원정 개요

There were 4 Indians climbing on Kangchenjunga this season: Rajib Bhattarcharya and Chhanda Gayen (both with Seven Summit Treks), Tusi Das and Dipankar Ghosh (both with Loben Sherpas). Chanda Gayen climbed the entire expedition with Rajib Bhattacharya.

The duo did their acclimatization without ever sleeping at C1, this year the location not allowing all members to sleep there. So they always went to sleep at C2 instead.

From beginning of May, teams were stuck at BC waiting for a favourable weather forecast window and the route to be opened. After two weeks of false starts, weather forecasts eventually announced a good weather window for the 16 to 18 May. Sherpas fixing the ropes would start on 13 May, and the BC members would start on 14 May.

On 15 May Chhanda and Rajib slept at C3, and the day after as well, the forecast not being good enough.

On 17 May both rested at C4 and started at 7:30 pm for the summit.

On 18 May the pair reached the summit at 11 am, coming back at 8 pm to C4. Rajib had a problem on the left eye due to wind. He considers Kangchenjunga to be more difficult than Everest and Lhotse.

On 19 May Rajib decided to stay again at C4 in the evening, his eye ailment having increased; besides this he could see that his right big toe had frozen again. Meanwhile Chhanda started at 10:30 pm to ascend Yalung Kang with 3 Sherpas, Tashi Sherpa, Temba Sherpa and Dawa [Wangchhu] Sherpa.

On 20 May Furtemba Sherpa, climbed up to C4 to join Rajib and accompany him down. They started at 10 am and reached BC at 5:30 pm. Rajib reports he could see all 4 climbers on Yalung Kang at 1:30 pm from C3, little up in the final couloir of Yalung Kang. Furtemba having a very huge bag left some of his luggage in C2.

On 21 May Furtemba went up to C2 with another Sherpa to pick up the luggage he left there the previous day.

On 23 May Rajib Bhattacharya left BC for Tseram.

Fixed rope: 6000m for all teams

Sherpa:
Dawa Wangchhu Sherpa, Tamku-5, Sankhuwasabha, (2042/06/15)
Fur Temba Sherpa, Makalu-9, Sankhuwasabha, (2038/04/09)