BROAD PEAK EXPEDITION

Broad Peak is so named for the breadth of its top but the locals call it Falchan Kangri. The height of main peak is 8,047m/26,401ft. It has also been called enormously triple-headed a Breithorn (4,165m high three-headed peak of European Alps) of the Baltoro. More than 3150 meters ascent from the base camp on West Spur and North Ridge is on the scrambling weaves of snow and rock to the crest of Spur. The route beyond is entirely on glacier with occasional ice walls over 7500 meters. A well defined route leads from the Col at 7800 to the summit. As Austrian Expedition led by Marcus Schmuck reached the summit through West Face and North Ridge` without using oxygen on June 9, 1957. The successful climbers were; Marcus Schmuck, Fritz Wintersteller, Kurt Diemberger and Hermann Buhl.

The first westerner who saw the peak was probably Lieutenant T.G. Montgomerie. He was surveying the mountains in the area and in 1856 he spotted some extraordinary peaks, which he gave temporary names. K for Karakoram + a number for the peak. K1, K2, K3 etc. Montgomerie later found out K1had a local name; Masherbrum. K2, still goes under that name, even if some have proposed to re-name it Qogori, a name used by some local people. K3, the third peak to be measured by Montgomerie didn’t have a local name.