This was my 4^th expedition to Spantik following previous trips in 2000, 2001 and 2005. This was a Jagged Globe expedition and here is the report that I wrote for the JG website:

Jagged Globe climbers returned to Spantik (7,029m) in the Karakoram after a 15 year absence. The strong team of 10 climbers contained several 8,000m veterans and was led by David Hamilton on his 4th expedition to Spantik. The group were supported by 10 local staff, most of whom had worked on previous Jagged Globe climbs in the Karakoram. Skardu based guide Mohammad Sharif assisted David, and HAP's (High Altitude Porters) Ali Raza, Nazir, Furman, Fidar and Basharat carried loads on the mountain, prepared camps and fixed ropes. Two cooks and two kitchen assistants completed the team: Abdullah, Ibrahim, Ali and Jamil.

Weather conditions were excellent for most of the expedition, with hot sunny days and clear blue skies. Unfortunately the only week of poor weather (overcast skies, strong winds, rain and snow) coincided with the summit push. As a result the climbers were unable to proceed beyond Camp 2 (5,500m) and the 700m of rope fixed towards Camp 3 (6,250m) was lost after being buried under a fresh snowfall on 19th August. This came as a disappointment to the team who were all well acclimatised and well prepared for the climb to the summit.

Spantik is located in a spectacular setting surrounded by several high peaks of rock and ice. It can be seen from the Hunza valley to the west, but the 'standard' route is approached via Skardu to the east. A 5-6 drive from Skardu led to the village of Arandu where 77 porters were hired for the 3 day hike to base camp. The trail follows the ablation valley on the north side of the Chogo Lungma valley for two days with campsites at Chogo Brangsa (3,400m) and Bolocho (3,815m). The third day of the hike is mostly on the bare ice of the Chogo Lungma glacier, before a final steep climb up a rocky slope to the site of base camp (4,360m) perched high above the glacier on a grassy shelf.

The climb to Camp One (5,090m) is steep and rocky with slopes of loose scree and short sections of scrambling. Six tents were pitched at Camp One to accommodate the team. The long undulating ridge between Camps One and Two should be an enjoyable hike in the early morning when the snow is frozen. A combination of high temperatures and new snow made this section slow and tiring. Progress was slow in the soft slushy snow and the team had a hard time pitching six tents at Camp Two in poor weather.

By the time the HAP team had made 3 carries to Camp Two the climbers were ready to target a summit push on 16th August. Poor weather forecasts and frequent snowfalls caused this to be pushed back to the last possible day of the expedition. Finally with everyone poised in Camp Two this last possible weather window closed before a summit attempt could be made and the team had no alternative other than to end the expedition and make a rapid retreat to Arandu then Skardu to catch the international flights.

This was a frustrating end to what had been a very enjoyable expedition. Spantik is an interesting peak and the 'standard' route has varied climbing on rock and snow. There are rarely more than one or two groups climbing and there is feeling of remoteness lacking from the more popular 7,000m peaks. Several of the team had climbed in the Karakoram before, while for many it was their first experience of mountaineering in Pakistan. All agreed that the area offers different challenges and rewards from the peaks of India and Nepal, and several are thinking about returning to Spantik or other Karakoram peaks in the near future.

David Hamilton, Skardu, 25th August 2019