EXPEDITION FROZEN ECSTASY
Kuzz Ser I - 5,950m
Touching the peaks of frozen ecstasy | ePaper | DAWN.COM
A two-person Pakistani expedition successfully scaled Kuzz Ser I - 5,950m near the Shimshal
Pass on 17th Feb? 2014, at 11:15 am as a first ascent on a previously un-climbed route
(south face).The team consisted
of: Sikander Ali
Khan (Concordia Trek 2013) & Sa`ad Mohamed (Spantik 7,027m summitter 2012 & Kooksil V 2013) and were assisted by high altitude porters Wazir Baig and
Hajjat Kareem of Shimshal.
The 5,950-meter high mountain is part of the Karakorum Range situated on the west end of the Shimshal Pass standing right across Mingleeg Ser 6,050m and adjacent to the Sher Rock Peaks. The peak has never been attempted in winter and this was a first ascent of the south face.
Expedition Itinerary
1 arrival in Hunza hotel
2 drive to spillway, 1:30 hrs boat x-ing to Gulmit village - jeep ride to Shimshal mehman khana
3 acclimatization in Shimshal (3,200m) & porter arrangement mehman khana
4 5-7 hour?s trek to Passt Furzein (3,650m) shepherd?s hut / camp
5 5-8 hour?s trek to Arbab Preiyn (3,950m) shepherd?s hut / camp
6 5-7 hour?s trek to Shujerav (4,400m) shepherd?s hut / camp
7 rest day and basic ice climbing training on frozen river shepherd?s hut / camp
8 4-5 hr?s trek over Shimshal Pass (4,747m) to Mingleeg Ser High Camp 5,000m shepherd?s hut / camp
9 move to high camp at 3am and summit push on Mingleeg Ser 6,050m at 7am camp at 4,700m
10 summit push on Kuzz Ser 5,950m at 7am and return to Shujerav shepherd?s hut / camp
11 6-10 hour?s trek to Uch Furzein (3,800m) shepherd?s hut / camp
12 7-10 hour?s trek to Shimshal Village mehman khana
13 4-5 hour?s jeep ride to Gulmit - boat x-ing of Atabad Lake & arrival in Hunza hotel
14 3-5 hour?s commute to Gilgit and transfer to hotel hotel
While Simone Moro fixed ropes on the Rupal Face of Nanga Parbet a little known Pakistani expedition to Shimshal was making mountaineering history. The team left Islamabad on 7th February and arrived in Shimshal on 10th February via Hunza and Ataabad Lake.
After spending a couple of nights in Shimshal Village, the team, along with six porters and a cook, left for Shimshal Pass and had established base camp on the fifth day. ?The trekking route is treacherous and one cheats death every step of the way,? There was surprisingly very little snow on the way up to the pass but the rivers, streams and waterfalls were all frozen.
The summit push commenced at 3am on February 16th and the temperature was as low as minus 30 degree Celsius before sunrise. The team got to the high camp at 5,000m around 6am and started the summit push on Mingleeg Ser at 7am. But after climbing for 5 hours
the climbers reached 5,500m and decided to abandon the attempt due to adverse weather conditions. The team made a fast descent and shifted camp to 4,700 at the base of Kuzz Ser after consultation. Me and Saad spent the night at Kuzz Ser base camp and the night time temperature dropped so low that the condensation inside the tent froze onto the ceiling. Sa
ad was unable to ignite his Jet Boil despite several attempts at 2am and settled for orange flavored salt in a cup of fresh powder snow instead.
The 2 high porters arrived early in the morning with breakfast and Me left with them for Kuzz Ser around 7am. Sa`ad decided not to go for the summit push because of aggravated soreness in his ankles; a result of being bitten by his flea market trekking boots. Me and the porter team made it quickly to the top and were on the summit at 11:15am. K2 was visible in the east south east direction from the summit.
We descended from the un-explored north face of the peak.
The team had to negotiate many hurdles on their way to Shimshal including crossing the Ataabad Lake in its semi-frozen state and were delayed on their way back on the Karkaorum Highway, first because of volatile weather on the Ataabad Lake and then due to
a strike near Chilass.