Brakk Zang: new route by Stucchi, Davila, Lazzarini, Colnago

From 12 -14/08/2004 Silvestro Stucchi, Elena Davila, Anna Lazzarini and Enea Colnago made the first ascent of "Hasta la vista David" (VI+, A1), a new 750m route up the SW Face of Brakk Zang (Baltistan-Pakistan).

PlanetMountain.com

September 2004

Traduci in

At the end of August Silvestro Stucchi, Elena Davila, Anna Lazzarini and Enea Colnago completed a new line up the remote SW Face of Brakk Zang (4800m). The 750m "Hasta la vista David" is graded VI+, A1 and is dedicated to the a Spanish climber who died whilst attempting nearby Mt. Drifika (6447m).

Brakk Zang is located in the Nagma valley, two days walk from Kande (Karakorum - Pakistan), and was first climbed by SÃ¬lvia Vidal e Pep Masip in 1998 up the SE face. The four Italians established BC at 4300m - on a field with fresh water nearby. An ideal summer holiday, far from the madding crowds...

Brakk Zang (Baltistan-Pakistan)

Hasta la vista David
Augost 2004, Karakorum - Pakistan

"The practice is the same as usual: twenty days available, organisation as complete as possible from home (Elena is indispensible), search for unknown walls, climb a new line. This is how âHasta la vista Davidâ came to life on the SW Face of Brakk Zang. The route is 750 long and the climbing varies considerably throughout: chimneys, large cracks, corners and slabs. On the whole the granite is solid, except for some sections with expanding flakes.

Brakk Zang (4800m) is located in a relatively unknown corner of the Karakorum. There are some routes on the South and SE Face, but their line of ascent is unknown. The mountain was first ascended by the Catalans SÃ¬lvia Vidal and Pep Masip in 1998 via the SE Face. It can be reached easily: first get to Hushe, then continue up the Nangma Valley to Brakk Zang. We needed two days to reach BC at 4300m, and this also serves as BC for the more famous Amin Brakk.

We spent three days on the wall, and another three days to fix the first 250m. The route can be divided up into three sections: starting slabs soon steepen and become vertical in the central section, to then ease off towards the top. The base of the route is ideally located, just 15 minutes walk from BC.

We shared BC with a group of Spanish mountaineers. Unfortunately while they were climbing Drifika (a 6000m snow and ice pyramid) a serac collapsed and buried the climbers. David, the youngest, died as a result. It was an intense shock for us, even if we had only just met him. But his name is now etched in this valley and we'll never forget him. Hasta la vista David!"

by Silvestro Stucchi

Portfolio

KARAKORUM
BRAKK ZANG (4800m)
HASTA LA VISTA DAVID
SW Face
FA: Silvestro Stucchi, Elena Davila, Anna Lazzarini, Enea Colnago , 12-14 August 2004 after having fixed the first 250m Length: 750m
Grade: 6+/A1
Gear: two 60m ropes, two sets of Camalots up to #5 , Kb's, La's, Angle's

"Hasta la vista David"
P1: Start at the lowest section of the SW face, close to a leftwards slanting ramp that leads to a chimny.
P2: continue up the chimney IV+
P3: chimney and crack on right V
P4: climb to the roof, follow this right amd continue up the crack V/A1
P5: chimney and crack on right VI
P6: leftwards slanting slab V
P7: traverse ledge to bolt III
P8: chimney to the right of the bolt VI+
P9: leftwards pendulum and crack VI/A1
P10: continue up crack, small pendulum left where crack becomes thinner V/A1
P11: don't climb the corner, but rightwards up flakes VI
P12: expanding crack A1
P13: corner A1
P14: cracks leading left to corner V+
P15: corner IV+
P16: traverse ledge left and climb ramp III/IV
P17-18: easy scramble to summit III/IV