Chamlang | 2019 N Spur (to 6700m)

A France expedition to Chamlang in 2019 via N Spur (to 6700m), led by Benjamin Vedrines. Summit reached on 18th October 2019. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 10390
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHAM19302
Peak ID CHAM
Year 2019
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Spur (to 6700m)
Route 2 NE Face (to 7240m)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Benjamin Vedrines
Sponsor French Chamlang Expedition 2019
Success 1 False
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Lukla->Mera La->Chamlang BC
Basecamp Date 2019-10-08
Summit Date 2019-10-18
Summit Time -
Summit Days 10
Total Days 11
Termination Date 2019-10-19
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 7240m due to impending bad weather
High Point (m) 7240
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 150
Total Members 2
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 0
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired True
O2 Used False
O2 None True
O2 Climb False
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(08/10,5050m),ABC(09/10,5400m),C1(10/10,6050m),Biv1(11/10,6630m),xxx(6700m); ABC2(17/10,5550m),Biv2(18/10,6080m),xxx(7240m)
Route Notes BC 08/10 5050m at Seto Pokhari tea house ABC 09/10 5400m at lake at 5400m C1 10/10 6050m at Chamlang Glacier (c6050m Garmin Inreach) Biv1 11/10 6630m on N Spur Hpt 11/10 6700m on N Spur by both members North Spur attempt (to 6700m): 08 Oct: no real BC, made it at Seto Pokhari tea house, 5050m, which is very close to the start of their intended routes. 09 Oct: camp at a 5400m lake, located west to the start of the route to col giving access to Chamlang Glacier. Carried some gear at the glacier not far from north face of the col. 10 Oct: climbed the North Face of the c.6070m col giving access to flat Chamlang Glacier. 2 hard pitches (including one in M3/M4). One old belay with 2 pitons modified for a new location. Camped at c.6050m on the flat Chamlang glacier, south to the ridge between Hongku Chuli and Chamlang North Spur, this after duo had broken the trail afoot of the East Face of N spur and fixed a rope there (slope 55°). "6260m point (Finn Map) is a small rocky peak located east to the col. Looking from north, col left of that 6260m peak looks like an easier access to Chamlang Glacier, but on its south side, a 50m rock cliff defends the access to Chamlang glacier. Why it's eventually an easier solution by the Basque/French route, with a simple straight access on south side." 11 Oct: woke up at 4:30 am. Trail had been slightly filled up with snow by the wind. Reached top of the fixed rope. Following were easy snow pitches under a strong sun, however not moisting much the snow. A pitch at the end was more technical with steep snow slightly "sugar like" with ice sometimes (sections up to 90 degrees). Reached the N Spur horizontal section after that preliminary East Face found in very good conditions. With less snowy conditions, duo attacked more by the left than Clouet team line and finished more by the right of it, middle section being the same. From there got some steep snow (sometimes "sugar like" (hard to protect but generally ok) to join previous Clouet team 6500m bivouac under its caracteristic rock pinacle. Reached that former bivouac place at circa 1-2 pm. Then duo went into unknown. Had 1 mixed pitch on the right flank of the ridge, then 1 steep snow pitch on the edge of the ridge. From there impossible to follow the latter, so made a c.70m horizontal/slightly descending traverse on the right flank. This to reach an ice line allowing to overcome the steep horizontal rock layer trough that soft ice (4+) section in the sun. From there had 1 right side ascending pitch in delicate snow and ice (3+/4). From there they ascended up to the left, leaving the logical continuing line of previous pitch going straight above slightly to the right. Fixed their highest belay for the attempt, slightly below 6700m. Fixed rope here considering the last pitches difficulties, then abseiled to a 6630m bivouac, both imagining to continue the day after. In the afternoon however, Nicolas Jean health became less and less good; showed excessive tiredness, then vomited reaching the bivouac, then got headache. 