원정 개요

BC 12/10 5088m on side moraine of Kangtega Glacier
C1 16/10 5735m on snow plateau at the start of ramp
C2 17/10 6100m on large snow mushroom in the ramp
Smt 18/10 by both members, both Sherpas

They had planned to climb via huge icefall on E side, but not possible. Sherpas tried for 2 days to find a route. They prepared 2km of fixed rope through icefall. Sherpa said it’s easy in icefall. But a lot of ice blocks falling down, so members decided too dangerous. Then found possible line on snow ramp on E Face.

C1 on snow plateau on 5735m. From C1 over snow ramp. Ramp above seracs, through hanging glacier. After the ramp they gained the wide snowy plateau on S side of Kangtega. C2 at 6100m on big snow mushroom in the ramp shortly before gaining plateau.

Sugar snow conditions, very dangerous from C2 to the plateau. They had spent almost all ropes in icefall. Members roped up with Sherpas ascending the ramp, some parts were jumared up a fixed rope.

Two steep pitches on last part of S Face. They used ice screws for protection in blue ice. Steepest part maybe 85°, shortly overhanging, but not long. Nice summit day, weather good, sunny. Sherpa by accident dropped a rope on plateau just below summit. Only 3 snow bars and 1 rope left for final summit ridge.

Team on summit at 3:15 pm. They started from C2 at 3:30 am. Back to C2 after summit at 8 pm. Descent on same way as ascent. C2 in same location. From C2 all the way to BC.

1979 Japanese KTEG team only to false summit according to Hiro. They had climbed a route in N Face, but not to main summit, but only to false summit (6685m). Other mountaineers from same mountain club say nobody from Japan ever climbed KTEG before. This would make them first Japanese to ascend KTEG.

Left BC on 20/10, returned on 22/10 by heli from Khare-Lukla-KTM.

Fixed rope: intermittently in ramp and steep part in S Face.

Oxygen: not taken, not used

Climbing route: East Face, South Ridge, final meters on W Ridge

Other peaks: Mera Peak for acclimatization

Hired:
Sonam Wangdi Sherpa (S)
Phura Namgyal Sherpa (S)