Masherbrum 7821m was climbed
back in 6th and 8th July 1960 by two American Bell Clinch and his friend with
Akhtar a Pakistani from South East Face. Since then it took 23 years before a
second ascent made by the Japanese Kakeyasu Minamura and Masuhino Nomura in
August 1983. Another Japanese expedition in 1985 climbed the impressive and
most beautiful North West Ridge and North Face.
Masherbrum also called K1
name by British survey team in 1856 while sequencely naming the peaks in
Karakoram Range local name of this beautiful peak is Masherbrum. The normal
route to Masherbrum Peak 7821 meters is from Hushey Valley of Baltistan. A two
days walk from Hushe will bring you the green meadow of Masherbrum Base Camp
at 3500m
Masherbrum standard route is
from South East and has 4 high altitude camps. Take a direct line up the
icefall and then climb the crest of the Dome ridge, rather than taking the
skirt the icefall on the right and making a long traverse to the Dome and to
its top. This way one would rid of the dangerous avalanche on the traverse.
Camp 1 is at an altitude of 5,000 meters on the plateau between a rocky
outcrop that guards the icefall on the left and the Dome, follow the icefall,
the icefall can be seen as consisting of three giant steps. First can be climb
by the middle, bearing right at its top. Second camp 2 is at 6100m on the huge
plateau behind the Dome. Camp 3 is at 6600m under the summit pyramid. The last
Camp 4 is at 7200m.
Since then many mountaineers
from all over the world tried their luck including Satoshi Kawahara and Lev
Loffe Russian /American team. Lev Loffe originate from Russia now teaching in
America a regular visitor to Pakistan tried this peak from Normal route in
1996 from Hushe valley and manage to reach 7200m, I was part of his 1996
expedition as a Liaison Officer. Lev Loffe again return in 1999.In the same
season of 1996 a Pakistani Army expedition manage to reach the summit of
Masherbrum II 7806m with the help of high altitude porters, their base camp
was two hours down from our main base camp.
Asghar Ali Porik
Managing Director
M/s Jasmine Tours
GPO Box 859, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Tel: 0092-51-5586823 Fax:
0092-51-5584566
email: jtours@apollo.net.pk
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