원정 개요

Approach: Machha Khola->Samdo

BC 15/04 4571m underneath rock face
ABC 19/04 4812m
C1 27/04 5644m
HPt 28/04 6257m by all (4) climbers.

Approach route to BC was from Samdo; it was 11 km on a yak trail. They passed many kharkas on the way. On 16/04 they rested at BC. On 17/04 they went on a walk to acclimatise; on 18/04 Sugimoto and Nomura did a recce and checked the South Ridge of the East Peak, however, it looked rather broken and sandy.

South Ridge attempt:

On 19/04 they reached ABC and on 20/04 they reached 5520m in their search for a suitable C1 which they found. The route up to the envisaged C1 was not so technical. Only one place climbing was necessary.

They returned to BC the same evening and rested there for a few days. They had bad weather and a lot of snow.

On the evening of 26/04 they returned to ABC – it was about 1.5 hours walk.

On 27/04, they established C1 and on the same day, Sugimoto and Saito ascended to 5769m. They fixed a rope for abseiling and returned to C1 the same day.

On 28/04, the team left C1 for their summit push at 4 am. Weather was good on that day, which was a change to the previous days. The route was not so steep. At around 1pm, they reached 6257m. The team felt exhausted, the weather had changed for the worse, and they realised that their plan to climb to the main peak via the East Peak was not possible. The climb was too technical to descend on the other side and reach the main summit.

The descended to C1 where they arrived at about 4 pm.

On 29/04 they returned to BC to make a new plan. They decided to attempt the SW Ridge.

SW Ridge attempt:

C1 01/05 4970m

On 01/05 they left BC to ascend to and establish their C1.

On 02/05 they ascended to around 5700m and checked the route. Sugimoto fell into a crevasse, but fortunately they were on a rope and he could climb out again with Saito’s help. After this incident the team, who was exhausted, decided that the route was too dangerous and returned to C1, where they spent the night. On 03/05 they descended to BC. Team left BC on 05/05.

Oxygen: Not taken, not used

Fixed rope: Only short abseiling sections