The virgin peaks of Hindu Kush -2 – By: Prof. Rahmat Karim Baig
In the article published in the Online papers only two days back the Buni Zom group of peaks had been discussed. The interested persons in the field of adventure tourism may be expecting to know some more information about the peaks in the Hindu Raj section as the main peaks of High Hindu Kush often come under discussion from time to time and Terich Mer carries away the major chunk of the discussions as its inherent prerogative as Elder of the clan. As a result the peaks in the Hindu Raj chain get less attention.
The Buni Zom group of peaks have also been explored by climbers from distant lands such as Newzealand as early as 1956 and thus those first climbers have given useful information to climbers across the globe. As the range extends for hundreds of kilo metres and has many beautiful peaks so the attraction has invited smaller groups of mountaineers. From Buni and surrounding areas we can see the north face of these sierras and all have been given the short name of Buni Zom or Awi Zom. The one peak at the end of Buni gol is not the main one but known as Buni Zom north with its height at 6338m and is still a virgin peak. The main Buni Zom lies to the south of this peak at 6551m but was summitted many times from a route via Phargram valley.
Another steep peak in the same chain stands above Miragram # 1 which has been misnamed as Awi Zom but it was conquered by a certain climber named Paul after whom it has been named as Paul peak in the list of high peaks but it should be called Miragramo Zom as it overhangs that village and from that point to Buni gol the whole chain is Awi Zom and those glaciers feed the streams of Awi. It is also noteworthy that access to any peak has not been explored from any of the villages on the left bank of the river and the long steep wall looks quite impossible to ascend so all the climbing attempts have been made via Laspur valley, especially Phargram valley.
There is quite a big cluster of peaks above 6000m, has been explored to the west of Laspur valley that some have been recorded from the names of any noticeable geographical position like Chakoli Zom, Buni Zom south, Istor ghoni etc. but most of them have been recorded on the pattern of international usage like p3, p4a, p5, p6 etc. because of absence of local names as the number of such peaks is quite numerous and 12 such peaks have been shown on the map and total number of these peaks from Miragramo Zom to Madak Lasht, have been shown as 29 in all, which reach above 6000m. In the large cluster of Buni Zom ( the 12 peaks) the majority is still unclimbed and these are the source of the glaciers that feed the streams and the Chitral river. These glaciers are invaluable and must be regarded as assets for the region but we have very little knowledge of the value of the glaciers for the future of the coming generation. The Shishi river, the Golen river, Barenis, Reshun, Buni, Awi and many smaller streams get their sources from these glaciers beside the Laspur river which is the main one flowing from the back of this long glaciated wall.
Prof. Rahmat Karim Baig
