In August 2009 a team of four climbers from Australia and New Zealand travelled to the Charakusa Valley, Karakorum, Pakistan, with the hope of freeing a new big wall route on the main face of Nafees Cap, K7. The impressive spire has had many failed attempts on the main face, however Nico Favresse and friends named and summitted the pillar in 2007 via their all free route up the right hand side: Ledgeway to Heaven, 1300m, 7c.
Nafees Cap. Photo © Bruce Dowrick
Red line is the existing route Ledgeway to Heaven, 1300m, 7c.
Black line is Naughty Daddies, 630m, 7b.
In late July Bruce Dowrick (NZ), Adrian Laing (Aus), Jon Sedon (NZ) and Scott Standen (Aus) set about ferrying loads and scoping potential lines. Twenty year high record snowfalls this year in the Karakorum saw many of the proudest lines become waterfalls in the afternoon snow melt, so a drier line not fed by the summit snow was chosen.
Adrain Laing leading. Photo © Jon Sedon.
Difficult access to gain the wall saw the team climb two ice and one rock pitch to get to the desired crack system. Then ten pitches were free climbed with difficulty up to 7b (Australian 25) in the first six days, living in the porta-ledges.
Photo © Bruce Dowrick.
After a quick trip to base camp for more supplies, Laing and Sedon returned to the wall without Dowrick and Standen, who were both feeling the effects of altitude. They spent another four nights in the portaledge. They climbed eight further pitches, the crack they had followed for twelve pitches depositing them on the right shoulder of the pillar and joining Ledgeway to Heaven. After a night bivvying out they attempted to climb the remaining pitches of Ledgeway to Heaven and summit but were thwarted by ice walls on ledges and cracks choked up with ice. After two pitches they bailed and rapped off to the portaledge.
Photo © Adrian Laing.
They called their route Naughty Daddies, 630m, 7b. Sixteen of the nineteen pitches were free climbed ground up, onsight and using only traditional protection. On two pitches a bolt was placed for leader protection. These bolts were placed on abseil after aiding an alternate pitch. The granite was of excellent quality and there is potential for many other hard, free routes up the numerous crack systems.
