Tom Livingstone - Koyo Zom

Koyo Zom stands like a Mogul fortress in the wilds of Asia, its bulk looking towards the plains of Afghanistan, Tajikistan and China. The north face itself is threatened by enormous seracs, so you can see why the mountain has only ever been climbed from the eastern side: in 1968, by an Austrian team, and in 1974, by Brits. Tom Livingstone gives us an account of his route 'The Great Game' with Ally Swinton.

Background Info

Due to poilical instability and tension, the Hindu Raj region, in the north of Pakistan, had quietly slipped off the radar - until recently. Will Sim had ‘re-discovered’ this mountainous and remote region in the north of Pakistan. Bordering Afghanistan, the Hindu Raj is an extension of the Karakoram range (itself an extension of the Himalayas). Until only eight years ago, the Taliban had occupied the nearby Swat valley.
Will’s research found an area with plenty of alpine potential, and one mountain stood out in particular: Koyo Zom, at 6877 metres. Will sent a few photos of this impressive peak, with a huge north-west face, to John Crook, Uisdean Hawthorn, Ally Swinton and myself. We all accepted the invitation, and travelled to Pakistan this September.

Our Trip

Our team of five was joined by four Pakistanis, who organised logistics, cooked delicious meals, and helped with everyday life in Base Camp. Arriving in the Yarkhun valley on our sixth day in Pakistan, and finally seeing the enormous Koyo Zom, we set up our tents on the grass outside some shepherd’s huts. The locals were initially shy, but soon we were playing games and trying to explain that we’d arrived in their front garden to climb the mountain in the background. They just shook their heads and ‘tutted!’

Acclimatising - perhaps the least enjoyable part of an expedition - involves spending many days lying in a tent, with a slight headache. Any effort to exercise or be creative results in bending double, breathing deeply, and a heartbeat which thumps out of your chest. Thankfully, it was at least sociable as a team of five, and we bantered back and forth in our two tents.

Finally, after three weeks of settled weather and two acclimatisation trips, we were all (mostly) ready to climb. Unfortunately, Will and Uisdean had been ill and missed the final acclimatisation trip, so together with John, they decided to attempt the left-hand skyline of Koyo Zom (the north-east ridge). This looked slightly more amenable and would give them more time to acclimatise.

Ally and I were psyched for the right-hand line (the north-west face). It was our original inspiration for coming on this trip, and it looked incredible. An icefield rose into an enormous headwall, with (hopefully solid) golden granite of rocky buttresses. Ally and I also thought the line looked hard, and we expected a fight - or to be unsuccessful.

Packing takes as long as you’ve got. All five of us spent the day micro-debating and analysing what to take, based on what we guessed about the climbing. Ally and I clutched pieces of paper with lists and scribbles, afraid of forgetting something crucial. Finally, though, we had two rucksacks ready, looking like giant snail-shells. Our bags were super heavy (around 16kgs), but we considered everything to be essential: a double rack of cams, set-and-a-half of wires, ice screws, set of pegs, quickdraws, two micro traxions, single 9mm rope and tag line, headtorch with one spare battery each, technical axes and crampons, a pair of rock shoes, helmets, stove, double sleeping bag, single-skin tent, clothes, boots and roll mats.

The New Route (The Great Game)

Will, Uisdean and John launched for the left-hand line, whilst Ally and I for the right. We spent the first day climbing the lower icefield, reaching a bivy as the afternoon sun spilled onto the face. We’d previously bivied here in order to acclimatise, so we were grateful of a pre-chopped ledge for our snow hammock. This earlier acclimatisation trip was also useful to learn how cold it was, and what clothes to wear.

The following day, Ally led up mixed chimneys, hauling the bags on a tagline. They seemed to catch on everything, and scrape up the sharp granite. I took over and led us  up frozen-in flakes and spikes of rock, like being in a climbing wall. After a steep tongue of bullet-hard ice, we reached a snow ridge, where we could pitch our small tent. It felt deserving of the Greater Ranges, with amazing views as the sun melted into the horizon. 

The next day we reached the most impressive and intimidating feature of our route: a 90-metre headwall of overhanging and vertical rock, which looked like it would shut us down. I was a little doubtful if it’d go, and we hung on a creaking belay and craned our necks upwards. We spied a weakness of more featured rock, which looked to give us a subtle passage through the steep ground. I gingerly aided up a crack, mixing free and aid moves, to belay under big roofs. It felt just like Gogarth’s Main Cliff, a place I’m very fond of - but much more wild, considering it was at 6200 metres!

