원정 개요

BC at 5200m Lhotse Nuptse Glacier
1st biv 30th Oct 6900m on South Buttress
2nd 31 Oct at 7200m buttress pillar
1 Nov 7450m Buttress Pillar
3 Nov at 6900m in descent of buttress pillar

15 Oct both members reached 6800m, left small high-altitude tent there and back to BC after having got good acclimatization. 21 Oct and slept at 6200m and 22nd Oct reached 6800m, but very strong wind so down to BC same day. Now down to Deboche to rest on 23 Oct. Now 3 days of heavy snowfall (1 mishap at BC) in Deboche and back to BC, arrived 27 Oct.

29 Oct started up buttress: 5 hours to C1; 30th up to 6900m and slept there. Decided to take very little gear in climb above there so could move quickly, so took 2 ropes, 1 mat, 1 tent (no sleeping bags), 2 bottle gas, 1 stove, a little food, 7 pitons, 5 "friends", 3 nuts, 4 ice screws and 4 snowbars. 31st reached 7200m at 4:00 pm. 1 Nov on up to 7450m up hardest part, up rock buttress 75-80 degrees in sure sections; rock covered by ice which made it easier to climb from last spring when too dry. Slept in small tents sitting up all night (Babanov slept a little, but Kochelenko not at all). 2nd Nov woke up 5:30 am and drank tea, started up at 8:40 am from tent when sun had finally reached west side of buttress where route was "not just walking on snow but constant climbing," mixed rock snow and difficult to find feasible route. Now cold and windy at 5:00 pm, so decided to carry on up despite cold (-20 degrees C) and strong wind; took no tent now, no gas or stove. Reached summit ridge about 6:30 pm, 60m from this point on ridge to summit; Babanov 10 minutes ahead of partner at 7:20 pm on top. Back to 7450m and tent "very tired and very frozen." Summit is pointed and ridge very narrow. 3 Nov to 6500m BC on 4 Nov.

Beautiful view of Everest in moonlight. Moonlight helped considerably. Both climbers lost sensation in toes and fingers temporarily, but no frostbite.

This was first ascent of Nuptse East I, highest unclimbed peak in world?

* Babanov took several wrong lines and had to retreat and try alternatives.