KINYANG KISH

In 1 925, a strong survey-cum-exploratory team led by Dr. P.C. Visser ascended half of Kunyang glacier. Subsequently in 1962, a British-Pakistan Karakoram expedition, under the joint leadership of Major E. James E. Mills of Britain and Captain Javed Akhtar of Pakistan, tried to climb Kunyang Kish (Main) from south-east ridge. It was on the 18th July, that Major Mills and Captain M.RE Jones, while preparing the route at about 6,096m/ were struck by an avalanche which swept them to their death l, 524m below on Pumari Kish glacier. In 1965, a Tokyo University Ski Alpine Club expedition, led by Dr. Hirotsugu Shiraki, attempted to climb the peak through Kunyang glacier but could not find a route. The party tried to climb the peak from the south ridge and set up a base camp near Hispar glacier. It was at camp IV that a snow-storm forced the party to be confined there for nine days. The party complains of difficult rocks, ice walls, sharp knife-edged ridges with complicated cornices and crevasses all the way up to camp VIII. Earlier, on way to camp VIII a narrow serac suddenly collapsed and one member, Takeo Nakamura, fell down towards Kunyang glacier. All climbers then rushed back for searching his body but to no avail. The expedition was, therefore, called off in August, 1965. In 1971, a 13-member Polish expedition led by Andrzej Zawada started climbing the peak from Pumari Kish glacier for approaching the south ridge. After staying for the night at a bivouac, the party reached the peak on the 26th August. In this way Kunyang Kish/Main 7,852m was climbed at the cost of one person, Jan Franczuc, who was killed by a fall into a crevasse above camp III. In addition to Kunyang Kish (Main) peak, which is 7,852m high, the other subsidiary peaks in the range are Kunyang Kish south 7,620m, Kunyang Kish west 7,500m, Kunyang Kish east 7,400m, Kunyang Kish south east (7,320m) and Kunyang Kish north 7,108m.