ARGAN KANGRI 2003

Area: East Karakoram

Height: 6788 m

Team: Indian (IMF ladies expedition)

Leader: Ms. Rita Marwah (9 members)

Summary

The IMF sponsored an all ladies expedition to Argan Kangri led by its Vice-President Ms. Rita Gombu Marwah. This 9-member team, accompanied by 4 high altitude Sherpas, successfully climbed this peak on 20 th July 2003. Summiteers were four ladies and four Sherpas: Ms. P. M. Tamang, Ms. Shushma Thakur, Ms. Kavita Burathoki and Ms. Reena Kaushik with Sherpas Dawa, Samgyal, Sangepuri and Pasang Dorjee. The expedition operated from 1 st to 31 st July.

This peak was attempted by the Indo-British expedition in the year 2001, led by Sir Chris Bonington and Harish Kapadia. They failed to climb the mountain. After their expedition Mr Josef Hala, a researcher from Prague , Czech Republic , drew attention to a report about this area.

There is a report of a peak climbed in this area in 1970 by the Indian army. That peak is located on similar latitude and longitude and height, and it is on the same glacier. They called that mountain as ‘Phunangma' after the name of the glacier at its foot. However, it is not conclusively known as yet whether both peaks are one and the same. Please refer to the following note printed in the Himalayan Journal Vol. 58,which is reproduced here.

The Himalayan Club Newsletter No. 28, page 2, June 1971

Compiled by Soli S. Mehta

Ladakh

2. PHUNANGMA 22,272 ft. First Ascent

This peak in Ladakh was climbed on 4 August 1970 by Capt. F. C. Bahaduri, Nk. S. K. Thapa, Nk. S. Tashi, Hav. S. S. Bhandari and two Sherpas. Capt. N. K. Kalia, Nk. P. Stobdon and a porter again climbed the peak on 5 August 1970. Maj. R. C. Naidu led the expedition.

Also mentioned in Ichiro Yoshizawa (670 pages) Concise Alphabetical Register of World Mountains, published in Tokyo , 1984.

PHUNANGMA 6788 (5186) 34 degree 35 N and 77 degree 50 E

(Argan Kangri is of height of 6789 m with similar co-ordinates as the above peak. It must be noted that there are several peaks in the area within these co-ordinates but not of similar height.)

– Ed

(Note, Himalayan Jornal Vol. 60)