. Two days were lost. But
all members were in good health conditions suffering from no high-altitude sickness.
27 June: Horses caravan headed to base camp along Karcha Nala. We marched on the riverbed of
the west side of Karcha Nala, and then passed a fragile cliff and snow bridges to the east side of
Karcha Nala. We set up a tent on a dry riverbed at 4,300m in the afternoon.
1 July: Camp 1 was set up at 4,800m.
2 July: Camp 2 was set up at the snout of D glacier at 5,100m and searched for the peak of ourtarget.
4 July: We woke up at 2:00am. Snow conditions seemed good, though it was snowing and there wasno visibility. At 3:00am, we forwarded to a climbing point and at 5:00am, resumed climbing asnowed slope. Sky soon cleared up, but sunshine annoyed us. We climbed up snow face to an
unstable band.
After rest here, we continued climbing and reached the top of the snow-covered peak (6,090m) at
8:30am. We returned to camp 2 at 2:00pm.
This was the first ascent and we named this peak as “Pyagski”.
Members:
Leader: Kazuo Hoshi (63)Members: Miyo Suzuki (62)Masayo Tsuchiya (38)
Liaison Officer: Gajendra Deshmukh (38)
BC Manager: F.Namgial Negi (38)High Altitude Porter: Pyare LalJeet Ram Thakur
Tej Ram Thakur
Cook: Lal Bahadur Thapa
Suresh Bahadur Shahi
Period of expedition: 15 June – 16 July,2014
4) First Ascent of Tashi Rang Peak 6,060m 2018
JAC TOKAI 13th expedition was organized this summer 2018 Expedition to 6,060m unnamed peak4

in the Indian Himalayas. We obtained a climbing permit from the Indian Mountaineering
Foundation in June of 2018, and our expedition was organized by five members. The expedition
period was planned 26 days, 2 August-27 August.
This expedition planned to attempt unnamed peak in the A glacier, but it was different from thetime when first ascent of Chemma in 2011. Is global warming the cause of that? We founddangerous river, rocky collapse and glacial retreat.
5 August: Five members and Liaison Officer in Delhi moved to Manali (2,000m)
9 August: Starting from Manali to Batal at 7:30 am. We crossed Rohtang pass (3,978m) and reached
Batal in the afternoon and set up tents.
11 August: Horses caravan headed to base camp along Karcha Nala. We marched on the riverbed of
Karcha Nala, and then cross the swollen river. We set up a tent on a dry riverbed at 4,500m in theafternoon.
13 August: Camp 1 was set up at 4,900m.
16 August: Camp 2, AC was set up at the snout of A glacier at 5,500m and searched for the peak ofour target.
18 August: We woke up at 3:00am. Snow conditions seemed good, though it was snowing and there
was no visibility. At 5:30am, we forwarded to headwaters of A glacier and at 5:00am, resumed
climbing a snowed slope. We climbed up snow face to an unstable band. After rest here, we
continued climbing and reached the top of the snow-covered peak (6,060m) at 2:08 pm. We returned
to camp 2 at 8:55pm.
This was the first ascent and we named this peak as “Tashi Rang”.
Members:
Leader: Kazuo Hoshi (67)
Members: Takashi Tsukahara (64)Syuiti Kimata (67)
Katsumasa Suda (63)Taeko Hasegawa (50)
Liaison Officer: Gajendra Deshmukh (42)
BC Manager: F. Namgial Negi (42)High Altitude Porter: Pyare Lal
OM Perkash
Tej Ram Thakur
Cook: Lal Bahadur Thapa
Period of expedition: 2 August – 27 August,20185

On the summit of Tashi Rang

6

From AC to unnamed peak 6060m

Entering mix zone

7

Ascending snow wall and mix zone

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2018 Mulung Tokpo Expedition
A report on the exploration and unclimbed peaks of the Mulung Glacier in
the Zanskar region of India
30th August – 29th September 2018
Derek R Buckle(18 Hillfield Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 4AP; derek@bucklefamily.com)

Drew Cook crossing the crevassed region of the south Mulung Glacier en route to High Camp at 5,085m

