MASHABRUM K-1

In 1856, Captain Thomas George Montgomerie of the Survey of India sighted a cluster of high peaks from a survey point 1 37 miles away. He took measurements and entered them in his log book as K-I, K-2, K-3, and K-4 and so on — “K” standing for the Karakoram Range. Later K-i turned out to be Masherbrum peak. James Wailer and his party attempted this peak in 1938 from the Hushe and Shyok valleys and set up camp V at about 6,858m. Camp VI was set up at about 7163m. On the 16th June, J.B. Harrison, R A. Hodgkin and Dawa Tsering climbed, in deep snow, the south face of the main peak at an estimated height of 7,498m and set up camp Vii. On the 17th June, Harrison and Hodgkin reached an estimated height of 7,620m but were exhausted. Wind and cold forced them back to camp VII which was hit by an avalanche that night. They, therefore, abandoned it and fought their way back towards camp VI which they found after spending the night in a crevasse. Both men were badly frost-bitten. Harrison lost all his toes and most of his fingers. The pair was, however, able to discover a potential route to the summit for the benefit of future mountaineers. In 1955, a large New Zealand expedition tried to climb the peak by the 1938-route of Wailer’s expedition. The party reached the plateau between Serac peak and Masherbrum. Several members were hit by an avalanche but luckily no one was seriously hurt. One porter, however, died of pneumonia. The attempt was abandoned. The party was of the opinion that upper part of the route, as recommended by the 1938-party, was not feasible. They felt that altitudes’ estimates of WaIler’s expedition were too high and that the expedition did not reach 7,620m. The 1955-party also thought that Masherbrum was a very difficult mountain to climb. It was also in 1955 that members of the Harvard Mountaineering Club, U.S.A.visited Masherbrum glacier. In 1957, members of the Rucksack Club reached a height of 7,681 m on the mountain. They lost one member; one porter also fell seriously ill and ultimately the mission was given up. At long last the peak was climbed, in 1960 by Pak-American expedition. Dr. George Bell was its leader and N.B. Clinch its director. Willi Unsoeld and George Bell were the first summit team.