Latok II. We had applied for the Ogre and as second choice, one of the ...
Latok II. We had applied for the Ogre and as second choice, one of the Latok peaks. As permission for the Ogre had already been granted the British, the Pakistani government authorized Latok I (23,440 feet*), which lies between the Choktoi and Biafo Glaciers. * P ro fesso r B ergam aschi has recently been kind enough to send us the results o f th e survey m ade by his expedition. T ria n g u latio n indicates different relative altitudes o f the peaks o f the group. L ato k II appears to be the highest; it is 66 m eters o r 217 feet h igher th an L ato k I and 304 m eters o r 997 feet hig h er th a n L ato k III. T he expedition gives a new altitu d e o f 7151 m eters or 23,461 feet fo r L ato k II. T his is based on aneroid b a ro m e te r readings at Base C am p. E ven tho u g h co rrected fo r tem p eratu re an d relative hum idity, the E d ito r’s experience in the past m akes him reject such a m easu rem en t as ab solutely definitive. H ow ever, we have no reason to do u b t the c om parative a lti tudes of the three peaks.
E n g lish a n d J a p a n e s e c lim b e rs re p o rte d th e m o u n ta in as v e ry d a n g e ro u s a n d t h a t ice a v a la n c h e s c o n tin u o u s ly sw ep t th e s o u th fa c e . Y e t w e p re sse d on. W e w e re D r. F ra n c e s c o C a v a z z u ti, E z io A lim o n ta , A ttilio B ia n c h e tti, G io rg io C a n ta lo n i, P ro fe s s o r P o m p e o C a sa ti, L u c ia n o G ra ss i, T o n i M a sé , A n g e la M a s in a , S te fa n o M a z z o li, G ia v a n n i P a s in e tti, A ld o R a m p in i, H e in z S te in k ö tte r, R e n a to V a le n tin i, G iu s e p p e V illa , B e p p e a n d Ita lo Z a n d o n e lla , A n g e lo Z a tti a n d I as le a d e r. W e fin ally b e g a n th e e ig h t-d a y a p p ro a c h m a rc h f ro m D a ss o o n A u g u s t 3. T h is to o k an e x tra d a y sin c e w e h a d to ro p e e v e ry th in g a c ro ss a s tre a m in flood. B ase C a m p w a s se t u p o n a tr ib u ta r y o f th e B iafo , th e B a in th a L u k p a r G la c ie r a t 1 4 ,9 2 5 fe et. W e b e g a n re c o n n a is s a n c e on A u g u s t 12 a n d so o n c o n firm e d th e a v a la n c h e d a n g e rs. T h e re w a s ic e fa llin g c o n tin u o u s ly d a y a n d n ig h t o n L a to k I. W e tu r n e d to L a to k II ( 2 3 ,3 6 0 f e e t ) , b e a u tifu l a n d d e m a n d in g b u t less d a n g e ro u s . C a m p I w a s in th e L a to k c irq u e a t 1 5 ,6 0 0 fe et. C a m p I I w a s p la c e d o n A u g u s t 16 a t fe e t o n th e so u th rid g e o f L a to k II. F r o m th e re th e r o u te le d sn o w d o m e , in to an ic e fa ll a n d u p m o re sn o w to C a m p I I I a t fe e t. In th is se c tio n w e fixed 1 7 0 0 fe e t o f ro p e . F r o m C a m p
1 7 ,9 0 0 over a 1 9 ,6 0 0 III w e
tra v e r s e d rig h t o n ice to g a in a c o u lo ir, th e n c lim b e d a ro c k w a ll a n d ice to C a m p IV a t 2 0 ,1 7 5 fe e t, fixing 6 5 0 0 fe e t o f ro p e .
F ro m C am p
IV w e tra v e rs e d a n ice slo p e to a s m o o th ro c k c h im n e y , 3 5 0 fe e t h ig h , c lim b e d sn o w a n d ro c k to a s h a rp rid g e a n d C a m p V a t 2 1 ,8 2 5 fe et. In th a t se c tio n w e fixed 1 3 0 0 fe e t o f ro p e . W e fo llo w e d th e s h a rp rid g e p a s t a b ig b a sin , o v e r th e s o u th p e a k a lo n g th e sn o w y rid g e to th e
2 0 0 -fo o t
h ig h e r
m a in
s u m m it.
