Rakaposhi, is one of the most magnificent peak
found in the world today. It is situated near
the town of Gilgit
and with a height of 7,788m/25,551ft it is
easily climable from all sides. The peak
dominates the horizon and is constantly visible
from the Karakoram Highway. It looks so
beautiful that the first-ever glance at it
inspires charm and lures an onlooker to be in
its abode. Accessing the peak is quite easy,
which only adds to its attraction. The peak is
surrounded by famous glaciers/valleys like Barpu,
Biro, Bagrot and Pisan. In 1892, a large
expedition of W.M. Conway, a British traveler
and mountaineer explored the Barpu valley. The
party also explored the nearby Bagrot valley.
For visiting the valley, Conway had to travel
from Srinagar to Gilgit over Burzil pass. This
was then, the only identified and permissible
route for entry to the area.
It was in the summer of 1938, that M. Vyvyan,
probably a Dutch national and R. Campbell
Secord, a British national carried out, for the
first time, a reconnaissance of the mountain.
They entered if from Jaglot nullah and inspected
its south and north ridges. In mid July they
reached the north-western peak of the mountain
(about 6,858m/22,500ft) through the north ridge.
They were of the opinion that although it was
long, the route could take a strong party to the
top. In 1946, R.C.F. Schomberg, a British
national, visited Gilgit and Bagrot nullah. He
describes in minutest details the topography
etc. of the area.
Subsequently in 1947, Tilman and his party
attempted Rakaposhi peak from the Kunti glacier
to a point at
6,200m/20,340ft on the south-west spur. The
party was unable to reach the 2,000-foot snow
slope popularly known as "The Monk's Head."
Tilman and Gyr then climbed on to the north-west
ridge of the mountain between north-west peak
and the summit at about 6,096m/20,000ft.
In 1954, six climbers and five scientists of a
German-Austrian expedition, and two Pakistanis,
Captain Shah Khan and Daud Beg, examined Bagrot
and Dainyor valleys for possible approach to
Rakaposhi. Like Conway, they found that the
approach was completely blocked by a sheer
ice-wall. They were of the opinion that the peak
could not be climbed through these valleys.
Reconnaissance from Jaglot also proved futile.
Also in 1954, members of Cambridge University
Karakoram expedition went to Rakaposhi. Two
members of the expedition, George Band and Dr.
Alfred Tissieres, climbed a smafi peak
(6,005m/19,700ft) on the north-west ridge before
abandoning it as a possible route. The party
then tried the south-west spur which connects
with the south-west ridge at the Monk's Head.
Base camp was set-up at Kunti glacier. The party
went up to 6,340m/20,800ft but bad weather and
shortage of time forced it to return to the base
camp. Major-General M. Hayauddin of the Pakistan
Army also accompanied this expedition.
In 1956, a joint Anglo-American expedition,
which was also accompanied by Pakistan Army's
Captain Fazl-e-Haq,
tried to climb Rakaposhi. It is thought that
Captain Fazl-e-Haq is the same officer who later
became Lieutenant-General and was appointed as
Governor of Pakistan's North West Frontier
Province. He, however, contradicts it in a
soldierly straight-forward manner. The party set
up a base camp at Kunti glacier, with six more
camps later it was able to reach
7,163m/23,500ft. Bad weather and other factors,
however, brought it's high climbing to a close.
In 1958, a British-Pakistan forces expedition
tried its luck on Rakaposhi. It was led by
Captain Michael E.B. Banks and included veteran
Captain Shah Khan of Gilgit Scouts (who later
became a Group Captain in the Pakistan Air
Force) and Captain Raja Muhammad Aslam of the
Punjab Regiment (Pakistan Army). Group Captain
Shah Khan, a member of the royal family of Hunza,
had always dreamt of climbing Rakaposhi.
Fortunately, his son, Major Sher Khan of
Pakistan Army accomplished this feat. (Major
Sher Khan, an ace-climber in the footsteps of
his father, was awarded the President of
Pakistan Medal for Pride of Performance for his
exploits on K2 and other big Pakistani
mountains).
The party attempted the peak through the Monk's
Head. Due to severe cold, it used additional
"down-filled- clothing
and 136 vapour-barrier boots". The leader,
Captain Bank, and Lieutenant T.W. Paiey of the
Royal Navy, climbed the peak. Banks had
frost-bitten feet while Patey had frost-bitten
hands. The party did not use oxygen. Just nearby
is Rakaposhi (East) peak with a height of
7,290m/23,917ft. Another nearby peak is
Rakaposhi (East-East) peak which has a height of
7,010m/23,000ft and was climbed in 1985 by an
Austrian expedition which was led by Eduard
Koblmuller. The party had originally thought,
that, the height of this peak was 6,900m, but
after the climb, from Diran peak's side, it
placed put the height to 7,010m. During the
descent from this peak, one member, Gerald
Fellner slipped, fell down and despite medical
attention, died in the night. Rakaposhi still
holds its charisma for the most adventorous of
souls! Would you like to make an attempt???
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