원정 개요

BC at Langshisa Glacier just north of Karshuram on MT map.

Buhler soloed climb because of Aylward's illness and because of it, did not attempt near route as originally planned. Had to ferry loads from a pre-BC which reached on 27th March at 4680m because most porters didn't want to go beyond (didn't want to go onto glacier). Buhler and Lhakpa Dorje went to col (a trekking route) to acclimatization on 4th April and again on 7th. On 7th put tent just above col and slept there 2 nights; Lhakpa Dorje decided wouldn't climb hard blue ice, very sharp ridge and they had no rope to fix. 8th Buhler climbed up ridge to 6100m to acclimatize and see route. 9th took tent down and descended to BC, assuming would try new route on NW Face. At BC found Alyward not fit to climb; suggested Aylward go down to Kyangjin Gamapa village while Buhler went up ridge ("I was terrified of it - it's very exposed"). 12th Buhler left BC at 7:30 am and climbed to 5800m on West Ridge. 13th went to top ("it was quite hard for me - I almost turned around 3 or 4 times - I found it exposed, delicate climbing with problems quite hard for me to solve by myself"). Left biv at 5:00 am on 13th and on top at 1:55 pm. Problems were an exposed knife-edge ridge front pointing much of the way on ridge; number of broken seracs & big crevasse; had to leave ridge at 6300m and go over to snow face; fell into a crevasse at big bergschrund across face, climbed out of it, and managed finally got over this bergschrund, the most difficult part of the climb. "I reached the top quite nervous about the descent" in perfect weather; did not actually have serious problems in descent but moved very slowly, used other team's fixed ropes where available and took 8 hrs to return to biv at 10:00 pm at 5800m, exhausted in 14th to BC.

Alyward returned to BC same day. Buhler took 5 days rest while Aylward and Lhakpa Dorje went up for acclimatization, for 2 days. Then 2 members to 5800m to see possible route on NW Face, returned to BC (now last 10 days of April in which snow in afternoons but hoped for clearing of weather); when by 1st May there was too much snow on mountain and gave up.