THE 1975 NORTH OF ENGLAND HIMALAYA EXPEDITION

PAUL BEAN

PAUL BEAN, wife Dawn Bean, Mike Hosted, Mike Anderson and Terry Funk (Swiss) arrived in Kabul on 15 June after a slow and eventful drive along the now well-known Himalayan Highway. Formalities were quickly dealt with and we took our transit north to the end of the surfaced road at Kunduz and 4 days later we had covered the 150 miles of advenutre to Eshkashem.

Our chosen area lay one long tiring day south up the Darrahe Khaspak and then into the Darrahe Qalat. The valley terminates in a glacier below the north face of Sad Ishtragh.

During the first 10 days bad weather prevented us from doing anything ambitious but we did manage to check the existing map (Polish Expedition Survey, J. Wala) and explore the many side valleys for potential climbs. During the reconnaissance period we made the minor first ascents of Wala 37 (4350 m.) and Sakhe Safed (4872 m.). We also discovered an ice pass at 4885 m. that leads from the head of the Darrahe Qalat into its easterly neighbour the Darrahe Syarpalas. Later the pass received its first traverse in the opposite direction. The weather cleared on 18 July and before descending to Eshkashem on July 27 we made the following first ascents using a camp in the head of the Darrahe Qalat then a bivouac below the peak itself.

Kohe Nova (Wala 93) 5200 m. East Face.—P. Bean, D. Bean, 19 July.

Kohe Barabar (Wala 94) 5050 m. South Couloir—P. Bean, D. Bean, 20 July.

Kohe Akhery (Wala 98) 5100 m. North Face—M. Hosted, T. Funk 24 July.

Then from a bivi above Base Camp the second ascent of Kohe Habib (Wala 107) West Ridge—P. Bean, M. Anderson, 24 July.

We stayed in Kabul to give the monsoon time to end (it didn't) and arrived in the Kulu valley to find the area looking very damp. John Darling and Ernie Shield flew out to join us. Mike Anderson left us and Dawn had to stay in the valley due to some mysterious illness. We were also joined by local Sherpa Rinzing who proved to be an excellent companion.
We had chosen the East Tos glacier as our second expedition with approach via the Parbati valley. The area lies east of Indrasan and south of the Bara Shigri.

Leaving Kulu on 2 September we drove up on the local bus in miserable weather to the roadhead at Kasol then in very easy stages to Base Camp at the snout of the dirt choked Tos glacier. The monsoon went on so long that we began to think it would run into winter. For over 3 weeks we were mainly base bound but did manage to get a camp stocked up with 2 weeks food on the East Tos glacier below White Sail. We also made minor first ascents of 2 peaks to the east and west of base camp as well as making interesting observations of the beautiful little group of peaks to the south of the East Tos glacier. Camp 1 was finally occupied on 20 September and after one false start due to bad weather John Darling, Ernie Shield and Paul Bean made the first ascent of Tiger Tooth (5880 m.). It involved 2 Bivi Camps, one at the head of the East Tos glacier and one over a ridge we called the barrier in the upper Tichu glacier basin. The route then went up to a col and up the peak's west ridge. 11.00 a.m. 28 Septem¬ber grade AD. On 30 September Mike Hosted, Terry Funk and Rinzing left a camp above on icefall made the first ascent of a peak they named Angdu Ri (5800 m.) grade AD. Its the westerly peak of a pair that stand between White Sail and Pt. 20495 and the route gained a col between the peaks then followed the east ridge to the summit which was reached at 3.30 p.m. To finish the expedition off John and Rinzing made the first ascent of a peak East of and adjoining point 20495 which John named Ringzing height 4880 m. grade D inf. They left the bivi camp, Climbed up steep slopes to a col then in terrible snow conditions up the West ridge to the summit which they reached at 12.00. The ascent marked the start of a deterioration in the weather and an attempt on a peak above and east of Robert col by Mike and Terry failed through deep snow and an approaching storm. Base Camp was left and the expedition reached the Kulu valley on 12 October.

EXPEDITIONS 1973-1975

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