Mick Fowler Climbs New Himalaya Route
Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden have made the first ascent of the northeast face Hagshu in the Indian Himalaya.
Last year, the pair climbed the 6,451-metre peak Kishtwar Kailash. The mountain lies in a remote valley and is the highest peak in East Kishtwar. Fowler and Ramsden reached the summit by a route on its 1,500-metre southwest face. Kishtwar Kailash was the subject of one previous expedition, in 1989, and the last time mountaineers visited the valley was 1991. After that, political troubles closed the area from 1994 until last year. The area was re-opened to climbers in 2012, giving Fowler the opportunity to put together an expedition.
Berghaus has reported that in Oct. 2014, Fowler and Ramsden returned to the Kishtwar. Initially setting out to climb the north face of Hagshu, the pair had secured the permit to make that attempt.
However, an apparent administrative mix–up provided an opening to the Slovenian team of Marko Prezelj, Luka Lindie and Ales Cesen, who were already established on the British team’s planned line by the time they were acclimatised and ready for action. Instead, Fowler and Ramsden turned their attention to the equally appealing north east face and successfully reached the summit on Oct. 6.
They arrived back at base camp six days after setting out.
After numerous attempts it was first climbed (twice) in 1989. Between then and this year, it had been attempted on several occasions, but with no success.
Fowler said after the climb, ““Now we have spotted something else of interest while on Hagshu. The Himalaya just keeps on giving. It’s a great time to be a Himalayan alpinist.”
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