12 Oct: in the morning, Nicolas showed a slight improvement, but not good enough to commit up beyond 7000m in such a shape. Both decided to come back down despite good route and weather conditions (only 20-30 km/h west wind might have been little annoying on the edge of the ridge). Abseiled and climbed down. The East Face of the North Spur was in perfect condition, with snow even not at the ankle and an ending all in snow. Then made 10 abseils to reach the bottom of 6070m col's North Face. Reached tea house BC at 5 pm. 13 Oct: walked back to Khare (behind Mera La). Line without many objective risks. Benjamin wonders if the line wouldn't be more feasible in autumn, feeling all spring pictures he could watch so far presented a rather dry West Face, which is the key to climb North Spur. The ice pitch forcing the steepest rock layer seems essential, despite apparent possibilities for difficult aid climbing on the left of it. N Spur attempt abandoned on 12 Oct due to health condition of rope partner. NE Face to 7240m top of N Spur: 17 Oct: duo got some news from weather forecaster Yann Giezendanner, with him announcing a short ending good weather window, so that duo started straight from Khare in the morning, crossed Mera La, packed some gear at tea house BC, then went up at 5550m to bivouac at the glacier limit (25mn distant from the beginning of col 6070m North Face). 18 Oct: started from new ABC at 6:40 am. Left a rope for descent plus technical gear (used only for the 2 hard pitches) atop of the 2 pitches. From there reached flat glacier, putting their tent in a sheltered place at 6080m (in fact higher than col 6070m, different than during N Spur attempt). Had a rest from 10 am to noon, remaining caught in the clouds (differently than weather forecast had announced). Eventually started, walking down to the flat part of the glacier (6050m). Then in an uncertain weather context, had a "time of professional lucidity," hesitating during 1:20 about the choice to do. Contacted Giezendanner again: snow was announced for Saturday afternoon, so there were no other possibilities! However in a last message, forecast told "snow next night." Despite a late start sounded ambitious, on the other hand knew the descent would go fast like 4 hrs. Despite temptation to renounce, duo started! At c.1:50 pm, duo attacked the NE Face at c.6060m. Would climb solo most of the time. Average steepness of the snow/ice slope like 50/55°, 65° maximum. At 7000m still in the face, got a 50m horizontal traverse section with hidden ice, sole difficulty of the route to go towards the exit: here used the 60m rope, plus 3 ice screws with simple carabiners. Once on the summit ridge, traversed 50m west to reach at 7:10 pm the top of the N Spur, measured at 7240m. "Looked like a real nice little summit, offering good perspective on ridges towards north, west and east." Stayed about 5 min up there to make pictures and check the altitude. Wind about 45km/h. Went down in less than 3 hrs, using rope again to traverse the 50m section at 7000m. Reached their tent between 10 and 10:20 pm. 19 Oct: from bivy on Chamlang Glacier to Chamlang BC (where North Face expedition with Goettler/Barmasse stayed). Left BC on 19 Oct. HPt on 18/10 7240m at top of N Spur by both members (Garmin Inreach measurement). Fixed rope: 1 rope fixed in East Face access to N spur. 2 other ropes fixed between Biv1 and high point reached on N Spur. Oxygen: not taken, not used Sherpas: none Routes: N Spur of main summit and NE Face to top of N Spur.
Accidents -
Achievement 1st ascent of NE Face to top of N Spur
Agency Panorama Himalaya Trekking (Himalaya Vision pmt)
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2462909
Year 2019
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n spur (to 6700m)

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Benjamin Charles Elie Vedrines M 1992 France Leader Briancon, Hautes-Alpes, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Nicolas Paul Aristide Jean M 1998 France Climber Saint-Pons, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France Ski instructor & carpenter Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHAM19302 AAJ Vedrines, Benjamin Chamlang, North Pillar Attempt and Northweast Couloir to Point 7240m - 94:41-42 (2020) -
CHAM19302 - Vedrines, Benjmin http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201215530 - - -