Three Americans traveled to India’s Garhwal Himalaya in mid-May to attempt a new route on Chaukhamba III (6,974m), but the weather didn’t cooperate. While they waited, Sean McLane, Vitaliy Musiyenko, and Christian Black found an alternative climb that may be a first ascent.
“Balakun Peak was not an objective before the trip, but it was an attractive mountain, and we thought it could be a worthwhile [backup] objective,” Musiyenko told ExplorersWeb from India. “It was much closer to our base camp than Chaukhamba III…a good three to four-day round trip.”
Milky Way Base Camp. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
The previously acclimatized team endured several days of continuous snowfall before the forecast promised a single clear day, followed by another prolonged storm cycle. It was then or never.
“Faced with that narrow opportunity, we chose an unconventional strategy for a long, technical new route — attempt the entire 2,300m line in a single push: a blitz, super-light attempt, knowing we could bail if the climb took longer than we could afford,” Musiyenko said.
Balakun Peak. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
On May 27, shortly after midnight, the climbers left their base camp at 4,420m and began the approach to the southwest ridge of 6,471m Balakun, a striking pyramid of rock and ice rising above the Satopanth Glacier.
The beginning of the roped-up section. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
The climbers left behind most of their food and gear. However, just in case, they carried a two-person tent, a stove, and a single quilt that they left cached at 5,486m for emergencies. “In big mountains, self-reliance is not optional, especially when flying so close to the sun,” Musiyenko explained.
The climb
They did the first 1,000 vertical meters unroped on fifth-grade mixed terrain. Here, Christian Black, who was not feeling well, bailed. He seized the opportunity to descend on his own down a straightforward snow couloir. Sean McLane and Vitaliy Musiyenko roped up and continued upward.
On snow and ice terrain. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
“From there, we mostly simul-climbed 1,200-1,300m to the summit, using multiple nanotraxions (ultra-lightweight, compact pulleys) to protect the leader after cruxy sections,” Musiyenko recalled. “My watch indicated more than 8,000 feet of elevation gain from camp.”
Here is his route description:
The route proved far more sustained than we had anticipated. It involved long sections of fifth-class climbing, steep mixed terrain, and deep snow. I estimate the hardest pitches at approximately M5-M6. In several places, the climbing was so run out that a fall could have resulted in severe injury or worse. The quality of the rock varied dramatically, from excellent to kitty litter choss. Combined with the snow conditions, the route demanded more from us physically and mentally than we had expected.
The climbers reached the summit at 6:30 pm in an unexpected windstorm that made the descent much harder.
Near the summit. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
Going down
The descent was no less serious, according to Musiyenko. “Throughout the night we built V-threads and improvised rappel anchors from single pieces of protection,” He said. He noted that he and McLane only stopped to melt water and take a break at 4 am, just in time to see the sunrise.
Downclimbing at night. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
By then, both of us were exhausted. The seriousness of the situation became clearer when Sean reported hearing things that were not there. Whether from sleep deprivation, dehydration, exhaustion, or a combination of all three, it was a reminder that we still had a long way to go. We slowed down, moved more methodically, and focused on making sound decisions.
The climbers carefully checked every rappel anchor. “We also found creative ways to belay one another across easier terrain until we regained the long snow couloir Christian had used during his descent,” said Musiyenko.
At dawn. Photo. V. Musiyenko
Musiyenko said that near the end of the climb, Sean McLane also reported visual hallucinations.
“Despite that, he remained fully coherent, in control of his actions, and showed no other signs of acute mountain sickness,” he added.
Once down the mountain, the climbers at least had water to drink from several streams, and eventually staggered into base camp after more than 40 hours of nearly nonstop movement.
Vitaliy Musiyenko, left, and Sean McLane. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
“For me, the ascent was deeply rewarding because we had no idea whether such a long and technical route could be climbed in such a short time with so little equipment – a single rack with some pins and ice screws,” Musiyenko said. “Physically, it demanded almost everything we had.”
He mentioned his experience as an ultramarathon runner to highlight how “completely depleted” he felt after the climb:
It is rare to encounter an objective that pushes so close to your limits, one that repeatedly brings you to your knees before you are even halfway through the round trip. Experiences like that expand the boundaries of what seems possible and leave a lasting mark on how you view future challenges.
Possible first ascent
The team named the route Kishmish, the Hindi word for raisin. “By the end of the climb, we felt thoroughly dried out and shriveled, and coincidentally, raisins happen to be my favorite dried fruit,” Musiyenko said.
The new route on Balakun in the Indian Himalaya. Photo and topo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
Like other little-known peaks in the Garhwal Himalaya, Balakun’s climbing history remains uncertain. “While there is a brief report of a previous ascent by the Indian Border Police, local climbers and alpinists question the claim’s validity, leading many to regard Balakun as unclimbed,” Musiyenko said after asking around about the mountain’s climbing history.
No chance on Chaukhamba III
“As significant and rewarding as Balakun was for Sean and me, the expedition as a whole feels unfinished,” Musiyenko said.
The expedition’s original objective was Chaukhamba III, and the climbers never set foot on the planned route.
“For the following two weeks, we waited for a weather window that never materialized. Not once did conditions approach what we considered acceptable for an attempt,” said Musiyenko.
Before tackling Balakum, the team had climbed up to a col on the southeast ridge of Chaukhamba III and stashed some gear there. When they ran out of time, they went back in unstable weather conditions to retrieve the equipment.
“The wall was plastered, and the forecast was for snow every day, so we just camped up there for a few more days, waiting to see if the weather changed. It didn’t.”
The climbing team. Photo: Vitaliy Musiyenko
