CARLISLE MOUNTAINEERING CLUB HIMALAYAN EXPEDITION, 1977.

The Kishtwar 77 Carlisle Mountaineering Club Himalayan Expedition made the
first ascent of a previously unclimbed unnamed peak in the Kishtvar Himalaya
during Septemher/Octoher 1977* The mountain is, at 20,970ft,one of the highest
of several (all unclimbed) peaks on the north side of the Kiar Nullah. The
team met with many frustrations in the early part of the expedition, such as a
six day delay in one village before porters and ponies became available, and
finding it necessary to construct a "Tyrolean" traverse across a raging glacier
torrent between Base Camp and the Advanced Base Camps. The summit was reached
by Roy May, solo, after his companions on the summit bid, Roger Burrow and
Peter McDonald, turned back due to a harrowing involvement in a slab avalanche
close to the top. The other member of the Unnamed Peak team was Malcolm Miller.
Roy made the ascent on 7 October, his birthday, so the peak has been named
Janam - Urdu for "birth". This is subject to ratification by the Indian
Authorities.
Meanwhile six other members of the expedition made an attempt on Sickle Moon
(21,570ft), the highest peak in the Massif. The mountain has had one ascent
to date, by a 26-man Indian Army expedition in 1975• The Carlisleteam tackled
a new route on the North West (Sarbal Glacier) Face.The final summit push
was made between 8 and 10 October by Robin Andrews, Martin Bennett, Stuart
Hepburn and Bill Hodgson, supported by Arthur Grout and Peter Thompson. Difficult
rock and ice climbing meant slow progress and on the third day a high point of
around 19,000ft was reached at the point where the Curved Rib, followed by the
route, abuts against the South West Ridge. The major difficulties had been
overcome but, with a lot of easier ground still to cover, worsening weather and
very little food and fuel left a retreat to Camp 1 was inevitable.
No time was left for a further attempt as porters had already been arranged for
the outward march - the mountain had to be cleared and Base Camp evacuated by
12 September.