Hagshu 2014: New route up the north face

For an expedition to the Himalaya, scaling the desired peak is not always the only challenge; the red-tape quagmire just getting to the base often feels just as difficult. In October 2014, Luca Lindic, Marko Prezelj, and Aleš Česen established a new route up the north face of Hagshu (6657m). As fate would have it, this was not their first, second, or even third… but fourth choice of summits to climb after permit headaches left them dumbfounded. Luka tells us about their trials and tribulations with Indian authorities, about their adventures to India's Kishtwar Himalaya, and about the three new routes they established.

The summit ridge to the top of Hagshu

Permission to climb aboard

In 2009 I went climbing India for the first time, accompanied by partners Marko Prezelj and Rok Blagus. We climbed three new routes on three of the four Bhagirathi peaks. Over the last five years, I almost forgot how stressful it was during the weeks prior to our departure to India in 2009. After receiving notice just two weeks before our flight that our application to climb Rimo III had been denied, only our intense desire to go climbing made the trip to Bhagirathi possible. This year, Marko Prezelj, Aleš Česen, and I were motivated enough to try once again. After a failed attempt to obtain a permit for Phola Gangchen in Tibet, from where we fled heavy snow storms last year, we focused our attention on India's Rimo III. Last year a British expedition attempted to climb the peak. We and our agency, Rimo Expeditions, confidently expected to obtain a permit from the IMF (Indian Mountaineering Foundation). However, in May we received information that the British team, who wanted to make another attempt, was denied a permit and that our fate would certainly be the same. We were surprised, since there was no clear reason for the refusal. Far too motivated to consider canceling the expedition, we made the safe bet and applied for a permit to climb Mukut Parbat. After purchasing our airfare, the typical trip preparation and organization began. Once again, just a few weeks before our departure, we received another unpleasant surprise. "You should try something else," was the clear message from the IMF. Confused and unsure of what to do next, it was hard to imagine everything falling through given the energy we had already invested. Our agency recommended Hagshu among the list of open peaks in Zanskar.

Lagan Peak and Hana's Men: Two new routes to acclimatize

On the rocky summit of Lagan Peak

With little information in hand, and even less pressure, we made our way to Zanskar. Just prior to leaving, we heard through the grapevine that Mick Fowler and Paul Ramsden also wanted to attempt the north face of Hagshu. This did not bother us at all since we were now down to our fourth choice following all of our permit mishaps. We quickly arranged the necessary logistics and supplies in Delhi and Leh, and then started the two-day drive to Akshow village. After Another two days of walking we arrived in base camp. The views of Hagshu were amazing; it is a very aesthetically shaped mountain.

Over the next few days, we started exploring the way to the base of the mountain and began the process of acclimatizing. For our initial adventure to adapt to the high altitude, we made the first ascent of the sharp ridge to the 5750m summit of "Lagan" (name given by the locals). The three day trip from base camp delivered much more than we had initially bargained for. The knife-edge ridge included some very dicey pitches, and the whole route proved longer than expected. Once back in base camp, we knew what was next on the climbing agenda.

After two days spent resting in base camp we continued our acclimatization. Once advanced base camp was set up on the glacier below Hagshu, we ventured towards west face of Hana’s Men (6300m). In three hours we had crossed the glacier to the base of the face. For the first section we climbed a snow gully, where good snow enabled us to move fast. We followed a logical line of snow-covered ramps, and with just a few rocky steps we reached a rocky rib that led to the summit ridge. On the rib we enjoyed some really fun climbing on solid rock. Our bivouac was located on the ridgeline at 6200m, with great views of nearby Hagshu. The next morning we climbed to the north summit and then descended down the northeast face. The very same afternoon we descended all the way the base camp. Now perfectly acclimatized, we needed only few days of rest before tackling Hagshu. Three days later made the trek back up to advanced base camp.

The north face of Hagshu: great climbing, great weather

The three of us prepared for a light and fast alpine style ascent of Hagshu's north face. We took a two-person tent, two sleeping bags, a stove, and food for two nights. At three in the morning we left advanced base camp, and after a three-hour approach we were already climbing up the steep snow slope at the bottom of the face. Deep snow slowed us down on the first section, but as we gained elevation the conditions significantly improved and we were able to climb fast and unroped all the way to the steepest part of the face.

Starting up Hagshu's north face

Several pitches of steep ice followed. The ice was polished from the spindrifts and as brittle as glass. These same conditions continued through the upper part of the face where we had initially expected to move fast. On this steep icy terrain we made several unsuccessful attempts at trying to find a place to bivy. At 02:00 in the morning, following 23 hours of breaking trail and climbing, we finally reached a narrow ridge at 6320m where we placed our tent and fell right to sleep. After sleeping until noon the next day to recharge our batteries, the warm early-afternoon sun helped us to start moving again.

Summit ridge up, summit ridge down

We found a good section through the last rocky step and were soon standing on the north summit of Hagshu. From there we followed a long ridgeline, breaking trail to the main summit, which we reached at five in the evening. The good weather continued, and with only an hour or so of light left we decided to spend the night just 10 meters below the summit. The next morning blessed us with crystal-clear skies as we started our descent down the Polish route, located on the other side of the mountain. This great route established 1989 includes some very steep rock towers with airy rappels. We needed the entire day to descend to advanced base camp.

Once back in base camp we met up with the British team. Mick and Paul climbed a new route in northeast face of Hagshu just few days after our ascent, and then followed our tracks to the summit and down the other side. What a strange coincidence for two teams to climb the same face at the same time after several years passing without a single attempt. As always, the mountain offered plenty of room for everyone.

Our three climbs during the expedition:

We measured the summit elevations with our GPS

• 17.9.2014 "Lazan" (5750m), East Ridge, TD-, max M5, 700m (2000m long), 8hrs, first ascent
• 24.9.2014 Hana's men (6300m), West Face, TD, max IV, 1100m, 6hrs+4hrs, first ascent
• 30.9.2014 Hagshu (6657m), North Face, ED, 70°-90° III, 1350m, 20hrs+4.5hrs, first ascent

New route on Hagshu's north face