Churen Himal East | 1988 SW Ridge from SE Face

A S Korea expedition to Churen Himal East in 1988 via SW Ridge from SE Face, led by Ji Hoon-Gu. Summit reached on 7th May 1988. 7 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 89
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID CHRE88101
Peak ID CHRE
Year 1988
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Ridge from SE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality S Korea
Leaders Ji Hoon-Gu
Sponsor 1988 Korea Alpine Club Chung-Dong Churen Himal Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 2nd
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach Kaphe Khola
Basecamp Date 1988-03-27
Summit Date 1988-05-07
Summit Time 1020
Summit Days 41
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7371
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 6
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 7
Summit Members 2
Member Deaths 1
Total Hired 2
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
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(27/03,4750m),C1(31/03,5370m),C2(07/04,5760m),C3(10/04,6310m),C4(17/04,6610m),C5A(20/04,6820m),C5B(26/04,6680m),C6(05/05,7210m),Smt(07/05)
Route Notes BC at Kaphe Khola Glacier 1st C5 at SE Ridge of East Peak 2nd C5 at SW Ridge of East peak. E Ridge from E Peak above C5 very steep knife ridge with 7 or 8 pinnacles without crusted snow on each side, so had to crawl this section. Reached 7180m before giving up because 10 hrs more climbing to summit (had climbed from 5 to 11:30 am on 21st April from C5). Then moved C5 down steep wall to new site with some difficulty via C4. 2nd summit bid for E Peak on 28th April from new C5. 27 Apr reached 7200m on SW Ridge of E peak and biv there. 28th Apr down on north side of the ridge to 7130m when weather bad with snowfall and wind, so returned to C5. Now food finished in C5 so on down. 3rd May summit bid: C6 pitched at biv place on 5th May, one day rest and 7th May to top via SW Ridge of E Peak to E Peak summit on somewhat difficult sharp ridge on which had to fix short ropes. On entire route fixed 1400m including last part of approach to BC, which placed at last year's C1 site, rock face of Ghustang's N Ridge, just above C2 on triangular rock face and down from 1st C5. Kwon fell into crevasse just 10m in front of C3 after having unclipped from fixed rope and tried to cross narrow crevasse, but slipped and fell 90m and was killed. 2 members down near to him and could not reach him completely but already dark. Ministry of Tourism Mountaineering Secition - Press Release Two members of the 1988 Korean Chung Dang Alpine Club Churen Himal Expedition were successful to climb Mt Churen Himal at 10:20 hours on 7th May 1988. They established C6 at 7210m on 5th May and stayed at the same camp. On 6th May they started from C6 at 04:55 hours and reached the summit at 10:20 hours on 7th May. The summiters hoisted the flags of Nepal and South Korea and photographed. They stayed about 55 minutes on the summit and returned to C2. There was strong wind blowing during their stay on the summit. Expedition Report/Churen Himal East peak by the First Ascent route from Bulletin of Korean Alpine Federation: Seven Jung-Dong Alpine Club members led by Chi Hoon-Ku set up camps on the West Ridge of Churen Himal East Peak. The second attempt was tried by Jung-Dong Alpine Club (JAC). The first attempt was tried at premonsoon season last year, but compelled at the point of East Ridge 7200m. Although Churen Himal East Peak was climbed by Korean Expedition party in 1970 for the first ascent, but Japan provoked doubts on their conquest for the lack of convincing evidence to prove their conquest. JAC established BC at 4750m on March 26, and then C1, C2 and C3 at 5370m, 5760m and 6310m on March 29, April 7 and 10. On April 11, Shin Jang-Sup and Kwan Dae-Sik started from C2 to carry loads to C3. Kwon fell in a crevasse near C3. Other members tried to rescue him even for 5 hours, they couldn't pull up his dead body. They set up C4, C5 at 6610m, 6810m on April 16, 20. And then Shin Jang-Sup and Lee Heung-Sik proceeded towards the summit via East Ridge. Two members confronted Pinnacle connected to East Peak at 1 km front of the summit. The prospective route situated in dangerous condition to pass only a keen and narrow pinnacle zone. The route passed steep ice and snow pinnacle. So they felt that they couldn't come back if they went forward continually and withdrew. They depend upon 2 members and no Sherpas, they taking a detour route. On April 26, Shin and Lee moved C5 and set up 6680m on April 26. They approached the summit on the next day but the weather deteriorated when they arrived at the middle peak below 7280m. They made an unprepared bivouac at the point. On April 20 they started to the top the ridge of Middle Peak connected to East Peak. The route from Middle Peak Col was pinnacle zone and the way after the route was mixed snow and rock in unstable conditions. They withdrew and came down lower camp. After laying in a supply of food and fuel from C2, they tried the 3rd attack, as the final attack. On May 7, Shin and Lee proceeded towards the Summit at 4:50 am and stood on it 10:30 am. To climb the route from C4 to the top, which was pinnacle and rock ridge route. They had to pass several rocks. Using 5 hackers and 20m fix rope used when they descended. It was a new approach to the West Ridge.
Accidents Kwon killed in crevasse; 1 porter carrying to C1 injured by falling stone
Achievement 1st Korean ascent perhaps (not sure about 1970 Spring)
Agency Adventure Nepal
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2453057
Year 1988
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) sw ridge from se face

Members

7 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Duk-Ho Bae M 1964 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Propane-gas store manager Details Other expeditions
Hoon-Gu Ji M 1955 S Korea Leader Seoul, S Korea Mining engineer Details Other expeditions
Dae-Sik Kwon M 1965 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Ironworks office staff member Details Other expeditions
Heung-Sik Lee M 1964 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Pharmacy clerk Details Other expeditions
Jung-Keun Lee M 1963 S Korea Climber Seoul, S Korea Mountaineering shop assistant Details Other expeditions
Jang-Seop Shin M 1965 S Korea Climber Incheon, S Korea Mechanical engineering student Details Other expeditions
Jung-Kun Yoo M 1950 S Korea Commandant Seoul, S Korea Director of plumbing-installation company Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
CHRE88101 AAJ Kim Young-Do - - 63:224 (1989) -
CHRE88101 MM - - - 122:11 (Jul 1988) -
CHRE88101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12198922401/Asia-Nepal-Churen-Himal-East-Ascent-and-Tragedy - - -