Some mountains are named for a village, some for a shape, some for a person. This one carries a slash and a number. The NADRA List of Peaks for Gilgit-Baltistan (snapshot dated 2026-08-26) records Passu/Peak 55 at 7,284 metres. Read literally, the entry offers two labels side by side, a place-style name and a numbered designation. It doesn’t explain either. This page looks at how to handle a dual name like that on paper, then sets out a sequence of go/no-go gates a team can use to decide, step by step, whether an attempt on a lightly documented 7,000er is still sensible.
What the list says, and what it leaves out
- Name as printed: Passu/Peak 55
- Height: 7,284 m
- Same height: Mustagh Tower – NW, also 7,284 m
- Similar names on the list: Pasu Peak at 7,295 m and Pasu – E at 7,300 m
- Not given: district, coordinates, route, grade, season, ascent history
Note the double “s”. The other two rows use “Pasu” with a single “s”. That might be a spelling variant or it might be meaningful. Nobody outside the authority can tell you which, so copy each name exactly as printed. A slash and a number on the list need careful handling on paper before anything else.
Rows just above and below
| Row | Height | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Pasu Peak | 7,295 m | 11 m higher |
| Passu/Peak 55 | 7,284 m | — |
| Mustagh Tower – NW | 7,284 m | same |
| K-6 | 7,282 m | 2 m lower |
| Orge-2 | 7,280 m | 4 m lower |
Around sixty rows on the snapshot list a greater height. With five entries within about twenty metres of each other, the precise order says little; independent surveys often differ by more than that.
Reading a dual name
Numbered peak names usually come from survey work, where summits were labelled before, or instead of, being given a local name. A slash usually joins two names for the same thing. Both of those are general observations, not facts about this row. What matters practically:
- On forms, use “Passu/Peak 55” in full unless the authority tells you otherwise.
- In research, search for both parts separately, and also for the single-s spelling. Keep a note of which hits clearly name this summit.
- In conversation with operators, say the full name and the height together. “Peak 55, the 7,284-metre row” leaves less room for confusion than “the Passu one”.
The name may hint at the Passu area of upper Hunza. It may not. Until coordinates are confirmed, the name is a clue for questions, not a location.
Planning in gates
A gate is a checkpoint where the team stops and asks one plain question: do we have enough to go on? If the answer is no, you don’t push through. You fix the gap, change the plan, or walk away. Gates work well for thinly documented objectives because they make it normal to stop.
Gate 1: Identity confirmed
Question: Has the permitting authority confirmed, in writing, the name, height and permit status of this row?
Pass: A written reply that matches what you intend to apply for. Fail: Silence, contradiction, or a different summit. Pause here until it’s resolved.
The process is described in applying for trekking and mountaineering permits and the rules in trekking and mountaineering regulations.
Gate 2: Location agreed
Question: Do at least two reliable sources place the summit in the same spot?
Pass: Matching coordinates or a district plus a map position that agree. Fail: One source, or disagreement. Keep researching before you choose a valley.
Gate 3: Team and operator fit
Question: Does the team have the experience a 7,284-metre objective demands, and has an operator shown it can support this specific plan?
Use the hiring a tour operator guide, and confirm any guide’s credentials against registering as a tour guide. A fail here is not a disgrace. It’s often a sign to pick a better-documented mountain first.
Gate 4: Logistics booked
Question: Are travel, porters, rescue cover and communications arranged and written down?
Travel options into the region are in getting to Gilgit-Baltistan. Porter terms should follow the porter and mule hiring regulations. Insurance should explicitly cover the altitude and the activity.
Gate 5: On-mountain go
Question: On the day, are weather, team health and conditions inside the limits you agreed at home?
This gate repeats every morning above base camp. The limits should be written before the trip, when nobody is tired or summit-hungry.
Writing gates down
Gates only work if they’re agreed in advance and kept somewhere everyone can see. A single page is enough: each gate, its pass condition, who decides, and the date it was passed. When a gate fails, write that down too, with the reason. That record protects the team from the slow drift where small exceptions add up to a plan nobody actually chose.
