12/07/2022
Solu Towers
Solu Towers is a group by 5 towers in Hispar Muzhtagh Distt nagar Gilgit Baltistan that includes:
A – Broad Tower (6,225 m)
B – Solu Peak (6,010 m)
C – Solu Tower II (6,050 m)
D – Solu Tower I (6,100 m)
E – Solu Tower III (6,030 m)
Stephan Venables (the first Briton to summit Everest without bottled Oxygen) alone climbed the highest tower (Solu I) in 1987. In his article ‘Whatever your game, the Karakorum has it’ he penned down his climbing adventure on several small peaks in Karakorum, and specially praised Solu Tower for its experience.
‘I covered some interesting ground and climbed some memorable smaller peaks. Most of them were snow and ice jobs, but the Solu Tower, near the head of the Biafo Glacier, gave some wonderful rock and mixed climbing. I would love to go back and try some harder routes in the area, but at the time, in 1987, the Solu Tower was a good compromise between old-fashioned wandering and serious technical climbing, done with one rope and a handful of nuts, during the course of a long glacial journey that covered some of the ground explored by Shipton’s 1937 and 1939 expeditions. ‘
Later a group of 6 women from FFME attempted to summit these towers. Bad weather pushed them to give up their ambition and instead they climbed another smaller peak in same area. Pierre Neyret, the guide of expedition, describes Solu Towers in his article for AAC as ‘the base of the walls is at about 5,100m. The faces are very steep, and the granite is compact. The arêtes are razor-sharp. The northern aspects are choked with ice and seracs. Only the middle tower presents a weakness, and it was climbed in 1987 by Stephen Venables, solo. Nice work!’
Not much details are available on history of activity in Solu glacier or these Towers but locals claim to have spotted some foreign climbers in this area long ago. Details, though, are too sketchy.
On a clear day it’s impossible to overlook this amazing scenery. On the junction of Biafo, Hispar and Sim Gang, one can truly feel the grandeur of these extraordinary granite walls, enhanced by the presence of notorius Sosbun Brakk on left and Hispar pass on right.
In Sep 2016, the night that fell on us on snow lake, was the coldest night I have ever experienced in my life. Everything was frozen and even the slightest movements needed a lot of efforts; I remember sitting in kitchen tent at 9 pm, the fear of spending this extremely cold night was obvious from the eyes of porters as everything that was already wet from our last 10 days of trekking on glacier, and was now freezing. For going back to my tent, I had invest a lot energy battling to put on my frozen shoes. But the misery lasted only until the sun remained out of sight. Once it shined brightly on the white glacial basin of Snow lake that reflected all the heat and brightness, all our troubles were gone and the campsite suddenly became alive. Lupke La, the big trouble of our trek, was already crossed the previous day so our nerves were rather calm and relaxed. While we treated us with a delicious desi breakfast and tried to consume the remaining ration, the rich scenery on south of Snow lake with great views of Solu Towers and Hispar pass kept hold of our sight, talking to us in its secret mystic way. Such a magnificent bright day, with such an astonishing mountain setting in sight is no less than a reward for any trekker; And right there, right then I was blessed with some most ecstatic moments of the trek, radiations of wilderness healing yearning soul. I would prefer to quote Martin Conway’s beautiful words to describe it for all of us, the mountain lovers out there looking for our moment.
‘We are now in the mountains and they are in us, kindling enthusiasm, making every nerve quiver, filling every pore and cell of us. Our flesh-and-bone tabernacle seems transparent as glass to the beauty about us, as if truly an inseparable part of it, thrilling with the air and trees, streams and rocks, in the waves of the sun, -- a part of all nature, neither old nor young, sick nor well, but immortal. Just now I can hardly conceive of any bodily condition dependent on food or breath any more than the ground or the sky. How glorious a conversion, so complete and wholesome it is.’
Write-up and pictures by Adeel Muhammad