A lim o n ta ,
V a le n tin i
and
M a sé
c o m p le te d th e c lim b o n A u g u s t 28 . A fte r b e in g s to r m b o u n d fo r so m e d a y s, B ia n c h e tti, C a n ta lo n i, V illa a n d B e p p e Z a n d o n e lla re a c h e d th e s o u th s u m m it. M e a n w h ile o th e r c lim b e rs m a d e first a sc e n ts a lo n g th e tru e le ft b a n k o f th e B a in th a L u k p a r G la c ie r. T h e fo llo w in g c lim b s w e re m a d e :
P 5 7 0 0 (1 8 ,7 0 1
f e e t) o n A u g u s t 16 b y A lim o n ta , M a sé ;
P 5 3 0 0 (1 7 ,3 8 9 f e e t) o n A u g u s t 17 b y B e rg a m a s c h i, G ra ss i, M a z z o li, Z a tti; P 5 0 5 0 (1 6 ,5 6 8 f e e t) o n A u g u s t 19 b y R a m p in i; P 5 3 0 0 (1 7 ,3 8 9 fe e t) o n A u g u s t 21 b y I ta lo Z a n d o n e lla ; P 5 4 0 0 ( 1 7 ,7 1 7 f e e t ) , P 5 4 7 0 (1 7 ,9 4 6
fe e t), P
5370
(1 7 ,6 1 8
f e e t)
and
P
5300
(1 7 ,3 8 9
f e e t)
on
A u g u s t 2 4 b y B e rg a m a s c h i, C a sa ti, G ra ss i, Z a tti; P 5 4 4 5 ( 1 7 ,8 6 4 f e e t ) , P 5 4 5 0 (1 7 ,8 8 1 fe e t) a n d P 5 4 8 7 ( 1 8 ,0 0 2 f e e t) o n A u g u s t 27 b y C a sa ti M a z z o li, R a m p in i; P 5 3 0 0 ( 1 7 ,3 8 9 f e e t ) , P 5 6 7 0 ( 1 8 ,6 0 3 ) a n d P 5 8 1 0 (1 9 ,0 6 2 fe e t) o n A u g u s t 31 a n d S e p te m b e r 1 b y P a s in e tti, I ta lo Z a n d o n e lla , Z a tti; a n d P 5 6 2 0 (1 8 ,4 3 9 f e e t) o n S e p te m b e r 4 b y A lim o n ta , B e rg a m a s c h i, M a sin a , P a s in e tti, Z a tti.
(E ac h P
5 3 0 0 w a s a d iffe re n t
p e a k .) G e o lo g ic a l a n d to p o g ra p h ic a l w o rk w a s c a r rie d o n b y P ro fe s s o rs C a s a ti a n d R a m p in i. B ase C a m p w a s e v a c u a te d o n S e p te m b e r 7. A rturo
B e r g a m a s c h i,
Club Alpino Italiano
E n g lish a n d J a p a n e s e c lim b e rs re p o rte d th e m o u n ta in as v e ry d a n g e ro u s a n d t h a t ice a v a la n c h e s c o n tin u o u s ly sw ep t th e s o u th fa c e . Y e t w e p re sse d on. W e w e re D r. F ra n c e s c o C a v a z z u ti, E z io A lim o n ta , A ttilio B ia n c h e tti, G io rg io C a n ta lo n i, P ro fe s s o r P o m p e o C a sa ti, L u c ia n o G ra ss i, T o n i M a sé , A n g e la M a s in a , S te fa n o M a z z o li, G ia v a n n i P a s in e tti, A ld o R a m p in i, H e in z S te in k ö tte r, R e n a to V a le n tin i, G iu s e p p e V illa , B e p p e a n d Ita lo Z a n d o n e lla , A n g e lo Z a tti a n d I as le a d e r. W e fin ally b e g a n th e e ig h t-d a y a p p ro a c h m a rc h f ro m D a ss o o n A u g u s t 3. T h is to o k an e x tra d a y sin c e w e h a d to ro p e e v e ry th in g a c ro ss a s tre a m in flood. B ase C a m p w a s se t u p o n a tr ib u ta r y o f th e B iafo , th e B a in th a L u k p a r G la c ie r a t 1 4 ,9 2 5 fe et. W e b e g a n re c o n n a is s a n c e on A u g u s t 12 a n d so o n c o n firm e d th e a v a la n c h e d a n g e rs. T h e re w a s ic e fa llin g c o n tin u o u s ly d a y a n d n ig h t o n L a to k I. W e tu r n e d to L a to k II ( 2 3 ,3 6 0 f e e t ) , b e a u tifu l a n d d e m a n d in g b u t less d a n g e ro u s . C a m p I w a s in th e L a to k c irq u e a t 1 5 ,6 0 0 fe et. C a m p I I w a s p la c e d o n A u g u s t 16 a t fe e t o n th e so u th rid g e o f L a to k II. F r o m th e re th e r o u te le d sn o w d o m e , in to an ic e fa ll a n d u p m o re sn o w to C a m p I I I a t fe e t. In th is se c tio n w e fixed 1 7 0 0 fe e t o f ro p e . F r o m C a m p
1 7 ,9 0 0 over a 1 9 ,6 0 0 III w e
tra v e r s e d rig h t o n ice to g a in a c o u lo ir, th e n c lim b e d a ro c k w a ll a n d ice to C a m p IV a t 2 0 ,1 7 5 fe e t, fixing 6 5 0 0 fe e t o f ro p e .
