DIRAN PEAK EXPEDITION (7,272M)

Diran Peak is a beautiful mountain in the Karakoram range of Northern Pakistan. It is in the region of Rakaposhi and Haramosh mountains near the Minapin, Hinarchi, and Baultar glaciers and is easily accessible because of the Karakoram Highway. There is some confusion about its height, but now all agree that it is 7,272 meters. A fascinating peak, it dominates the Gilgit valley and adds special color to its otherwise rugged beauty.

A three-member Austrian expedition, which included Rainer Goschl, Rudolph Pischinger, and Hanns Schell, decided to try their luck on Diran in 1968 after being refused permission to climb Kampire Dior peak. They set up Camp 1 at 4,800 meters. Big crevasses, inclement weather, and deep snow were recorded between Camps I and II. It was from Camp III that the party was able to reach the peak, which they termed a “big summit plateau.” The 1958 British expedition to Diran Peak failed to climb it from the north-west face because its leader, E.G.C. Warr, and a member, F.C. Hoyte, were struck by a storm and disappeared when only 300 feet from the summit. On June 9th, one member, Erwin Stocker, and one porter reached an 18,000-foot col situated to the north of Diran. Subsequently, the party reached a place that was less than one thousand feet short of the north-west face of the summit. In 1964, an Austrian expedition from Salzburg attempted to climb the peak from the north-west face but was unsuccessful because of bad weather and the danger of avalanches.