I pulled on my rock shoes and delighted in tip-toeing through the steepness; the rocks I threw over my shoulder fell for hundreds of metres, and the sunshine made it briefly bearable to climb in bare hands. Rock shoes were much better than double boots and crampons!
Ally and I enjoyed another long, cold night in our double bivy bag, sitting on a sofa-ledge created by our snow hamomck. The following day, we climbed a loose pitch to pop out of the headwall, and then followed easier ground to gain height quickly. We suffered from the altitude, checking into our ‘altitude pain-caves’ and crashing out for another bivy.

Finally, on the fifth day, we slogged to the summit and whooped at the amazing views. Although we figured Uisdean, Will and John had turned around since we couldn’t see their tracks, Ally and I were still super psyched to have climbed a new route, which looked so unlikely and tested us just enough. We descended to the Pechus glacier that afternoon, crashing out as dusk settled.

Rescue

The next day saw us walking down the Pechus glacier, with hungry stomachs and tired bodies, but we were pleased all the technical climbing was finished. We were roped up and weaving through crevasses when Ally fell about 15 or 20 metres into a crevasse. I was able to hold the fall and then pull him out using a 3:1 pulley system. 

Unfortunately, Ally sustained a head injury and bruising to his arm and leg. He couldn’t really walk and the head injury was bleeding quite a lot. I gave him first aid and helped him as best I could, and pressed the SOS button on our Garmin InReach Mini.

The helicopter couldn’t reach us on the first day, and in the evening Ally’s confition deteriorated. I was quite concerned he might die in the night. Thankfully, we made it through and we were rescued in the afternoon on the second day. It was a strange juxtaposition: to have climbed one of the coolest, luckiest alpine routes I’ve ever done, as a first ascent in Pakistan… and then be rescued and in hospital with Ally getting his head stitched up. Ally suggested we called the route, ‘The Great Game.’ It seemed fitting.

The main thing is that we’re all back safely. This experience has certainly put things in perspective. On reflection, overall it was a brilliant trip with good friends, to a wild area, and with very friendly locals. I’m very proud of the new route Ally and I climbed, and psyched for more.

