Americans Attempting Unclimbed Karakoram Mountain

Photo: Gripped Magazine

American alpinists Dane Steadman, Cody Winckler, and Blake Brandon are in the Karakoram to attempt the unclimbed Dansam Peak (K13), a 6,666-metre mountain in the Kondus Valley, Pakistan, near the Saltoro region.

Previous attempts at K13 reached the west point: a Japanese team in 1981 and a Spanish-French team in 2021. The main summit remains unclimbed. In 2021, a Juho Knuuttila, Eivind Hugaas and Nelson Neirinck attempted Dansam, but retreated at 5,500 metres due to poor conditions.

Knuuttila wrote in the American Alpine Journal, “Nelson led another tricky mixed pitch, and then Eivind took over to aid through a rock barrier. At this point small debris was raining down on us, and it didn’t require much discussion to agree to bail. We rapped from our high point at approximately 5,550m and walked back to base camp while huge, wet snow avalanches cascaded down the face. With conditions simply too dangerous, we returned to Skardu.”

The Kondus Valley, in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, is a remote, high-altitude region near the Line of Control with India, requiring special permits for access. The Americans are currently in the valley. Follow Steadman below for future updates.

Source: Gripped Magazine