Malcolm Bass and Guy Buckingham ventured to conquer the uncharted, a feat of audacity and daring, in the vast and formidable landscape of the Himalayas. Their target: Gangstang, a peak whose pyramidal grandeur brings to mind the iconic Matterhorn. The Italians, in 1945, first ascended it via the South West Ridge, a path that has become the norm. However, the allure of the untrodden path beckoned when Martin Moran and his team, in 2007, unveiled the northern and western aspects of this mountain, creating a partial new route from the west that intersected the normal route at 5850m. Martin's captivating images and infectious enthusiasm for the unexplored Northwest Ridge sparked an irresistible urge in the climbers.
The team, including their Liaison Officer, Parmender Sharma, began their journey by acclimatizing with a climb of Neelkantha, previously known as Thirot Shivling. This rock bastion stands as a sentinel at the tip of Gangstang's Northwest ridge. A noteworthy tip for future adventurers to India: the Indian Mountaineering Foundation now rents bouldering mats to expeditions at a fair rate.
After some respite at base camp, the climbers embarked on their five-day adventure towards the ridge. Their expedition was punctuated by moments of exhilaration and trepidation. They negotiated a couloir onto the North West Ridge, traversed rock and mixed terrain, skillfully navigating through the challenges with an absence of objective danger from above. The Himalayan rock was of good quality, demanding respect and careful management.
They established two camps on the ridge, one of which was precariously perched over a cornice, with everything and everyone securely fastened in various directions. The climbing was challenging but rewarding, with awe-inspiring vistas. A memorable moment occurred on the third day when Guy found himself peering through a hole straight down the vast west face, overhanging the ridgeline by a stunning 5 meters.
Their journey took a harsh turn as they neared the 6000m mark. The weather became hostile, with snow and biting wind threatening their progress. Their ascent turned monotonous and grueling, with the water ice providing a relentless challenge. Fatigue set in, the air thinned, and they pushed through the pain until they finally reached the summit. The joy of reaching the peak, however, was brief, as the weather forced them to quickly descend to camp.
The descent was equally challenging with snow still falling, requiring several abseils, down climbing, and some precarious bum-sliding. Six hours of arduous trekking later, they returned to base camp for some much-needed rest and celebration.
'We were looking for a great Himalayan line to climb and we found it in spades!', Malcolm shared of their adventure. Their successful ascent of Gangstang's Northwest Ridge, a 1500m climb rated ED1 [UK Rock 5a, Scottish 6] between June 7-10, 2016, stands as a testament to their courage and stamina.
Both climbers extend their gratitude to their sponsors and supporters: Montane, The British Mountaineering Council, The Mount Everest Foundation, The Alpine Club, The Austrian Alpine Club, without whom such expeditions would not be possible.