Cholatse | 1993 SW Ridge

A USA expedition to Cholatse in 1993 via SW Ridge, led by John Climaco. Summit reached on 21st October 1993. 8 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 1290
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHOL93301
Peak ID CHOL
Year 1993
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge
Route 2 W Rib-SW Ridge (NZ 1992 rte)
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders John Climaco
Sponsor 1993 American Cholatse Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 True
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 9th,10th
Ascent 2 11th
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Canada, Sweden
Approach -
Basecamp Date 1993-10-04
Summit Date 1993-10-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 17
Total Days 23
Termination Date 1993-10-27
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6440
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 1800
Total Members 8
Summit Members 7
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(04/10,4700m),ABC(14/10,5000m),C1(16/10,5670m),C2(18/10,5915m),C3(20/10,6190m),Biv1(20/10,5975m),Biv2(21/10,6155m),Biv3(22/10,6190m),Biv4(23/10,5915m),Smt(21-23/10)
Route Notes BC east of Charchung at bottom of face ABC right under face C1 on SW Ridge at col past icefall C2 on SW Ridge C3 at top of SW Ridge Biv on West Rib. From ABC routes diverged with Webster & Dummire to W Rib and others to SW Ridge. For ridge, route goes SE through icefall & SW Ridge itself with no fixed camps but tents at each stopping place set up & taken down as moved up & down. Ridge route not seriously difficult but steep snow made "awkward ground" to climb. On rib route: acclimatized in ridge route & spent 16th & 17th nights at their C1, then on 18th to BC (with sick Beatty). 19th to ABC & at 2 am on 20th up through icefall & just before top of icefall at left to W Rib at c17,600 ft, climbed up ribs summed to below seracs, again left around them one 10m steep "frightening" water ice section to lower angle back on rib for 1st biv at 2:30 pm. 21st straight up rib starting at 8:30 am & biv at platform hacked out of snow & ice at base of serac barriers at base of summit plateau (did 100m pitches). Above 30m steep section/pitch was another pitch of "rotten" snow which did not support any weight. On rib had hardest climb of the route, straight up 10m water ice wall directly above biv & spent whole day on this pitch & resting at new biv which was at SW Ridge C3. 23rd to summit via SW Ridge route & descended SW Ridge to C2 site & biv here because of mtn team "difficulties." Heinrich climbed partly with rib team, partly alone - had different ideas of safe climbing.
Accidents Beatty bronchitis drove him down from C1 on 18 Oct
Achievement -
Agency Summit Nepal Trekking
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2454560
Year 1993
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge

Members

8 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Nicholas Beatty M 1965 Canada Climber Vancouver, British Colombia Publishing consultant Details Other expeditions
Andrew J. Brash M 1968 Canada Climber Lancaster, Ontario Tree planter Details Other expeditions
Christopher Breemer M 1969 USA Climber Albany, California Carpenter Details Other expeditions
Robert Sean Cassady M 1965 USA Climber Louisville, Colorado Computer mapping technician Details Other expeditions
John M. Climaco M 1968 USA Leader Hunting Valley, Ohio Legal researcher Details Other expeditions
Glenn Eugene Dunmire M 1961 USA Climber Estes Park, Colorado National park ranger & carpenter Details Other expeditions
Tomas (Tommy) Heinrich M 1962 Sweden Climber Albany, California Agronomy engineer Details Other expeditions
Edward Russell (Ed) Webster M 1956 USA Climber Boulder, Colorado Photojournalist & alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

5 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHOL93301 AAJ Climaco, John M. - - 68:218-220 (1994) -
CHOL93301 AAJ Heinrich, Thomas - - 70:283 (1996) -
CHOL93301 HIGH - - - 138:8-9 (May 1994) -
CHOL93301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199628300/Asia-Nepal-Cholatse-Southwest-Ridge-1993-Solo-Ascent - - -
CHOL93301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199421802/Asia-Nepal-Cholatse - - -