Region: China and Tibet

John Town with Kevin Clarke, Mike Dawber and Richard Sant (July-August 2007)

Maps of remote areas can be most unreliable, with different heights – and names – being allocated to the same peaks. From several maps, this team spotted an unclimbed peak about 100km SW of Gertse (aka Lumaringpo) in Northern Tibet, variously marked as Peak 6704 and Peak 7200, and planned to make a reconnaissance and hopefully its first ascent. Satellite and Google Earth pictures proved helpful on their approach to the area from the north, and they were able to drive to a base camp at c.5000m, from which they progressed via easy slopes to a camp at 6017m in the centre of a glacier. Although they did not expect to encounter Monsoon conditions in this area, heavy snowfall suggested otherwise, and they triggered a number of massive snow slides which warned them of the danger in progressing any further. Although they did not have an opportunity to confirm the true height of the peak – known to locals as Tachab Kangri - they were convinced that the greater height was most unrealistic.

AWAITING FINAL REPORT FOR MORE INFORMATION