China, Xinjiang, Aghil Mountains, Durbin Kangri Group.

Our expedition, under the overall leadership of Bruce Normand, made an exploratory expedition to the peaks north of the Shaksgam River, opposite K2. Our particular goals were Durbin Kangri I (6,842m, Russian map) and II (6,898m), and Kaimuk Kangri (6,952m) and Burnag Kangri (6,821m). The latter two are located in the Zug-Shaksgam drainage, which is totally unexplored by mountaineers. Sadly, it turned into a disaster.

We operated as three autonomous teams: Rob Duncan, Jesse Meese (both American), Bruce Normand (Scottish), and Dmitry Shapovalov (Ukrainian); Lukas Brexler, Harry Kirchenhofer, and me (German); Ales Holc and Peter Meznar (Slovenian).

Using camels, we made a four-day trek through Surukwat Valley, over Aghil Pass (4,805m), and into the Shaksgam Valley, which we followed upstream before turning north into the side valley containing the Durbin Kangri peaks.

We located base camp at 4,130m (36°2´34.6" N, 76°42´7.9" E), shortly before the valley divides into two narrow slot canyons, one leading southeast to Durbin Kangri I, and the other northeast to Durbin Kangri II.

From here Bruce's team and we three Germans followed the southeast canyon, which proved to be far more complex than anticipated. The deep canyon narrowed to just two meters and was filled with boulders. It was also prone to rockfall from both sides. Sometimes we had to climb over boulders bigger than a house, at other times traversing conglomerate cliffs. Boulder hopping over the glacial river with full sacs was extremely exhausting and it took four hours to achieve just 300m of altitude on a five-kilometer section. We set advanced base camp at 4,861m on the massive moraines below Durbin Kangri I. From here we followed the glacier below the mighty 1,700m-high north face of Durbin Kangri I to reach a basin (5,409m, 36°00 ́19.8" N, 76°47 ́28.9" E), where we eventually established a high camp.  I'd had surgery just 12 days before departing for China and had to step back. Dmitry joined Harry and Lukas for an ascent of a nearby snow peak directly opposite the north face of Durbin Kangri I.

Following a natural line up 50° névé slopes to the summit ridge, avoiding intervening rock towers, the three reached the summit (6,102m, 36°01´́06.8" N, 76°47´́38.4"N) at 1:30 p.m. on June 30. They were welcomed by an incredible panorama, which included a spectacular view of the north face of Durbin Kangri I. Neighboring unclimbed peaks of ca 6,290m and 6,453m could be of interest to future expeditions. We named the summit Xiao Kangri (little snow/ice peak) as it is dwarfed by the massive Durbin Kangris.

Later Dmitry and Lukas summited a previously unclimbed rock tower northwest of base camp. They followed the route to the Kamnik Pass, reached and named a week before by the two Slovenians, and from there reached the summit at 5.290m (36°03´12.6" N, 76°42´27.4" E). Fragile rock and conglomerate was held together mostly by good luck. They dubbed the peak KulchintubulakTower. Ales and Peter also summited a 6,200m peak (thought to lie at 36°4´22.476´´ N, 76°47´12.8328´´ E) on the north side of their valley, below the north face of Durbin Kangri II.

Dmitry and we three Germans left base camp on July 5, leaving the rest of the expedition to continue their assault on the Durbin Kangri peaks. Unfortunately, ice was found to be completely rotten, even on north faces at 6,000m, the rock was atrocious, and the snow standard, deep, hollow, Karakoram stuff. On June 27 Bruce's team attempted an ice route on Durbin Kangri I but retreated at 5,600m. A possible back-up plan, the northeast ridge, was dismissed when on July 6 the team witnessed a spectacular serac collapse. On the 9th a long trek into the Zug-Shaksgam to attempt Burnag Kangri foundered on the approach in rushing waist-deep glacial water in a slot canyon. After this, deteriorating weather precluded an attempt on a potentially feasible line up Kaimuk Kangri, which had been detected while retreating from Burnag.

During our return we had been subjected to rapidly rising temperatures and witnessed an increasing number of avalanches. Back in Germany we received disturbing news from Bruce. Ales and Peter had disappeared. They set off for the north face of Durbin Kangri II on July 5 but had not been heard from since.  Bruce's team only discovered they were missing when they returned to base camp on the 13th. They tried to follow the slot canyon leading to the glacier basin below the face, but high water made this impossible. An attempt to cross from the Durbin Kangri I side failed for the same reason. Remarkably, the Chinese military produced a helicopter, and Mease was allowed to fly in it for a search. However, no sign of the climbers could be found.

Our thoughts are with Ales, Peter and their families.

Christof Nettekoven, Germany, with additional material from Bruce Normand, China