원정 개요

BC 24/09 3800m (in BC south side of Api)
C1 26/09 4300m
C2 27/09 5100m
Hpt 28/09 5500m "West Pass" (west of Api) by Vit Auermuller.

Climb abandoned on 28/09 due to difficult and unknown route. Team left south BC on 3 Oct.

From Darchula they trekked to Huti, Sunsera, Tusarpani and Dumlin. They had planned to climb Api from the north via the "normal route" (NW Ridge), but once they reached Dumlin, local people told them it's impossible to go to the north side. They were told that the road to BC on north is damaged because of landslides. They could have gone by walk and cross the river with ropes, but it would have been too dangerous because of rockfall. They returned to Dumlin and tried to find another way.

Locals told them there was an alternative trail to BC over hills, but it would have taken too much time and they were unsure about the condition of bridges on this trail. They thought of flying to BC by helicopter, but helicopter was too expensive, since there are no helicopters in the far west of Nepal.

They eventually went back to Darchula and took jeeps to Pari Bagar (3-4 hours from Darchula). From Pari Bagar they started the 4-day trek to south BC of Api. First day to Ghunsa, second day to Khayekot, third day to Dhaulo Odar, fourth day to Thusa (3800m/BC). Base camp was at a beautiful location, they were surrounded by 6000m mountains. They went to west side of Api, slept at 4300m on grass side (C1), then went up to 5100m among crevasses (C2) on a glacier. There was a bad thunderstorm that night, with a lot of flashes.

From C2 they went north without tents for a pass. They wanted to find a way to the north side for a possible climbing route. Vit Auermuller reached the pass at 5500m, but saw that conditions on north side were unfavourable. The slope on the north was very steep, the weather looked unstable and they didn't have enough time to continue expedition on the north. Climbing the South Face of Api was out of question, too difficult, too steep.

They abandoned the expedition and went back to Pari Bagar in 2 days via Khayekot. From Pari Bagar they took a jeep to Seri. From there to Hanidori by bus where they spent a night, then bus to Chitwan. Spent 2 days in Chitwan before they returned to Kathmandu.