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Report by Mark Richey:
2nd September 2001

Location:
Reconnaissance Phunangma Glacier

On the morning of Sept 1 a team of 8 left BC and headed up the Moraine towards the Phunangma Glacier with the objective of locating an ABC on or near the glacier and to make an initial recce of the surrounding peaks and glaciers. Upon reaching the top of the first knoll we were treated to an impressive view up the length of the glacier and its immediate peaks. With great excitement we checked out the most obvious routes on the peaks we could see and for purposes of identification gave temporary names to the most prominent. At the eastern end of the glacier rises a most impressive peak of 6450m. It's slender pyramidal shape inspired the temporary name of Cayesh after the Peruvian summit. Going west from .6540 a wall of steep ice and rock approximately 500 metres high defines the Southern edge of the Phunangma and is punctuated by two lovely peaks .6082 and .6041. A perfect rock rib rising directly to .6082 reminded us of the Walker Spur. At the Western end of the Phunangma Glacier are two massive triangular peaks with great north faces. The left hand, .6218 we have named the Eiger and it presents a superb direct line to the summit of some thousand metres.

Continuing up the moraine, approximately 5km from base camp we reached a point where the Phunangma branches. To the left the glacier ascends up moderate terrain towards .6789 the highest mountain in the range. We have4 named this peak Argan Kangri - Argan after the valley we have ascended and Kangri meaning mountain. All final names of the peaks climbed or observed will be in the local language with local significance.

To the right of Argan Kangri is another imposing peak .6544 with complex ridges and glaciers.

We chose two locations for ABC, one in the middle of the Phunangma Glacier on a strip of moraine at approximately 5400m which offers good access to the aforementioned peaks. A second ABC was selected to the north west approximately 1km away on a grassy moraine near the snout of the subsidiary glacier we have names the Nono Glacier. This camp will give good access to Peaks .6317, .6092, and 6265 which lie in a compact cirque north of the Phunangma Glacier.

Finally by 3.30pm all members had returned to BC tired from the long walk but enthusiastic about the climbs ahead.

Click map for larger view

On the map, AB1 is the camp of Harish Kapadia, Divyesh Muni, Cyrus Schroff, Satya Dam and Vrijendra Lingwal, our liaison officer. They will explore the Nono Glacier Basin and attempt the peaks around it. AB2 will be the camp of Chris Bonington, Jim Lowther, Mark Richey and Mark Wilford who will attempt climbs on the peaks of the steep southern flank of the Phunangma glacier. Both groups move up to their respective camps tmorrow (3 Sep), will climb for about a week, have a rest and will then probably make a joint ascent of Argan Kangri, which we have named .6789 the highest peak of the massif.

The impressive .6540 (Cayesh)towering above the Phunangma Glacier

Sherpa Samgyal and Chris Bonington at the site of advance base 2, on the Phunangma Glacier which was recced on 1 Sep. It is at a height of 6400m and Argan Kangri, highest peak of the range is immediately behind them.