Supported by the Mount Everest Foundation, the Montane Alpine Club Climbing Fund,and the Austrian Alpine Club (UK)
Members:
Derek Buckle, Drew Cook, Mike Fletcher, Adele Long, Gus Morton & Tony Westcott
With thanks to Chewang Motup & Yangdu Gombu of Rimo Expeditions, Leh, Ladakh,
India

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Contents:
Summary

page 3Introduction

page 3

The Climbing Team

page 5

Support Staff & Administration

page 6Itinerary

page 7

The journey to Base Camp by the Nabil Tokpo

page 7

Exploration and climbing from the south Mulung Glacier System

page 9Future opportunities in the region

page 12Conclusion

page 12Bibliography & Notes

page 12Glossary & Maps

page 13

Sponsors

page 13

Appendix 1. Terrestrial and satellite maps

page 14

Appendix 2. Daily itinerary

page 15

Appendix 3. Coordinates & heights of key locations

page 17

Appendix 4. Weather

page 18

Appendix 5. Flora and Fauna

page 18

Appendix 6. Geology

page 18

Copyright:
The compilers of this report and the expedition members agree that any or all of this report
may be copied for the purposes of private research. All photographs were taken by, and are
the property of, team members.

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Summary:
During the period between 30th August and 29th September 2018 six members of the Alpine
Club flew to New Delhi prior to joining their Liaison Officer, Manu Verma, and continuing
on to Leh in Ladakh at 3,500m. With such an altitude gain the team spent two days
acclimatising in and around Leh before making the long drive via Kargil to the hamlet ofAting (3,640m) at the foot of the Mulung Tokpo, where they joined their support staff. From
Ating the team commenced the two day trek via a camp site at Sampuk (4,000m) to thejunction with the Nabil Tokpo, and close to the snout of the Mulung Glacier, where they
established a Base Camp at 4,188m. From this camp exploratory forays identified a suitablesite for an ABC on the true right lateral moraine at 4,525m. Although inclement weather
limited advancement from this camp, the team eventually established a High Camp on thesouthern arm of the Mulung Glacier at 5,085m.
By this time a collective decision had been made to change the primary objective to one ormore of a collection of attractive peaks on the cirque at the glacier head, a decision
determined by the unconsolidated nature of the snow and the viability of establishing asuitable camp closer to the original objective, M15. Thus, on 19th September Derek, Drew,
Mike and Adele were in a position to make a determined attempt on PK5631via its northface. Unfortunately, extreme cold and the unconsolidated nature of the newly precipitatedsnow terminated this attempt some 300m short of the corniced summit. The same day Gus
and Tony had greater success in gaining the 5,480m col (called Aari Dont Col) leading to aprominent tooth-shaped peak. From this col Gus went on to make the first ascent of PK5557(Aari Dont, PD) via its NW ridge. The next day Derek, Drew, Mike and Adele repeated theascent before Derek and Mike climbed the short mixed NE ridge of the adjacent outcrop to
make the first ascent of Point 5,537 (Chilh Point, AD). After two 25m abseils they regained
the col. Both summits afforded outstanding panoramic views of the neighbouring peaks andvalleys.
By the time that the team returned to BC, and the high camps were dismantled, a serious
storm hit the region, depositing some 40-50cm of new snow and demolishing three of the BC
tents. Since more bad weather was predicted, prudence necessitated an urgent abandonmentof BC, with the team and support staff only able to take essential equipment with them. As itwas, the 13-16h, 25km descent over awkward terrain to Ating was an exhausting trial. We
later learned that a vast area was affected with many trekking parties requiring rescue and themain road communications between Manali and Kullu and between Padum and Kargil being
blocked.
Introduction:
I first went to Zanskar in 2013 as a result of a general ‘invitation’ from Harish Kapadia.1 Onthat occasion our party visited the Pensi Lungpa, where we successfully accomplished two
first ascents.2 Two years later we returned to Zanskar to climb in the Korlomshe Tokpo,
where we again completed two first ascents.3 With so many new and varied opportunities inthis unique part of India I was encouraged to organise another expedition in 2018 following
an exploratory visit by Kimikazu Sakamoto to the Mulung Tokpo.4 Like other trips made by

4

Sakamoto, he was dedicated in identifying and labelling the major visible peaks, as illustrated
in the schematic below. Moreover, he was generous in providing both information andphotographs to assist with our planning. From this information we eventually settled on oneof two prominent peaks as our primary target; specifically M15 (5,871m), situated at thejunction of the southern and western arms of the Mulung Glacier.

