원정 개요

Route was harder than they had expected; difficult technical rock, very steep, down-sloping rock-had to chip rock to make platform for sleeping-safe route. No rock fall, their climbing together very smooth, as though they had been climbing together all their lives. Took them 8-1/2 days from start of climb to summit, 1-1/2 days down.

Lowe and Roskelley arrived KTM from Lukla on 23 Feb and caught their flight to Bangkok few hours later. Houtan spoke with them very briefly while they finished packing at his house.

Up from BC on 6th and from ABC on 7th. Tried to get 2, sometimes 3 and 1 day 4 pitches in each day. Photo shows snow but this taken in earlier season: there was no snow and would take couple of hours to chip out rock for bivs." Fairly safe but has to be done in winter to be reasonable. We did have rock fall; on face one of our ropes was chopped in half." Fixed first 2 pitons up and just started climbing; climbing rope was cut in half; rock went through Jeff's biv. sack and sleeping bag, hit where Jeff's shoulder had been. Real steep, one of steepest climbs continuously either of us has ever been on." Very thin pitons called knife blades "only thing got up." Some good weather. Ice climbing but one difficult pure water ice tongue which Jeff climbed under and up around. Only at 7th biv site were able to find small cave and thus only place not exposed to all loose rock on this face (with more climbers would have sent rock down others below). Hardest climb Roskelley ever done.

Roskelley couldn't remember altitudes of bivouacs.


Report filed with Tourism Ministry:

Tawoche Winter 1988-89
Route of ascent: East Face
Arrived BC 25 Jan, climbed up 7 to 15 Feb.
Descended 15 and 16 in alpine-style from base of face to top.
Route of descent: "used 2-year-old Japanese route down SE Ridge to southeast gullies."


Report filed with Tourism Ministry: Tawoche Winter 1988-89

Route of ascent: East Face arrived BC 25 Jan
Climbed up 7 to 15 Feb, descended in alpine style from base of face to top.
Route of descent: "used 2 years old Japanese route down SE Ridge to southeast gullies."
Left BC 17th Feb.