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Adi Kailash Range, Concordia ParbatIndia, Kumaun Himalaya

Steve Kennedy, Andy Nisbet, and I traveled as far as the Nama Glacier as part of a larger group ledby Martin Moran. While he, Michael Page, and Gordon Scott were ascending screes belowCheepaydang, prior to making its first ascent, we left camp on the Nama Glacier and began an ascentof a major northern tributary. We moved slowly to assist our acclimatization, placing two camps a fewhours apart. Above our top camp (ca 5,300m) any further sites appeared to be potentially threatenedby objective danger.

On October 4 we set out at first light for the col at the head of the glacier, hoping to climb a peakdirectly above it. We found a reasonably safe route to the col, and then Steve and I followed a fine,steep, and exposed snow arête to the southwest, crossing moderate rock to the summit of our peak.We had no altimeter, but estimated the height to be 5,850m; our route was AD in difficulty. The nextpeak along the ridge looked to be the same altitude, but we did not go any farther as the rock wasextremely loose. We named our peak Concordia Parbat, as the many-tongued Nama cirque resemblesthe Concordias of the Alps and Karakoram. The northern tributary of the Nama we named JasuliGlacier after a local woman who was famous for her charitable activities in the 18th or 19th century.

The Nama Glacier area is impressive, but future pioneers would benefit from careful study of ourphotos: Despite a large number of mountains, moderate or safe lines appeared quite limited.

-Des Rubens, U.K.

Images

On the north branch of the Nama Glacier (a.k.a. Jasuli Glacier). Concordia Parbat is the pointed peakimmediately left of the col at the head. The climbers ascended to the col and then followed the ridgeto the top.

Looking northeast down Jasuli Glacier, with Gurla Mandhata in the background.

Looking south from the summit of Concordia Parbat. The unnamed, unclimbed foreground peak isapproximately the same height. In center background are the Sela peaks.

Article Details

Author Des Rubens

Publication AAJ

Volume 57

Issue 89

Page 333

Copyright Date 2015

Article Type Climbs and expeditions