Hardwear Sessions

For myself and the other team stalwart, we push on regardless with our original plan to travel the length of the Batura Glacier and make an attempt of the South Face of Kampire Dior (7142m), and if time allows, the North Face of Sani Pakhush (6457m).. After all, the logistics are in place, our sponsorship intact and (most importantly for me) my five month old titanium right knee seems to be working. My surgeon says I'll be the first person to attempt a 7000m peak with an artificial knee! I wonder if he's right.

And who can resist Kampire Dior- stunningly beautiful, a steep pyramid situated at the very north west tip of the Karakoram Range. A few miles west is the Hindu Kush Range, of Alexander the Great and Eric Newby fame, a few miles north, Afghanistan. How romantic, how exciting is that!

The mountain has only had one successful ascent that I can be sure of, from the west by a group of Japanese climbers back in the 1980's. I can find no record of it having been attempted from the south, but that's not to say someone hasn't given it a go. My main source of information is Wolfgang Heichel's invaluable publication, "Chronique der Irshliedung des Karakoram: Teil; Western Karakoram" (Haus des Alpinistnus, Pruaterinel Alpine Museum; 2003).

The main attraction of this NW corner of the Karakoram, as opposed to the more popular K2/Baltoro/Gasherbrum region to the south east which draws 95 percent of what climbers still make it to Pakistan, is the remoteness. For me that is. There is little chance of meeting another party of climbers, endless scope for first ascents, and guaranteed time to reflect, read and dream without the distraction of a multi-national crowd of alpinists battling it out on the same mountain. That is when you aren't busy trying to climb the peak! Obviously not everyone's cup of tea, as discovered when trying to get a team together. It's nice to have other parties around, to socialize with on rest days and for reassurance in case something goes wrong on the mountain. This is all true...but I'm quite happy reading my book on my rest days. Or chatting with Baig, our 'guide' on the two previous expeditions and who will be coming again. What better insight into the complications of a country like Pakistan than from an educated, liberal Pakistani man who's main aim in life is to get his six children, including the three girls, through university degrees. "Then they will have a better life," he says.

If westerners, including climbers, baulk at going to Pakistan because of the behavior of the Taliban, then the extremists are getting their way. And those of the population who make their living supporting the tourism/ climbing industry, loose out. That's my view anyway. So I'm hoping our expedition goes ahead in its original format- four of New Zealand's better alpinists tackling a remote, high and technical peak, employing upward of 40 local porters and service from a company with a lengthy history of supporting international expeditions. Who knows, we might even get to the top!