Region: Pakistan

John Arran & Anne Arran (July-August 2007)

Although only two days march from Kande and thus a fairly popular area, the Nangma valley still offers opportunities for exploration plus some very serious rock climbing - for those who dare! The unclimbed East face of Shingu Charpa (aka The Great Tower, 5600m) is one such, and was initially the main objective of what was to be a 3-person team. However, when one member withdrew, the remaining pair felt it better to concentrate on other routes. On these they were very successful, firstly in freeing the Czech aid route ‘Bloody Mary’ on Denbor Braak (4800m) and establishing a new climb ‘Welcome to Crackistan’ on the granite spire of Zang Braak (also 4800m). Using a portaledge on both, the routes - each with pitches of 5.12d - took seven and nine days respectively, completion of the latter being accelerated when they ran out of food. With a wealth of experience for comparison, they considered it to be one of the most continuous hard jamming routes on any big wall.