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Margherita’s Peak (5,400m), south ridge, Open Eyes; K7 West (6,615m), southwest pillar, attempt; Farol West (6,370m), west face, Telegraph Road.

By Daniele Nardi, Italy

Farol West from the southwest with (1) Telegraph Road, and (2) Open Eyes to the summit of Margherita's Peak. Daniele Nardi

Bad weather thwarted our plans to attempt unclimbed Hassan Peak. Instead, Lorenzo Angelozzi and I looked elsewhere and attempted three other summits, on two of which we were successful. Our first ascent was Margherita’s Peak, a previously unclimbed rock tower at the end of the south ridge of Farol West. It makes a good acclimatization ascent after arriving in the Charakusa, with an approach that involves a night’s sleep at the end of the glacier moraine. We climbed the south ridge. An ice slope led into a goulotte, where the climbing became steeper and more mixed. Finally, two rock pitches led to the top. We named the route Open Eyes (WI5 M5 UIAA V, 400m) because it opened our own eyes to the possibilities on Farol West, which would subsequently become our goal. We then attempted a new line on the southwest pillar of K7 West [dubbed the Badal Wall in 2007 by the Belgian-Polish team that nearly climbed it] in capsule style…. (read more)

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