Diran Peak Expedition

Overview

The peak is called Minapin as well as Diran Peak. It is situated in Rakaposhi and Haramosh mountain region near the Minapin, Hinarchi and Baultar glaciers and is easily accessible because of the Karakoram Highway. There is confusion about its height but now all agree that it is 7,272m. It is one of the fascinating peaks that dominates the Gilgit valley and adds special color to its otherwise rugged beauty.

A three-member Austrian expedition, which included Rainer Goschl, Rudolph Pischinger and Hanns Schell, decided to try its luck on Diran in 1968 after being refused permission to climb Kampire Dior peak. It set up camp 1 at 4,800m. Big crevasses, inclement weather and deep snow is recorded between camps I and II. It was from camp III that the party was able to reach the peak which it termed as a "big summit plateau".

The 1958 British expedition to Diran peak failed to climb it from north-west face because its leader, E.G.C. Warr and a member, F.C. Hoyte, were struck by storm and disappeared when only 300 feet from the summit. In 1959, a German Karakoram expedition under Hans Jochen Schneider turned its attention to Rakaposhi area. In 1965, a Japanese expedition of Kyoto Mountaineering Federation attempted to climb the peak but was forced to abandon the climb only 250ft from the summit on the north-west face because of strong winds and whirring snow.