Reproduced by kind permission of Kimikazu Sakamoto

5

The Climbing Team:
Derek Buckle, 74, British; Retired Medicinal Chemist. AC member &past VP. Has extensive mountaineering experience throughout theworld; notably Tibet, Greenland, Kyrgyzstan (Tien Shan), Tajikistan(Pamirs), Russia & Georgia (Caucasus), India (Garhwal, Himachal
Pradesh, Zanskar), China, South America (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador),
Antarctica (Antarctic Peninsula) and numerous trips to the Alps. He
has made over 60 mountain first ascents plus many first British ascentsand new routes. Leads rock to 5a/5b, ice to WI5, Mountaineering to TD
and is a competent ski-tourer.
Andrew (Drew) Cook, 53, British; HSE Consultant & Mountain Safety
Advisor. AC member. He has extensive climbing/mountaineeringexperience in the UK, Alps, Indian and Nepalese Himalaya and has spent
two seasons with the British Antarctic Survey in Antarctica. He has
accomplished first ascents in India and Antarctica in addition to several
new routes. He is a competent ski-tourer and leads to HVS on rock.
Mike Fletcher, 53, British, Retired Information Technology company
executive. AC Member (former Committee member). 40 years ofclimbing and mountaineering experience including summer and winterin the Alps and UK. Expeditions making first ascents in Alaska,
Greenland and Antarctica. Also climbed in India, Pakistan, Spitzbergen,USA and Norway.

Adele Long, 61, British, Retired Medical Researcher/Company Director,
AC Member (Newsletter Editor). Mountaineering and ski
mountaineering experience over 20 years, including several expeditions
to Greenland, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Kyrgyzstan. Also climbed in
Kenya, Georgia, Canada, US, Morocco, Australia and in Europe. Four
first ascents on summits over 5,000m.

Gus Morton, 67, British, Retired European Civil Servant , AC Member.
Extensive climbing/mountaineering experience in numerous countries
around the world with summits up to 6,990m including four first ascentsin the Karakoram, one in the Kunlun and one in Zanskar. Rock climbs to
HVS/E1 and is a competent ice-climber and ski-tourer. Author of the"funalps.com" website.

6

Tony Westcott , 69, British, Retired University Lecturer/ Chartered
Quantity Surveyor, AC Member (Chair of Marketing, Membership &Recruitment). Mountaineering experience over 50 years, including over
30 of the 4,000m peaks in the European Alps and two first ascents on
Himalayan summits in Zanskar to 6,000m. Also climbed in the
Canadian Rockies, Corsica, Iran, Morocco, New Zealand, Scotland,
Tenerife and USA. Mountaineering currently to AD standard and rockclimbing to 4c (lead).

The team ready for action at ABC

Support Staff & Administration:
All in-country arrangements were made through the husband and wife team of Chewang
Motup and Yangdu Gombu via their trekking company Rimo Expeditions (229 DLF Galleria,
Phase IV, Gurgaon, Haryana – 122022, India; email info@rimoexpeditions.com; tel: 91 –124-2806027 / 28; Fax: 91 – 124-2806030; www.rimoexpeditions.com). We have worked
with Rimo many times over the last eight years and they have consistently accommodated ourrequirements. They have the breadth of organisation to respond rapidly to changes ofcircumstance and problems and greatly facilitate our expeditions. Both they and their staff
have always been a pleasure to work with.
In addition to Manmohit (Manu) Verma, the Liaison Officer appointed by the Indian
Mountaineering Foundation, we were supported by our Sirdar and high altitude porter (HAP)
Anup Tamang and two other exceptional HAPs (Tshering Bhotia & Pemba Nubu Sherpa),
our excellent cook (Santabir Sherpa) and his ever-willing assistant (Tsedung Bhotia).

