Latok
Encyclopedia
Latok I was first climbed in 1979 by a Japan
ese expedition led by Naoki Takada; the first summit party comprised Sin'e Matsumi, Tsuneo Shigehiro, Yu Watanabe, and they were followed three days later by Hideo Muto, Jun'ichi Oku, and Kota Endo. They started from the Baintha Lukpar Glacier and climbed a buttress to reach the East Ridge.
The steep North Ridge of Latok I, 2,500 m (8,200 ft) high, is a notorious unclimbed route: it was first attempted, and almost successfully climbed, by the noted American
climbers Jim Donini
, Michael Kennedy
, George Lowe, and Jeff Lowe
. The lightweight style of this climb was widely admired, despite the lack of a summit. Many unsuccessful attempts have followed.
Latok II saw its first ascent in 1977, by an Italian
group led by Arturo Bergameschi. (This was the first successful ascent in the group.) They climbed the southeast face of the peak, and E. Alimonta, T. Mase, and R. Valentini made the summit.
A notable recent ascent of Latok II came in 1997, when a very strong team composed of Alexander Huber
, Thomas Huber
, Toni Gutsch, and Conrad Anker
climbed the sheer West Face of the peak. They described this aptly as putting "El Capitan
on top of Denali
": a 1,000 m (3,280 ft) vertical rock wall with a base at 6,100 m (20,000 ft) elevation. The total vertical for the climb was 2,200 m (7,200 ft).
The first ascent of Latok III came in 1979, when a Japanese team under the leadership of Yoji Teranishi climbed the Southwest Ridge route. They climbed the Southwest Ridge, and the summit party were Teranishi, Kazushige Takami, and Sakae Mori. The second ascent, via the same route, came in 1988, by an Italian party. This was in fact the first repeat ascent of any peak in the group.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese expedition led by Naoki Takada; the first summit party comprised Sin'e Matsumi, Tsuneo Shigehiro, Yu Watanabe, and they were followed three days later by Hideo Muto, Jun'ichi Oku, and Kota Endo. They started from the Baintha Lukpar Glacier and climbed a buttress to reach the East Ridge.
The steep North Ridge of Latok I, 2,500 m (8,200 ft) high, is a notorious unclimbed route: it was first attempted, and almost successfully climbed, by the noted American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
climbers Jim Donini
Jim Donini
Jim Donini is an American rock climber and alpinist, noted for a long history of cutting-edge climbs in Alaska and Patagonia...
, Michael Kennedy
Michael Kennedy (climber)
Michael Kennedy is an American rock climber, alpinist, photographer, writer and editor.From 1974 to 1998 he was the editor of Climbing magazine, the most influential of American climbing magazines...
, George Lowe, and Jeff Lowe
Jeff Lowe (climber)
Jeff Lowe is an American alpinist from Ogden, Utah. He is known for his visionary climbs and first ascents established in the US and Canadian Rockies, Alps and Himalayas. He is a proponent of the "Alpine style" philosophy of climbing, where small teams travel fast with minimal gear...
. The lightweight style of this climb was widely admired, despite the lack of a summit. Many unsuccessful attempts have followed.
Latok II saw its first ascent in 1977, by an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
group led by Arturo Bergameschi. (This was the first successful ascent in the group.) They climbed the southeast face of the peak, and E. Alimonta, T. Mase, and R. Valentini made the summit.
A notable recent ascent of Latok II came in 1997, when a very strong team composed of Alexander Huber
Alexander Huber
Alexander Huber , is a German physicist, climber and mountaineer. He lives in Traunstein.When they were still young Alexander Huber and his brother Thomas Huber were taken into the mountains by their father, Thomas Huber, himself a noted climber known for early fast ascents of now classic climbs...
, Thomas Huber
Thomas Huber
Thomas Huber , is a German climber and mountaineer. He lives in Berchtesgaden with his family. His brother and climbing partner is the German climber Alexander Huber....
, Toni Gutsch, and Conrad Anker
Conrad Anker
Conrad Anker is an American rock climber, mountaineer, and author famous for his challenging ascents in the high Himalaya and Antarctica. He is a member of The North Face climbing team and also works closely with Timex Expedition as brand ambassador...
climbed the sheer West Face of the peak. They described this aptly as putting "El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
on top of Denali
Mount McKinley
Mount McKinley or Denali in Alaska, United States is the highest mountain peak in North America and the United States, with a summit elevation of above sea level. It is the centerpiece of Denali National Park and Preserve.- Geology and features :Mount McKinley is a granitic pluton...
": a 1,000 m (3,280 ft) vertical rock wall with a base at 6,100 m (20,000 ft) elevation. The total vertical for the climb was 2,200 m (7,200 ft).
The first ascent of Latok III came in 1979, when a Japanese team under the leadership of Yoji Teranishi climbed the Southwest Ridge route. They climbed the Southwest Ridge, and the summit party were Teranishi, Kazushige Takami, and Sakae Mori. The second ascent, via the same route, came in 1988, by an Italian party. This was in fact the first repeat ascent of any peak in the group.