원정 개요

The weather was absolutely perfect for the entire expedition. We noted that most South Faces were in great condition with very few collapses and avalanches. We found a way to the upper mountain involving some scrambling and short steps of steeper rock climbing just to the right of a prominent icefall at the head of the Ripimo Shar Glacier. After climbing a narrowing couloir, this led to an easy and flat, yet crevassed, glacier in a hanging valley. We made our high camp at the far end of this glacier. Summit day began with a short climb up talus and a broad snow couloir to the upper valley...a flat and easy glacier leading to the bottom of the south face. The face began with easy snow climbing in good condition, but it became a relentless and ever steepening climb on ice and neve with little opportunity for rest or hydration. The hardest portions of the face were just below the summit, where the grade steepened to over 75 degrees. The final climb onto the cornice occupying the shoulder beneath and just to climber's right of the true summit was quite airy and unprotected as unconsolidated sugar snow was the only thing occupying the crevasses leading straight down to Tibet. After contemplating our options and taking some summit photos, we backed up our last snow anchors and began 10-12 rappels back down to the base of the face.

Team had permits for unclimbed Langdung (6357m) and Omitso Go (6381m); climbed only on Langdung.

28 Oct: base camp at 5000m on Rolwaling glacier.
29 Oct: reconnaissance up to 5500m, via a small rock face (low 5th class granite)
and broken glacier.
31 Oct: Camp 1 at 5500m.
01 Nov: South Face climb (600m, 5.3, AI3, 75°), stopped 25m below the top due to
dangerous snow conditions on the final ridge. Down the face in 12 abseils
and a short downclimb to camp 1. Reached base camp that same day.
02 Nov: back to Na carrying heavy loads.