When a gate fails
Failing a gate feels like a setback, but it’s the system doing its job. The useful response depends on which gate failed.
- Identity or location gates: these usually fail because information is missing, not because the mountain is off-limits. Give the research more time, write to the authority again, and look for a second independent source. If a season passes without an answer, it may be wiser to defer the trip than to apply for a row you can’t place.
- Team and operator gate: this is a judgement about readiness. Options include adding an experienced member, choosing an operator with clearer answers, or training on a better-known objective first and coming back later.
- Logistics gate: most failures here are fixable with money or time. A missing insurance clause, an unconfirmed porter agreement or an unclear communications plan should all be sorted before departure, never “on arrival”.
- On-mountain gate: this one has no fix except waiting or going down. Rest days and descent are part of the plan, not a deviation from it.
Whatever the gate, record what failed and what you changed. Over a long planning period, that history shows whether the plan is getting stronger or simply getting older.
A sample gate sheet
The layout below is a template. Fill it with your own team’s conditions and names.
| Gate | Pass condition | Decided by | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Identity | Written confirmation of name and height | Leader | Open | — |
| 2. Location | Two sources agree | Research lead | Open | — |
| 3. Team fit | Agreed experience standard met | Whole team | Open | — |
| 4. Logistics | Bookings and cover in writing | Leader + operator | Open | — |
| 5. Daily go | Weather and health inside limits | Leader on the day | Repeats | — |
Keep it short. A gate sheet that runs to several pages tends to stop being read. The point is that anyone on the team can glance at it and see, in one line, whether the trip is still on.
Keeping the three Pasu-style rows separate
Because three rows on the list share a Pasu or Passu name, files can get mixed up. Give each a separate folder, and put the exact printed name and height at the top of every document. If an operator or source mentions “Passu” without a height, ask which row they mean before filing anything.
Season and timing
The list offers no climbing window. General conditions are summarised in the best time to visit Gilgit-Baltistan, though valley seasons and high-altitude windows are not the same thing. Ask your operator for a recommended period and the reasons behind it, then fit that into Gate 4.
Kit
Gear for a 7,000-metre attempt is a specialist matter for the team leader. For general items needed on the way in and around towns, see our packing list for Gilgit-Baltistan.
Safety
Gate 5 is the safety system in miniature, but a few points deserve repeating:
- Agree a turnaround time and a set of warning signs that mean descent, with your doctor’s input.
- Keep acclimatisation generous. There is no published record here of how the approach treats climbers.
- Confirm evacuation arrangements and how your insurer will be contacted from the mountain.
The Tourist Police can be reached on 1422 and 05811-930055. Leave a copy of your gate sheet and itinerary with someone at home.
Being a good visitor
Valley communities live with expeditions season after season. Read about the culture of Gilgit-Baltistan, observe photography restrictions, and follow camping regulations for waste and water. Ask before taking photos of people.
Frequently asked questions
How high is Passu/Peak 55?
The NADRA List of Peaks snapshot dated 2026-08-26 gives 7,284 metres.
Why does the name have a slash and a number?
The list doesn’t explain it. Numbered names often come from survey work, but confirm the meaning with the authority rather than assuming.
Is it the same as Pasu Peak or Pasu – E?
They are separate rows at 7,295 m and 7,300 m, with a different spelling. Don’t merge them without official confirmation.
Which peak shares its height?
Mustagh Tower – NW is also listed at 7,284 metres.
Is it near the village of Passu?
The name suggests it might be, but no coordinates are given. Treat location as unconfirmed.
What name should I use on a permit application?
Use “Passu/Peak 55” exactly as printed, unless the authority instructs otherwise.
What is a go/no-go gate?
A checkpoint with a written pass condition. If it isn’t met, the team pauses, adjusts or stops.
How many gates should a plan have?
Five is a workable starting point: identity, location, team fit, logistics and daily on-mountain go.
Is there a recommended season?
The list gives none. Ask your operator for a window and the reasoning behind it.
Who do I call in an emergency?
The Tourist Police lines are 1422 and 05811-930055. Have evacuation cover confirmed before departure.