The traditional route to the peak passes through
Chitral - Reshun - Kuragh - Khosht - Drassan -
Zani pass - Shagram and Shaikh Naik. After a
two-hour jeep drive on Chitral-Mastuj road one
has to take a direct route from Perpish to Barum
village and then through the glacier of the same
name (Barum) to the peak. This route is,
however, recommended for those who have already
acclimatized themselves with
high-altitude-climbing; otherwise there is a
great danger of high altitude sickness.
Tirich Mir like Rakaposhi and Nanga Parbat to
the east, is known for being the home of 'Peris'
called "fairies" in
english. The Tirich valley parallels the Turikho
Valley and is separated from it by a 15
mile-long flat-topped ridge which averages about
12,500 feet in elevation. The ideal way to reach
this ridge, for its unsurpassed views of the
high peaks in the Hindu Kush, is to climb Zani
An (12,500). Zani An is situated between Shagram
and a mile higher than Drasan, thus it is most
easily approached from the Tirich valley,
because the climb is 2,000 feet less from this
side.The ridgetop in both directions from the
pass is quite level, inviting you to stroll
along it and view the spectacular Hindu Kush
peaks from Tirich Mir to Saraghrar and north.
Tirich Main peak (7,708m/25,288ft) was climbed
for the first time in 1950 by a Norwegian
expedition which was lead by Arne Naess. The
other members of the expedition included P.
Kvern berg and H. Berg. The expedition was also
accompanied by Professor Hameed Beg of the
Karakoram Club (Pakistan) who reached an
altitude of over 6,096m/20,000ft quite a feat in
those times. Captain Tony Streather of Chitral
Scouts tagged alongwith the expedition from
Drosh and eventually climbed Tirich Mir.
The first major attempt by Pakistanis was the
Karakoram Club's expedition to Tirich Mir in
1951. The expedition was led by Mian Abdul Rauf
and consisted of Daud Beg, Arshad Munir and
Captain Shaukat Malik. It set up three advance
camps and reached 6,553m/21,500ft before
abandoning the attempt due to shortage of
supplies.
It was in 1982 that a German by the name of
Fritz Stammberger tried to climb, all alone, a
subsidiary peak of Tirich Mir (7,701
m/25,267ft). He could go up to (6,096/20,000ft)
when he was hit by an avalanche and sustained
minor head and face injuries. Upon returning to
base camp he met an American expedition of
Knauth, Peter Newell and Dr. Bill Bartlett from
whom he received medical treatment. Tirich Mir
(E):- It has a height of 7,692m/25,236ft and was
climbed in 1964 by a Norwegian expedition which
was again led by Arne Naess, who had headed the
successful 1950 Tirich Mir (Main) expedition.
Two members, R. Hoibakk and A. Opdal, reached
top of Tirich Mir (E). Tirich Mir (West II):- It
is about 7,500m/24,607ft high, and was climbed
in 1974 by Beppe Re and Guido Machetto of an
Italian expedition. After establishing base
camp, the party set up two additional camps. In
order to acclimatize itself with high altitude
climbing, the party also climbed an
already-climbed Dirgol Zom peak.
Tirich Mir (West I): Its height is
7,487m/24,563ft. The peak was climbed in 1967 by
a Czechoslovak expedition
led by Vladimir Sed ivy. It is, however,
doubtful whether this was the first ever climb
on the peak by this party. The party is stated
to have climbed it by the north-west col. J.
Cervinka, I. Galfy, V. Smida and I. Urbanovic
reached the top. In addition to the above climb,
the party made quite a few climbs on other
mountains. Some of them were the first-ever
climbs.
The fifth highest peak in the Tirich Mir range
is Tirich Mir (West Ill) which is
7,400m/24,278ft high. It was climbed in 1974 by
Groupe Universitaire de Montagne et de Ski of
France and was led by Guy Lucazeau and Bernard
Amy. The sixth peak of the Tirich Mir range is
Tirich Mir (West IV) - 7,338m/24,075ft. It was
climbed in 1967 by Kurt Diemberger and Dietmar
Proske through the very difficult north face.
Diemberger also made the first circle around the
Tirich Mirs. The purpose was to carry-out
geological survey of the area. His route passed
through Shagram (above Zani pass) Atak Banduk -
Shaikh Naik - Tirich glacier - Ano glacier -
Lower Gazikistan glacier - Arkari valley - Owir
pass - Barum -Lethzom - Atak and back to Shagram.
Another interesting peak in the Tirich Mir range
is un-named with a height of 7,100m/23,294ft.
This peak is situated to the south of Tirich Mir
(Main) peak. It is therefore better to call it
Tirich Mir (South). Yet another interesting peak
of the range is northern spur of Tirich Mir
which is stated to be 7,056m/23,149ft high. It
was climbed in 1965 by Kurt Diemberger, Herwig
Handler and Fritz Lindner of a German - Austrian
expedition.
Tirich Mir (Little) (6,550m/21 ,489ft) can be
considered as the last peak in the Tirich Mir
range. The peak was attempted by Pak-Karakoram
Club expedition in 1951 but was eventually
climbed in 1969 by the British-Pak Army
Mountaineering expedition which was led by Maj.
J. W. Fleming of the British Army. Captain
Mumtaz Khan and Lieutenant Azhar Hussain
represented the Pakistan Army. The party
approached the peak from Chitral via Shogor,
Beshgram, Susum, Lasht and Owir pass, Awi and
South Barum glacier. Captain M.W.H. Day, Captain
R.A. Summerton and Corporal J. Anderson were
able to climb the peak. The party indicates its
height as 6,361m/20,869ft. Tirich Mir still
holds its attraction and lure for enthusiastic
climbers....
Back To Top
|
