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Pakistan has
the greatest collection of big walls in the world. The reason
for this is Pakistan's tectonic history and geographic location.
North Pakistan preserves the volcanic rocks of the Kohistan
Volcanic Arc. Large bubbles of magma (batholiths) cooled to form
large granite bodies. Uplift of the Himalaya exposed these
metamorphic and igneous rocks. These granite, gneiss and
quartzite outcrops were then carved by large glaciers into big
walls. Pakistan has a higher latitude than neighboring India and
Nepal and therefore has larger glaciers and the biggest walls in
the world.
The
Baltoro Big Walls
The bigwalls along the Baltoro (Trango Towers, Cathedral, Biale
and others) have received attention from world class climbers.
Recently Josh Wharton and Kelly Cordes climbed the Flame and put
up a speed ascent record on the "Azeem Ridge" on Great Trango.
However challenges still remain. The Lobsang Spires and
Biarchedi towers are still unclimbed.
The
Lobsang Spires
Biarchedi Towers
Shigar
Valley
This is
an area of granite bigwalls that has yet to see any ascents. In
recent years the Charakusa valley bigwalls have seen several
first ascents by Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and others. This year
Steve House did a solo ascent of K7. However the bigwalls of
Shigar valley that are logistically easy to access remain
unclimbed.
Unclimbed walls of the Shigar Valley
Thalle
Valley
Thalle
valley lies adjacent to the Braldu valley and has received no
attention from climbers.
Thalle valley walls
Deosai
Mountains
Geologic
maps of this area show a large batholith , and topographic maps
show large relief. During an aerial survey I have identified at
least 4-5 world class big walls that I will explore in August
2007. Check out an aerial shot of this unnamed rock tower in the
meantime.
19,000 foot
unnamed rock
tower from the air
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