7

Anup Tamang

Pemba Nubu Sherpa

Tsedung Bhotia

Tshering Bhotia

Santabir Sherpa

Manmohit (Manu) Verma

An unusual sight, but they had worked hard!

Itinerary: (See also Appendix 2 {for daily itinerary} & 3 {for key GPS locations})
The journey to Base Camp by the Nabil Tokpo:
After flying to Leh at 3,500m most of the team acclimatised by first visiting the Matho
Gompa in the foothills of Stok Kangri, which at 6,153m is a popular trekking peak.
Devotional prayers were underway when we arrived and it was a rare treat to witness thechants and music of the 80 or so monks in residence. As with many such monasteries, the8paintings and artefacts were enchanting andvibrantly coloured, making it a rich experience tovisit such an active Buddhist centre. Because of its
importance, the gompa attracts a large number of
devotees and tourists on major festivals who enjoy
not only the religious experience, but thecommanding views over the Indus valley. On thesecond day most of the team made a gentle ascent to4,026m to a point overlooking Leh Palace andGompa while the less energetic hired motorbikes in Matho Gompa
order to drive to the Chang La.
By the 4th September we were ready for thetwo day drive to Ating from where we would
begin the trek to base camp in the Mulung
Tokpo. The drive took several of us over now
familiar ground as we passed the ancient
Lamayuru Gompa soon after leaving the Indus
valley, then the 1,300 year old 8m highMaitreya rock carving depicting an image ofthe future Buddha at Mulbeck, before reaching
Lamayuru Gompa
the predominantly Muslim town of Kargil.
From Kargil the rapidly deteriorating road headed south along the Suru River to pass the
7,000m giants Nun and Kun before heading more easterly passed Rangdum to the Pensi La(4,400m). From here the road essentially descends tofollow the Doda River until reaching Ating (3,640m),
a hamlet at the foot of the Mulung Tokpo some 20km
before Padum.
It was at Ating where we made our first camp andjoined our support team who had gone on ahead toarrange horses for the trek into base camp. From ourcommunications with Kimikazu Sakamoto we knewthat good camping sites existed at Sampuk (4,000m) Sampuk Camp 4,000m
and near the Mulung glacier snout where we planned
to site our base camp. With fewer horses than
anticipated, however, it was quite late at night by thetime that they and their drivers had completed thesecond carry to Sampuk and there was naturallysome reluctance to complete the carry to base campin a single day. Two days later, on 8th September,base camp was finally firmly established within easyreach of the glacier snout at 4,188m.
Base Camp 4,188m

9Exploration and climbing from the Mulung Glacier:Once at base camp our first task was to carry out a gentle
exploration of the lateral moraines leading to the Mulung Glacierproper. It was soon obvious that the convoluted lower regions of
the glacier offered no feasible way forward, but we debated theadvantages of taking either the true left or the true right moraine
approaches. Finally we took what appeared to be the lesser of
two evils and chose the true right option. This route, which wecairned after several exploratory forays, meandered up themoraine(s)linkingvarious sandy wash- Drew climbing onto the true left
outs to avoid vast areas lateral moraineof large, unstable boulders. It was far from ideal, but
once we gained the glacier proper the going became
relatively straightforward. Eventually we identified
a suitable site for ABC at 4,525m on a shortoffshoot of the true right lateral moraine at the footof the South Mulung Glacier.
Tony on the true right lateral moraine

ABC was fully established on 11th
September with the assistance of our highaltitude porters such that we were now in agood position to explore the southern armof the Mulung Glacier. Unfortunately,
Adele was feeling unwell at this point so
she and Gus descended back to BC torecuperate while we others climbed up to ABC at 4,525m, M15 on far righthe left of the glacier to avoid a series of ice cliffs. Once above the cliffs an easy traverse
wound its way through a heavily crevassed region until reaching a prominent buttress below
M15 that we thought might be suitable for a highcamp. With the weather continuing fine at thispoint we repeated the ascent on 13th September
but by now we had decided that one or more peaks
higher on the southern arm cirque offered agreater chance of success than the original
objective. Hence we climbed further onto theglacier until reaching a flat plateau at 5,085m
which was ideal for a high camp.
Drew crossing crevasses en route to High Camp

