Kishtwar Himal. An expedition comprising Simon and Elizabeth Brown
K ishtw ar Him al. A n expedition com prising Simon and Elizabeth Brown, Pete Butler, N icki and Jane Clough, Rob and N etti Collister and, for a short time, a liaison officer, was in the P adar region, based on A thole (A rth a l), during September and O ctober w ith the object of climbing Bram m ah II. We could not find a viable approach and failed to set foot on the m ountain. A route into the Kijai N ullah from the east via the village of Ligri proved impossible. T he route into and up the Kijai N ullah from the south via La was investigated at the end and found long and difficult and im practicable for loaded men unless a way was first cleared w ith machetes. Seen from the east the north face and ridge appear to be the only feasible route up Bram m ah II. The
18,375-foot col below the north face was eventually reached from the steep Donali G lacier to the north by traversing from the top of the steep D onali-K izae col (17,060 feet) across the north face of P 5865. It is also possible to descend the snow bowl at the head of the Kijai Glacier (tw o abseils at the bottom ; V.S. pitches in ascent) and climb an easy icefall to reach the same point. We had some lucky escapes from avalanches while descending the 17,060-foot col for m ore food; this led to the route being abandoned. Two of the party returned to K ishtw ar via the K iar N ullah, crossing a 16,750-foot col (first found by F ritz Kolb in 1946) between the Bhazun and W akbal glacier systems. O n the way, P 5685 (18,651 feet) was climbed. (See F ritz Kolb, “Third Choice, A dventures in the P adar Region,” Him alayan Journal, 1947 and m ap by John H arriss, A lpine Journal, 1970.) R obert
C o l l is t e r ,
A lpine Club
18,375-foot col below the north face was eventually reached from the steep Donali G lacier to the north by traversing from the top of the steep D onali-K izae col (17,060 feet) across the north face of P 5865. It is also possible to descend the snow bowl at the head of the Kijai Glacier (tw o abseils at the bottom ; V.S. pitches in ascent) and climb an easy icefall to reach the same point. We had some lucky escapes from avalanches while descending the 17,060-foot col for m ore food; this led to the route being abandoned. Two of the party returned to K ishtw ar via the K iar N ullah, crossing a 16,750-foot col (first found by F ritz Kolb in 1946) between the Bhazun and W akbal glacier systems. O n the way, P 5685 (18,651 feet) was climbed. (See F ritz Kolb, “Third Choice, A dventures in the P adar Region,” Him alayan Journal, 1947 and m ap by John H arriss, A lpine Journal, 1970.) R obert
C o l l is t e r ,
A lpine Club
