Two of the season’s most interesting expeditions are acclimatizing near their 7,000m objectives in Pakistan, Gasherbrum IV and Yukshin Gardan Sar.
Meanwhile, Takayasu Semba of Japan, together with Nepalese climbers Pemba Geljen Sherpa, Ngima Nurbu Sherpa, and Mingma Nuru Sherpa, have summited an unclimbed 5,860m peak near Kanday village, in the picturesque Anaq (sometimes spelled Anaqar) Valley.
Kanday Valley. Photo: Onat Foundation
After a first failed attempt last year, Takayasu Semba returned with a strong Sherpa team. This time, they succeeded, topping out on July 4 at 12:30 pm Pakistan time, according to their outfitter, Karakoram Tours Pakistan.
The Japanese-Nepalese team at Skardu airport. Photo: Karakoram Tours Pakistan
We have no information about the difficulty of the route, but the outfitter has posted a topo of the mountain, which they identify as Mt. Fono/Semba Peak, apparently including the Japanese leader’s surname, which is highly unusual in the 21st century.
Nowadays in Pakistan, climbers may only name peaks with no local name — some isolated peaks are simply identified with a number — and only after permission from local authorities. The outfitter did write that the peak had no name.
In recent years, climbers have chosen names in the local language, after discussing it with the villagers who live in the area.
Members and a topo of the new route. Photo: Karakoram Tours Pakistan
Another view of the peak. Photo: Karakoram Tours Pakistan
Interestingly, Kanday is the site of a charity founded by Sergi Mingote, who perished on Winter K2.
Yukshin Gardan Sar
Stefano Ragazzo of Italy has reached the Shimshal area, where he will attempt the first ascent of the 3,000m northeast face of Yukshin Gardan Sar (7,530m) with Michael Hutchins (U.S.) and Chris Wright (U.S./UK). On Monday, the team set up base camp on the glacier’s moraine at 3,950m. They then started acclimatizing immediately, spending two nights at 5,100m.
The U.S. team on its way to Yakshin Gardan Sar. Photo: Stefano Ragazzo/CAI
Gasherbrum IV
Charles Dubouloz and Symon Welfringer of France have also reached Base Camp at the base of Gasherbrum IV. They have leveled the ground on the moraine and pitched their tents on one side of the Baltoro Glacier, before the usual base camp of Gasherbrums I and II. Meanwhile, on GI and GII, Sherpa rope fixers have reportedly reached Camp 2.
Dubouloz and Welfringer will try to finish the route attempted by Jordi Corominas on Gasherbrum IV’s famous West Face, known as the Shining Wall.
The French climbers carry rocks to level the terrain for their Base Camp. Photo: Charles Dubouloz
A second team will also arrive shortly at Gasherbrum IV. Italians Federico Secchi, Leonardo Gheza, and Gabriele Carrara will attempt the first repetition of the Bonatti-Mauri route up the Northeast Face, the route used on the first ascent of Gasherbrum IV in 1958.
