Janusz Golab, Maciej Kimel, and Michal Krol have arrived in Pakistan to repeat the British route on the Nameless Tower (6,286m). This would mark the first (astronomical) winter ascent on that line in the Trango Towers.
The climbers left Warsaw for Pakistan this week. Photo: Polski Himalaizm Sportowy
The route, opened in 1976 by Martin Boysen, Joe Brown, Malcolm Howells, and Mo Anthoine, follows a 1,100m line up the South Face. It was graded as VI 5.10 A2 in summer, but the upcoming expedition will have to tackle an ice-covered face. They may have to climb the entire route with ice axes and crampons.
Tail end of winter
Polish teams have chosen targets in the Trango area at both the beginning and the end of the winter season. Marcin Tomaszeski and Damian Bielecki pioneered a new route on Uli Biaho Gallery in November-December. While they missed doing the entire clib during astronomical winter, the 800m-high face was definitely in a wintry state.
Tomaszewski and Bielecki had first aimed for Shipton Spire. They changed their minds after Pawel Haldas, the third member in the team, couldn’t board the plane because he lacked some COVID documentation.
The current expedition, led by Golab, will surely be the last winter project in the Karakoram this season. While not within the limits of “meteorological” winter, they hope to complete the climb before calendar winter ends on March 21.