Inclement weather over the following two days
confined the top party to ABC but an improvement on 16th September allowed myself andDrew to investigate the valley leading to the foot of M11, while Gus and Adele returned with10

the high altitude porters. Taking a slightly
descending traverse it was possible to scramble tonear the foot of the glacier descending northwards
from the peak. Although steep, we deemed it
eminently climbable as the glacier appeared tocontinue all the way to the summit. However, with
about 1,000m of ascent it would be a long day so
we put it on hold should we have sufficient time toattempt it later.
Heavy snow at ABC

After so much poor weather we were now keen topush on to High Camp, so with the help of ourhigh altitude porters, we moved up on 17th
September, although deep snow had made theroute significantly more arduous than on ourprevious visits. Keen to make the most of theshort spell of improved weather Mike and I beatout a trail to the foot of our chosen peak
(PK5631; height estimated from Google Earthand map contours, but some of the team
Drew, Adele & Mike at High Camp, 5,085m
considered that it might be higher) on 18th
September, passing another potential objective (PK5557) en route. Duly accomplished, Mike,
Drew and I set out the next day intent oncompleting the climb via its north ridge/face.
Unfortunately, it was not to be. Extreme coldand deep post-holing on steep ground with thethreat of possible avalanche eventually forced aretreat at somewhere around 5,328m. Walking
back to camp we could see Gus and Tonymaking better progress on PK5557 (Aari Dont,aka Saw Tooth inHindi) and they
later reported thatafter reaching the Adele joins Gus and Tony after the 1st ascent of AariDont, 5,557m
col (Aari Dont Col,
5,480m) via the north couloir Gus then went on to make the first
ascent of Aari Dont (5,557m) itself via its NW ridge.

Drew & adele completing thesecond ascent of Aari Dont,
Chilh Point behind

On 20th September Mike, Drew, Adele and I successfully madethe second ascent of Aari Dont via the same route. While theother two descended to High Camp, Mike and I were attracted tothe mixed NE ridge of the point just beyond Aari Dont Col. This
we climbed at Alpine Grade AD to reach the compact rocky

11

summit at 5,537m. Two eagle-like birds flew over
as if to celebrate our climb so we chose to call thisChilh Point (aka Eagle Point in Hindi). Two 25m
abseils took as back to the col from where we toodescended to High Camp.
By now those that had been above BC for 10 nights
were looking forward to some home comforts so on
21st September we chose to descend to BC in one
long, single push. With time (and energy) beginning

Derek on the second pitch of Chilh Point, 5,537m

to run short the high altitude porters cleared theupper camps the next day in what turned out to beremarkable good timing. Heavy snow set in as
they returned to camp and continued overnight.
So much snow fell in fact (some 40-50cm) thatthree of the BC tents were destroyed. With
weather forecasts predicting more heavy snow we
could envisage no way that the horses would
come up the next day so we made the unanimousdecision to abandon camp and return to the valley
while we still could. Taking only what was considered essential, both the team and our
support staff then endured an arduous 13-16h, 25km descent to Ating in what can only bedescribed as trying conditions. It was a relief to reach the first occupied house where we wereimmediately offered shelter for the remainder of the night.

Heavy snow at BC

The following day we managed to arrange
transport to Padum only to find that a vast
area had been affected by the unseasonal
conditions and that many trekking parties
were trapped and requiring rescue.
Moreover, the local police informed us that
the Pensi La was closed so there was no way
yet that we could return to Leh. The roadfrom Manali to Kullu was similarly affectedby deep snow so we were not alone in ourplight.
The bear ravaged camp

Two days later the road over the Pensi La was cleared and we were able to continue ourjourney, arriving in Leh in time to catch the return flight to Delhi and thence home. Our
equipment was not so lucky. When Rimo staff were finally able to return they found that
hungry bears had ravaged the camp in their search for food and that all of the bags and some
soft materials had been destroyed. At the time of writing the full extent of the damage isunclear, but hopefully most equipment will be salvageable.

