This year's expedition to the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan did not work out, so the alternative destination was the Pakistani Karakoram. Radar suggested implementing Pavel Kořínek's long-standing project on the previously unclimbed Muchu Chhish (7,453) mountain in the Batura Muztag mountains. After a conciliatory phone call with Pavel, the decision was made.
This year’s expedition to the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan didn’t work out, so we chose the Karakoram in Pakistan as an alternative. Radar suggested that we try to complete Pavel Kořínek’s long-standing project on the virgin peak Muchu Chhish (7,453 m) in the Batura Muztagh range. After a call with Pavel, the decision was made.
On June 6th, a group of four climbers and friends from Krkonoše — myself, Radoslav “Radar” Groh, and Jaroslav “Banán” Bánský — left the Czech Republic and traveled via Islamabad to Aliabad in the Hunza region. Joining us was social and cultural anthropologist Libor Dušek. The fifth member of our team was the expedition cameraman, Tomáš Galásek, who aimed to capture the life in the mountains, our attempt at a first ascent, and the biggest local event, the “Festival of Sacrifice.” The documentary is intended to link the 1979 Krkonoše expedition to Manaslu North with ours, as our predecessors originally planned to explore the Batura area as well.
We had intended to climb a 6,000-meter peak for acclimatization, but illness on my part forced us to skip this step. After a short break, we moved across the Muchu Glacier to establish base camp below Muchu Chhish. We decided to acclimatize directly there over four days, with planned camps at 4,600 m, 5,400 m, and 6,100 m. Our acclimatization route followed the anticipated ascent line along the south ridge, reaching the Batura main ridge at around 7,300 meters. The acclimatization went mostly according to plan. We left base camp on June 25th, spent three nights on the mountain, and returned on June 28th. It wasn’t ideal, but time was tight, and the weather window looked good for about a week.
On July 1st, we set off again, this time aiming for the summit. We climbed a rocky couloir to a glacier at 4,800 m, continuing to 5,350 m, where we set up the first bivouac after 1,400 meters of elevation gain. By 10:30 AM, the heat outside our tent was unbearable, so we spent the rest of the day inside.
We climbed mixed rock and snow sections graded at M4, followed by seemingly endless ice climbing. We ascended diagonally to 6,300 m below a prominent serac and set up Camp 2.
This was physically challenging, involving steep snow and ice climbing with gradients up to 70°. The snow was often so deep and loose that we used specialized snowshoes from Auftriib, which fit between the boot and crampon. Radar noted that conditions were much worse than the previous year, and without these tools, progress would have been impossible. We bivouacked at 6,750 m after gaining 500 meters.
Another 500 meters lay ahead. The terrain became less steep but seemed endless. Navigation through crevasses and proper track-setting were critical. Snowshoes were in constant use, and Banán led most of the day’s trail-breaking. By evening, we reached 7,250 m, just below the summit ridge, and set up our fourth and final bivouac. Snow began falling. On July 5th, the morning cleared, and we set off for the summit, traveling light and leaving our bivouac gear behind. We first descended about 150 meters before the terrain began rising gently. Crossing several icy steps, we reached the summit headwall and a large rock tower, with about 150 meters left to climb. Banán broke the trail again, and at 10:20 AM local time, we reached the summit. There was nowhere higher to climb! I drove a snow anchor into the peak with our signatures and the inscription “Muchu Chhish - Krkonoše Expedition.” We spent about thirty minutes at the top.
The descent was complicated by poor visibility and drifting snow. We often had to climb back uphill, and our strength was waning. Navigating back to our tent required precise judgment. Once there, we packed up quickly and began descending further, as worsening weather was forecasted. The glacier descent was challenging, and I relied on my memory of the terrain from our ascent. Below 7,000 m, visibility improved, and we reached our third bivouac site (6,750 m) without issue.
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The next day, with weather deteriorating, we started early and descended 1,500 meters to the glacier, rappelling only about 100 meters. The hard ice demanded intense concentration. Banán’s comment, “I can’t focus anymore; I’m over-focused,” stuck in my head. By noon, the heat was intense. Small avalanches and unstable glacier conditions added to the danger, but roped together, we carefully navigated the descent. It took much longer than planned, and we reached base camp in the late afternoon. Surprisingly, the weather held overnight.
The next morning was gray and rainy. As the weather worsened, we descended the Muchu Glacier to Aliabad, accompanied by rain.
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At the end of the article, we’ll include all the expedition photos in a gallery.