원정 개요

Small team climbing in alpine style. 4 climbing members are Pierre Labbre, Mathieu Maynadier, Sebastien Moatti and Sebastien Ratel. Leader Jean-Yves Igonenc stayed in BC in support along with doctor Benoit Ginon.

Team left France on the 13 Sept, arrived in KTM on the 14 Sept.

After they were blocked in KTM because of bad weather conditions, they could eventually fly in helicopter from KTM to Namche Bazar on the 19 Sept.

Team had a preliminary acclimatization period 100m above Tashi Lapcha. First intended to acclimatize on Pachermo, but too much dangerous snow there.

20-21 Sept: Thame
22 Sept: Tengbo
23-24 Sept: Pachermo base camp (hut).
25-28 Sept: continued acclimatization a bit higher.
29 Sept: back to Pachermo base camp.
30 Sept: back to Thame.

First contact with the Nangpai Gosum SW Face:

08 Oct: from base camp to ABC.
09 Oct: the 4 members reached future C1 site, digging in ice and snow to prepare
the platform. Back to ABC that day.
10 Oct: back to BC for rest.

First attempt in the face:

15 Oct: from BC to ABC.
16 Oct: from ABC to C1. Rimaye had opened itself since their first visit. 2 to 3
buttress (60, 70°) then 3 hard pitches at the end of the day (80°/
90°/grade 4+).

17-18 Oct: Started at 5 am, high point at 3:30-4:00 pm at 6600m by all four members. First had 3 traverse pitches on slabs covered with snow (M4). Then the crux went straight above with first a good dry cracky climbing offering good protections, then after a pull-up, had a fragile but also well protectable 90° steep ice (6300m). From there, had goulottes and plaquages (about 10 pitches in average grade 4) until Maynadier's arm got hit by a piece of ice at 6600m, his arm being quickly swollen. After a contact with the doctor reassuring, group had a 1 to 1-1/2 hour talk (despite all members were still in fact being exposed to rock/ice falls). They eventually decided to go back down straight to the BC. They reached the glacier at foot of the face at 3:30 am the next day, ABC at 4 am and BC at 1 or 2 pm.

Had planned for C2 at 6800/6900m for that day (above last difficulties on a thin snow ridge).

Stayed an other night resting in BC, then went back to Thame in a day. They didn't want to give another try despite good conditions, everyone fearing somewhat new exposure to the rock/ice falls.

Route in fact generally exposed to objective risks as it uses the main corridor separating NAG2 from its subpeak. Every member was hit by piece of stone or ice at least once: Labbre received one stone on one hand during first visit (it was swollen then back to normal). Moatti got helmet cracked in two pieces plus fur jacket scratched (after he had repaired it with tape, he would later discover that some stones were still remaining in it!). Ratel was hit on the shoulder.

Problem is that the face takes sun from 9 am to 5 pm, then with the inertia, falls continue until morning's beginning. "It never stops", indeed leaving a short window for safety (end of the night to 9-10 am). Moatti wonders if there hasn't been some recent rock massiv fall in the face, as he remarked some black marks in the face.

But some nice pitches and lust to go back (a great base camp!) and try again.