FIRST ASCENT OF ALI RATNT TIBBA, 1969

[Reprinted by kind permission from the Alpine Journal]

FRED HARPER

APPROACHES in Kulu are short and it took us only four days from our roadhead at Jari to march up the beautiful Malana nala to our Base Camp at the snout of the Ali Ratni Tibba west glacier at about 11,000 feet (map at A J., 71, 237). It gave a splendid southerly view up the glacier to our objective, a great stark granite pillar rearing 5,000 vertical feet above the upper glacier at 13,000 feet. Resting at Base Camp, sorting out loads for carrying up the glacier to our Advanced Base two miles up the glacier at the foot of the mountain, we had lots of time to be suitably impressed with its appearance and to plan a tentative route up it by the West face and then by the West ridge to the summit.

Before we left Scotland we had had a good deal of advice concerning the period of best weather, but this advice conflicted so we had decided to make the earliest possible entry to the mountains in order to have the whole pre-monsoon season if necessary. Thus we set up Base Camp on 10 May just in time for a week-long period of really bad weather, during which time it snowed continuously. No doubt we had come too early, but not much, as we eventually waded out of Base on 16 May for Advanced Base.

We put Advanced Base in the centre of the glacier, well away from the considerable wet snow and powder avalanches pouring from the valley walls. In six days we had three tents up there and enough food to last five of us for at least 14 days, long enough we reckoned to climb Ali Ratni Tibba as well as one or two of our minor objectives.

While reconnoitring the approach to the foot of the Ramp on Ali Ratni Jim McArtney went through a crust-covered crevasse, falling about 60 feet and cracking two ribs. He was lucky indeed to get away with so little damage, though for him any thought of climbing had to be discarded and off he staggered with Wangyal and Zangbo, our two Ladakhi porters, to recuperate in the far- off Kulu Valley.

Photo: D. Nicoll

One of the Unclimbed Manikaren spires

Photo: D. Nicoll

Ali Ratni tibba from the North, showing the west ridge on thr right

Photo: C. Radcliffe

On the summit of Ali Ratni Tibba- looking west to one of the unclimbed Manikaren spires (c.
17,000 ft.) left to right: Dave Nicoll, Marjorie-Anne Harper and fred Harper

Jim's accident galvanized us into action and that same evening, 24 May, we packed four days' bivouac gear and food, leaving for the climb at 3 a.m. on 25 May.

By 8.30 a.m. we had completed the steep snow Ramp and were standing at the foot of the West ridge taking in the splendour of a sparkling dawn. Already 3,000 feet of climbing was complete, though it had been very straightforward cramponing on which we had moved together.

From the foot of the West ridge we could see little of the whole ridge, 4,000 feet long, but only the lower parts, which were our immediate concern. Setting to work on the steep red granite was cold work on the fingers, and we made slow progress on the first few pitches, which seemed quite hard, about IV. Nevertheless, we began to move fast over the steep little ice-fields and up the horizontal bands of granite separating the ice. The climbing was always interesting and we pressed on hard, until at 4 p.m. we collapsed, exhausted by a hard day's work with heavy packs, on what seemed the only likely bivouac site for a long way ahead. As ever, it was pleasant only in retrospect. A long night fighting for comfort and sleep, neither of which ever really came, until eventually the arrival of a chill black dawn put an end to inaction, discomfort and cold. After a rushed breakfast we were off again for the last 1,000 feet to the summit.

We had a blissful hour lying there by the topmost granite blade until the western sky was flecked with cirrus and the time had come to go. We abseiled all the way to the top of the Ramp and then south over the great South face slabs to the neve of the glacier. Snowing now and cold, it was not good for a night out, so we pressed on to Advanced Base, and were brewing there by 9 p.m.

Gallons of tea and soup and ifs all over now, the thing is done happily and satisfactorily. No fixing, all free as the wind. Elegant and first, still friends, what's more—even the food was always good.

Summary—Punjab Himalaya, Kulu. Ali Ratni Tibba, 18,013 feet. First ascent 26 May 1969, by West ridge. F. Harper, Mrs. M. A. Harper, D. Nicoll, C. Radcliffe: J. McArtney retired at foot of mountain through injury. Technical standard of the rock often III with occasional IV; snow and ice broadly compar¬able. Route length: 8,000 feet. Vertical height of final climb: 5,000 feet. See A.j., 71, 246, for 1966 reconnaissance.

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