Camps and actual route

Diamaglacier

Diama and NW face

Diama glacier with Camp 1 on left side (viewed: approx. 5000m)

NW face with steep step before Camp 3 (viewed: approx. 5800m)

On our route we first went up to Camp 1 of the Kinshofer route.

Camp 1 (5100m) we reach with snowshoes. Also the high-porters who supported us up to this camp were equipped with snowshoes. There are many crevasses up to the camp and the glacier changed considerably during the 2 months we were there. It was difficult to find a way in between the crevasses in the ice towers up to Camp 1.

The distance between Camp 1 and Camp 2 is very far because the entire glacier has to be crossed. First, from Camp 1 a steep gravel slope and a couloir lead up to the next step on the Diama glacier. Afterwards, there are at least three possibilities to continue. After checking all of them we decided the easiest would be to cross the entire glacier to the orogr. left side and then to cross back to the right side. Again there are many crevasses and it is sometimes difficult to find snow bridges to cross over them.

A steep face of up to 40 degrees (two passages even steeper) in between seracs leads up to Camp 3 (6440m).

From Camp 3 to Camp 4 (7180m) a very long snow face has to be skied up. It is not very steep  (<30°).

A zig-zag line  can be skied up to Camp 5 (7600m). Some of the passages are steep and therefore risky (avalanche) when there was snow fall.

We stopped at 7750m just below the North summit.