F ro m C am p
IV w e tra v e rs e d a n ice slo p e to a s m o o th ro c k c h im n e y , 3 5 0 fe e t h ig h , c lim b e d sn o w a n d ro c k to a s h a rp rid g e a n d C a m p V a t 2 1 ,8 2 5 fe et. In th a t se c tio n w e fixed 1 3 0 0 fe e t o f ro p e . W e fo llo w e d th e s h a rp rid g e p a s t a b ig b a sin , o v e r th e s o u th p e a k a lo n g th e sn o w y rid g e to th e
2 0 0 -fo o t
h ig h e r
m a in
s u m m it.
A lim o n ta ,
V a le n tin i
and
M a sé
c o m p le te d th e c lim b o n A u g u s t 28 . A fte r b e in g s to r m b o u n d fo r so m e d a y s, B ia n c h e tti, C a n ta lo n i, V illa a n d B e p p e Z a n d o n e lla re a c h e d th e s o u th s u m m it. M e a n w h ile o th e r c lim b e rs m a d e first a sc e n ts a lo n g th e tru e le ft b a n k o f th e B a in th a L u k p a r G la c ie r. T h e fo llo w in g c lim b s w e re m a d e :
P 5 7 0 0 (1 8 ,7 0 1
f e e t) o n A u g u s t 16 b y A lim o n ta , M a sé ;
P 5 3 0 0 (1 7 ,3 8 9 f e e t) o n A u g u s t 17 b y B e rg a m a s c h i, G ra ss i, M a z z o li, Z a tti; P 5 0 5 0 (1 6 ,5 6 8 f e e t) o n A u g u s t 19 b y R a m p in i; P 5 3 0 0 (1 7 ,3 8 9 fe e t) o n A u g u s t 21 b y I ta lo Z a n d o n e lla ; P 5 4 0 0 ( 1 7 ,7 1 7 f e e t ) , P 5 4 7 0 (1 7 ,9 4 6
fe e t), P
5370
(1 7 ,6 1 8
f e e t)
and
P
5300
(1 7 ,3 8 9
f e e t)
on
A u g u s t 2 4 b y B e rg a m a s c h i, C a sa ti, G ra ss i, Z a tti; P 5 4 4 5 ( 1 7 ,8 6 4 f e e t ) , P 5 4 5 0 (1 7 ,8 8 1 fe e t) a n d P 5 4 8 7 ( 1 8 ,0 0 2 f e e t) o n A u g u s t 27 b y C a sa ti M a z z o li, R a m p in i; P 5 3 0 0 ( 1 7 ,3 8 9 f e e t ) , P 5 6 7 0 ( 1 8 ,6 0 3 ) a n d P 5 8 1 0 (1 9 ,0 6 2 fe e t) o n A u g u s t 31 a n d S e p te m b e r 1 b y P a s in e tti, I ta lo Z a n d o n e lla , Z a tti; a n d P 5 6 2 0 (1 8 ,4 3 9 f e e t) o n S e p te m b e r 4 b y A lim o n ta , B e rg a m a s c h i, M a sin a , P a s in e tti, Z a tti.
(E ac h P
5 3 0 0 w a s a d iffe re n t
p e a k .) G e o lo g ic a l a n d to p o g ra p h ic a l w o rk w a s c a r rie d o n b y P ro fe s s o rs C a s a ti a n d R a m p in i. B ase C a m p w a s e v a c u a te d o n S e p te m b e r 7. A rturo
B e r g a m a s c h i,
Club Alpino Italiano
