KOREAN NANGMAH TOWER EXPEDITION LEADER KYUNG-MO KOO
Koreans record first ascent on Nangmah Tower
JULY30-2000
By
Asem Mustafa Awan
ISLAMABAD
— Six member Korean expedition from Corean Alpine Club will be leaving
for home on Monday (today) after making the first ascent of Great Tower in
Nangmah Valley in adverse weather conditions.
The
Great Tower called 'Shenggo Chitapa' in Balti language offered an altitude
of 5600 metres and Koreans made the first ascent on the West Face of the
tower.
Thirty-eight
year old Kyung-Mo Koo led the team in which one of the summitters suffered
a minor frost bite on the feet.
Kyung-Mo
Koo visiting Pakistan for the first time has been on Everest South West
Face (7500 metres) Kanchenjunnga (7500 metres) in 1991 and 1999. He has
the summits of Mount McKinley in North America besides Korjenfskaya and
Kommunism in Pamir.
Song-Woo
Kang a mountaineering instructor by profession and a veteran of Everest
West Ridge expedition in 1989 (reached 8000 metres) spoke on behalf of the
expedition.
He
said it was a very difficult climb and three members made the summit on
July 23 at 9:52 am grading the climb (5.11 A2)."
"It
rained continuously and the sun during the seven days of climb
came only for less than two hours."
He
said," The climbers in all made six bivouacs to the top from 4800
metres at the end of the couloir to the top at 5600 metres."
The
expedition a veteran of number of climbs to Pakistan were jubilant about
their first ascent and termed the route on the peak K-1 (Korean Millennium
First Ascent).
The
three summitters also had one thing in common and it was that they were
together on number of climbs.
The
three attempted Gasherbrum IV in 1997 and out of the three Jung-Ho Bang
(32) made the summit of G-IV (1997) while the other two summitters of
Great Tower, Dong-Chul Shin (31) and Young-Soon Hwang managed to reach
Camp 3 at 7200 metres on G-IV.
The
three also attempted Amin Brakk 5850 metres in 1999 but bad weather forced
them to come down from 5600 metres.
The
team started their Great Tower quest on July 16 at 3:00 am from the Base
Camp at 3800 metres in the Nangmah Valley and after crossing the snow
gully (couloir) that ends at 4800 in which the climbers fixed 700 metres
of ropes the team was on the West Face of Great Tower.
"It
took us six bivouacs to make the top and come down on the seventh day on
July 24 at 2:00 am to the Base Camp at 3800 metres," said Song-Woo
Kang.
"The
climb was also very dangerous as it rained and snow and secondly there
were too many of rock falls on the route. The last 200 metres near
vertical had small edges that were constantly cutting the ropes."
"We
are happy that we all came down in one piece."
Yoo-Dong
Cho (38) was the sixth member of team who had summit of Ak-Su in
Kirghystan and an attempt on Ama Dablam in Nepal.
The
expedition leaves for home today.
CAPTION1:
Dong-Chul Shin (Blue Collar) ----------------- SP1--------TIF
CAPTION2:
Young-Soon Hwang (Glasses) --------------- SP2---------TIF
CAPTION3:
Jung-Ho Bang (Black Sweat Shirt) ----------- SP3--------TIF