12

Future opportunities in the region:

Panorama showing the north rim of the South Mulung GlacierAs far as can be determined very little has been climbed from the Mulung Glacier. Hana’s
Men Peak (6,191m, M19), high on the northern side of the main western branch, is known tohave received at least two ascents from the Hagshu Glacier side,5 but certainly no other of themountains recorded by Kimikazu Sakamoto during his 2016 visit. The southern glacierappears to be entirely unknown. Bordering the headwall are numerous impressive rock ridges
towering some 800m or more above the valley. For those willing to endure the unattractive
approach these could be challenging objectives. PK5631 is definitely achievable given theright conditions, as is M11 from a camp based somewhere near where we placed our ABC.

Conclusion:
Zanskar has many unclimbed peaks to suit all tastes and styles. We simply sampled what wason offer in the Mulung Tokpo under what were clearly less than optimal conditions. I havenow visited three of Zanskar’s valleys, the Pensilungpa, the Korlomshe Tokpo and now the
Mulung Tokpo. There are many others available for those wishing to investigate thenumerous opportunities.

Bibliography & Notes:
1.
2.
3.
4.

H. Kapadia, Himalayan Journal, 65, 151-163 (2009)
Derek Buckle, Alpine Journal, 15-23, 118, 2014

Derek Buckle, Alpine Journal, 82-89, 120, 2016
Kimikazu Sakamoto, Academic Alpine Club of Kyoto, 2016, Asian Alpine e-News,
No.4, 42, 2017
5. B. Hylenski, American Alpine Journal, 335, 88, 2014

13

Glossary:
Indian names vary widely in their spelling, presumably reflecting the phonetic translations
used by cartographers and regional languages/dialects. We have used those employed on theSurvey of India maps wherever possible. Given heights are also those used on the 1:50,000
Indian Survey Maps where available. Other heights were determined by GPS measurement.
Gompa is a monastery
La signifies a passNala, Lungpa, Tokpo & Phu all imply a river, stream or valley, but other terms are also used

Maps:
The most readily available map is the Leomann 1:200,000 Indian Himalaya Map, Sheet 2,
Jammu & Kashmir, which can be obtained from Stanfords, 12-14 Long Acre, Covent Garden,
London, WC2E 9LP, www.stanfords.co.uk. Also available from the same vendor is the
1:150,000 Editions Olizane map covering Ladakh & Zanskar North. A 1:175,000 Ladakh &Zanskar Trekking map is published by Milestone Books as part of their Himalayan Series andis available from Amazon, www.amazon.co.uk; ISBN: 9788190327091.
An electronic version of the Russian 1:200,000 map, 200k-i43-23 is held by the Alpine Club,
55 Charlotte Road, London, EC2A 3QF, www.alpine-club.org.uk and is also available free
on-line.
Satellite images are freely available from Google Earth, www.googleearth.com

Sponsors & Supporters:
The expedition was supported by the following sponsors to whom we are especially grateful:Montane Alpine Club
Climbing Fund

Mount Everest Foundation

Austrian Alpine Club (UK)MontaneDMM

The Gorge Outdoors

14

Appendix 1
Appendix 1a; Ladakh map showing route from Leh via Kargil and the Pensi La to
Padum. Ating and the Mulung Tokpo lie just to the NW of Padum

Appendix 1b; Google Earth satellite image of the Mulung Glacier with camps andobjectives annotated15

Appendix 2
Daily Itinerary:
Thursday 30th AugustTeam flew overnight from the UK to Delhi.

Friday 31st August(Ashok County Resort, Delhi)

Whole team assembled in Delhi to meet with the IMF and Liaison
Officer

Saturday 1st September(Kanglachen Complex, Leh)

Team flew from Delhi to Leh (3,500m) with LO to meet Rimo
representatives and confirm onward plans. Afternoon spent in Leh

Sunday 2nd September(Kanglachen Complex, Leh)

Majority of team visited the 500 year old Matho Gompa in the foothillsof Stok Kangri as part of a gentle acclimatisation day

Monday 3rd September(Kanglachen Complex, Leh)

Acclimatisation day in and around Leh. Most of team made a gentle
walk to a 4,026m high hill top overlooking Leh

Tuesday 4th September(Zojila Residency, Kargil)

Whole team departed for the drive to Kargil (2,700m), stopping at theLamayuru Gompa en route