Petzl Kit

• Axes - Of all the Petzl axes, I use the NOMIC most frequently. I think it’s the perfect technical alpine tool, and this is the type of climbing I enjoy most. Our new route on Koyo Zom looked steep and hard. The Nomic has a comfortable grip for when the climbing is sustained, but you can still use it as an ‘all-mountain’ axe to hammer in pitons or when walking up the final summit slopes. I also had an Adze on one axe, to cut small ledges for our bivies.
• Crampons - I’m excited to use the new DARTs, but for this trip I used the current versions. Like the NOMIC, I take them on most of my alpine routes, and I’m always pleasantly surprised about what I can stand on - they’ll stay on the smallest edges. The new models have replaceable front points and anti-balling plates, which are useful additions. There was steep, bullet-hard ice on Koyo Zom, so I was grateful to have mono points, which nicely fitted into my axe placements.
• Harness - the SITTA has everything I need. It’s lightweight, thanks to the fixed leg loops and wireless technology. It’s (relatively) comfortable. It’s also got neat gear loops, which can be adjusted to your preferences, and two ice clipper slots. Simple, but sorted.
• Rope - Ally and I took a ‘single and tag’ system. This means climbing on a single, 9mm rope like the VOLTA GUIDE, and having a 6mm tagline (RAD LINE). Having one rope at the belay keeps things simple, and as long as you’re careful of sharp edges, you can climb with confidence. Because we anticipated hard climbing and to be in the mountains for about a week, we had heavy packs. Climbing with them would be rubbish and slow, so we hauled the packs using the tagline and MICRO TRAXION.
• Tagline - The 6mm RAD LINE worked well. I’ve used this very rope in Alaska, the Alps, Patagonia, and now Pakistan, and it’s still in good condition. If it was any thinner, it would’ve been painful to haul two heavy packs. The hyperstatic nature of the cord makes it ideal for this purpose, and it has a low (22g/m) weight.
• Rack - We took almost an entire double set of cams. We also took a set-and-a-half of wires.
• Quickdraws - we took about six of Ally’s quickdraws, and six of my longer ones. I used ANGE L carabiners with PUR’ANNEAU 60cm slings, which gives the flexibility of clipping the ‘draw short, or extending it. Since we had only a single rope, we took a few more of these sling-draws than normal, to prevent rope drag
• Slings - these are useful for building belays, using on spikes, and hauling the packs from a central point. We took three PUR’ANNEAU 120cm and two 180cm slings. It’s ideal that they’re lightweight, but still thick enough to handle and clip.
• Pegs - We took a selection of LIVANOS and V CONIQUE pegs for thin cracks. We didn’t take many in the larger sizes, since this would be covered by wires and micro cams. Sometimes a peg is the only protection you can find, so I almost always take them. They’re also inexpensive to bail off. Ironically, I don’t think we placed a single peg on this route!
• Extra Carabiners - Loose carabiners are always used building belays and hauling packs, so we took several ANGE L ‘biners. We also took a few SPIRIT screwgate biners for the essential points.
• Ice Screws - A selection of LASER SPEED LIGHT ice screws meant we could move together up the initial icefield, build belays on the mixed ground, climb steep ice pitches, and then make V-Thread anchors on the descent.
• MICRO TRAXION - We took one each, because this meant we could safely simul-climb for up to 180 metres up the icefield, we could haul the packs efficiently, we could easily rig our snow hammock, and we had them for glacier travel. As it turns out, I was incredibly grateful I had a MICRO TRAXION on my harness for the crevasse rescue!
• Belay Plate - When used in ‘Guide Mode,’ the REVERSO means you can eat, drink, take photos and check out the next pitch, all whilst belaying the second. 
• SIROCCO - I’ve now worn it on hundreds of routes and climbed thousands of metres with it, both in summer and winter. It gives comfortable protection.
• MULTIHOOK, Cord and SPATHA Knife - These are all useful bits of kit. The MULTIHOOK was for making ‘naked/ghost’ threads in the ice (we rappelled about five pitches during the descent). The cord was Petzl 5mm accessory cord, useful to rig the backpacks so they hauled smoothly, and would’ve been useful if we had rappelled over mixed ground. The knife is for the cord, and cheese.
• Headtorch with Spare Battery - This is essential, and we took one spare torch between us in case we dropped on. I used the REACTIK+ and only changed battery on about the fourth bivy.
• V-LINK Leashes - Nobody wants to drop an ice axe, especially on a big route. These leashes usually sort themselves out if they get tangled, too.

Other Items

• 45L Pack
• Boots - La Sportiva G2 SM double boots, with two pairs of Smartwool socks.
• Salopette Bib - these keep your legs and torso warm, prevent cold spots around your waist, and have a long zip for calls of nature.
• Hooded Zip Tee - I wore this as a base layer in an attempt to save weight. It has long sleeves and thumb loops to keep your hands warm, and a wrap-around hood which feels cosy on cold bivies.
• Down Jacket
• Synthetic jacket
• Hard Shell Jacket and Trousers - You need all-weather protection on a big alpine route, so hard-shells are the way.
• Beanie
• Synthetic over-trousers - which keep your legs warm on bivies, and can be worn whilst climbing. I wore these pants whilst seconding blocks of pitches, and was really glad I brought them. The temperatures were ‘fresh’ in the shade!
• Gloves
• Over Mitts - I wore these on belays, put them on my feet on bivies, and put them over the top of my gloves on the summit day, when it was windy and cold. They’re synthetic so it doesn’t matter that they’re compressed when you wear them, and if you rip them you don’t have down floating everywhere!
• Buff - this prevents draughts going down my neck.
• Double Sleeping Bag
• Rock Shoes - one pair for me, slightly oversized so I wouldn’t get frostbite and lose my toes!
• Single-skin Tent
• Roll Mat - I prefer sleeping on an inflatable mat, but I thought this route might have rocky bivies, so I didn’t want to risk a puncture. Foam mats are light, simple, can be clipped to a belay, and encourage you to get up in the morning! (They’re not very comfortable).
• Stove
• Food - Ally and I had a Firepot meal each for the first few evenings, then shared one after that. These meals were calorific and easy to digest. We had porridge for breakfast and bars/fruit and nut mix for lunch.
• Sunglasses
• Randoms: Suncream, spoon, Betrafol repair tape, camera, loo roll, Altimeter watch, water bottle, lighters.