Region: Pakistan

Jay Piggott & Jonathan Clearwater from NZ, Jeremy Frimer from Canada and Samuel Johnson from USA (July-August 2005)

This team hoped to make the first ascent of the stunning 2000m line on the NE Buttress of Uli Biaho (6109m) in pure Alpine style: however, on arrival at its foot they realised why it remained unclimbed - a 60m summit mushroom avalanched down the face several times each day, making the route completely unjustifiable. An attempt on the mountain's S Ridge took them within 400m of the summit before a storm forced a retreat. Three expedition members then made the first ascent of a 1600m rock route (VI; 5.11; A2 AI3; M5) on the SW Ridge of Trango II (6327m), which they named Severance Ridge.