Wednesday 5th September(Ating Camp)

Continued drive to Ating (3,640m) via Rangdum and the Pensi La tomeet up with our Rimo support staff

Thursday 6th September(Sampuk Camp)

Started the trek up the Mulung Tokpo to camp at Sampuk (4,000m). A
double carry was necessary for 11 horses to transport all equipment

Friday 7th September(Nabil Tokpo Camp and BC)

Continued the easy trek up the Mulung Tokpo to establish BC at thejunction with the Nabil Tokpo and close to the glacier snout at 4,188m

Saturday 8th September(Base Camp)

Fully established BC while team explored various routes to the main
glacier by way of the left and right lateral moraines

Sunday 9th September(Base Camp)

Further exploration to establish optimal route to the upper Mulung
Glacier

Monday 10th September(Base Camp)

Heavy rainfall overnight before leaving a clear morning. Sorted gear inreadiness for transfer to higher camps

Tuesday 11th September(ABC)

With the help of our HAPs the whole team transferred to our planned
ABC on the true right lateral moraine at 4,525m

Wednesday 12th September(ABC, BC)

Adele and Gus returned to BC while others explored the left branch of
the Mulung Glacier to identify possible sites for higher camps

Thursday 13th September(ABC, BC)

The ABC team continued to explore the Mulung Glacier, eventually
deciding to change the primary objective to one or more peaks
bordering the left hand glacial cirque

Friday 14th September(ABC, BC)

Heavy snow confined team to camp while support team delivered
additional food for a more prolonged stay above BC

Saturday 15th September(ABC, BC)

Another day with poor visibility resulting in the team being confined totents.

16
Sunday 16th September(ABC)

Two members of the team explored the valley leading to the glacierbeneath M11 to establish the viability of access via this route. Adele
and Gus transfer back from BC with the high altitude porters

Monday 17th September(High Camp)With the help of our HAPs the whole team transferred to a high campon the plateau of the left glacial of the Mulung Glacier at 5,085m

Tuesday 18th September(High Camp)

Two of the team established a track in deep snow to the foot of our
newly selected target peak(s) at a height of 5,218m

Wednesday 19th September(High Camp)

Three team members attempted PK 5631 following the previous days’
tracks but aborted around 5,328m on account of deep unconsolidated
snow with the threat of avalanche and extreme cold. Gus and Tonyforged a route to Aari Dont Col from where Gus went on to make the
1st ascent of Aari Dont (5,557m) via its NW ridge

Thursday 20th September(High Camp)

Derek , Mike, Drew & Adele repeated the ascent of Aari Dont by thesame route after which Derek & Mike made the first ascent of themixed ridge leading to Chilh Point (Eagle Point, 5,537m) before
returning back to High Camp

Friday 21st September(Base Camp)

The whole team returned to BC in a long single push

Saturday 22nd September(Base Camp)Team rested at BC while HAPs cleared upper camps in preparation forleaving the valley. Heavy continuous snow set in while they weredescending

Sunday 23rd September(Ating hamlet)

Substantial snow fall overnight resulted in the destruction of three BC
tents and necessitating immediate, urgent abandonment of the camp.
With no possibility that horses could assist the evacuation both teamand support staff descended carrying only essential gear for the 13-16h,
25km arduous descent to Ating

Monday 24th September(Chamling Kailas Hotel,

With deep snow affecting the whole area the team relocated to Padum
to await re-opening of the Pensi La and the opportunity to return to Leh

Padam)

Tuesday 25th September(Chamling Kailas Hotel,
Padam)

Members of the team visited the old Palace in Padum while awaiting
news of snow conditions on the Pensi La

Wednesday 26th September(Zojila Hotel, Kargil)

With the pass now open the team drove from Padam to Kargil

Thursday 27th September(Goba House Residency, Leh)

Continued the drive to Leh for discussion with Rimo concerning theretrieval of our abandoned equipment

Friday 28th September(Ashok County Resort, Delhi)

Whole team flew from Leh to Delhi for our final briefing with the IMF
before returning home

Saturday 29th September

Team returned to Europe

17

Appendix 3
GPS Coordinates & Heights of Key Locations
Location
N coordinates E coordinates

HeightComment

Ating Camp
Sampuk Camp33º34.677’
33º32.091’

76º44.114’
76º39.078’

3,640m4,000mBase CampHigh point on true
right moraine
High point on true
left moraine
ABC on rightlateral moraine
High point on
Mulung Glacierleft branch
Potential site forHigh Camp on
Mulung Glacierleft branchHigh Camp33º30.592’
33º30.406’

76º36.074’
76º34.584’

4,188m
4,370m5/9/18, Trek start
6/9/18, Intermediatecamp
7/9/18, Nabil Tokpo
8/9/18, Mulung Glacier

33º30.368’

76º33.921’

4,450m9/9/18, Mulung Glacier

33º29.915’

76º33.577’

4,525m33º29.052’

76º32.875’

4,920mEstablished 11/9/18,
4km from BC
12/9/18

33º28.516’

76º32.795’

5,090m13/9/18

33º28.474’

76º32.826’

5,085mHigh point
reached fromHigh CampHigh point reach
during attempt on
PK 5631
Aari Dont Col(aka Saw Tooth
Col in Hindi)
Aari Dont (aka
Saw Tooth)

33º28.173’

76º33.633’

5,218mEstablished 17/9/18 on
Mulung Glacier left
branch
18/9/18, Track madetowards target peak

5,680m19/9/18
19/9/18, 1st ascent by
Gus Morton & Tony
Westcott19/9/18, 1st ascent via
N face & NW ridge,
PD, by Gus Morton
20/9/18, Second ascent
via N face & NW ridge,
PD, by Derek Buckle,
Mike Fletcher, Drew
Cook & Adele Long
20/9/18, 1st ascent via
NE Ridge, AD, by
Derek Buckle & Mike
Fletcher

33º27.856’

76º32.968’

5,480m by GPS

33º27.875’

76º33.060’

5,557m by GPS

Aari Dont (aka
Saw Tooth inHindi)

33º27.875’

76º33.060’

5,557m by GPS

Chilh Point (akaEagle Point in
Hindi)

33º27.844’

76º32.940’

5,537m by GPS

18

Appendix 4
Weather and Conditions:
As a desert area, Zanskar is normally dry in September with very little precipitation. 2018
was different. This year vast swathes of the area from Manali to Kullu and Padum to
Rangdum were inundated with exceptional and unprecedented snow precipitation. We
experienced only six days without some precipitation during our time at BC and above,
which severely hampered our exploration and climbing. The resulting snow was deep and uncompacted, resulting in deep post-holing on both flat and inclined slopes alike. During ourtime climbing there were relatively few obvious avalanches, but they were very much inevidence when we abandoned BC to return to the valley in a storm. The serious conditions
affected many groups of trekkers in the Padum area, causing some to require rescue and otherto forego their planned trips. Due of closure of the Pensi La, Padum was isolated for several
days, although early on helicopter evacuation was possible until this option was curtailed on
account of a mechanical fault.

Appendix 5
Flora & Fauna:
Zanskar is a desert area and little vegetation exists away from close proximity to the majorrivers. The Mulung Tokpo itself essentially constituted a barren landscape with generally
sparse vegetation. There was little evidence that local villagers ascended high in the valley tograze cattle, but presumably they did in the lower reaches. Tracks suggested that foxes andpossibly snow leopards inhabited the glacial regions but there were no actual sightings. Twoeagle-like birds crossed the summit of Chilh Point as we were descending and thus gave thename to this high point, although it is likely that these were Himalayan Griffons. The Suruand Doda Vallies are a haven for marmots and we saw many en route to Ating. From thedevastation of our evacuated base camp bears clearly inhabit the upper reaches of the Mulung
Tokpo but we did not see any.

Himalayan Griffon

Appendix 6
Geology:
The major rock type in the Mulung Tokpo appears to be granitic, often of a coarse grained
pegmatitic variety. In regions there are extensive deposits of garnetiferous rock with large
intrusions, although the quality of these semi-precious stones is poor. Rock climbing
opportunities do seem to exist for those adventurous enough to attempt the impressive ridges
that characterise much of the South Mulung Glacier.