Hungchhi | 2024 W Face-NW Ridge (up), SW Ridge-SE Face (down)
A France expedition to Hungchhi in 2024 via W Face-NW Ridge (up), SW Ridge-SE Face (down), led by Symon Welfringer. Summit reached on 18th May 2024. 2 members recorded.
Expedition Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| ID | 11370 |
| Imported | 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634 |
| Expedition ID | HCHI24101 |
| Peak ID | HCHI |
| Year | 2024 |
| Season | 1 |
| Host Country | 1 |
| Route 1 | W Face-NW Ridge (up), SW Ridge-SE Face (down) |
| Route 2 | - |
| Route 3 | - |
| Route 4 | - |
| Nationality | France |
| Leaders | Symon Welfringer |
| Sponsor | French Hungchhi Expedition 2024 |
| Success 1 | True |
| Success 2 | False |
| Success 3 | False |
| Success 4 | False |
| Ascent 1 | 4th |
| Ascent 2 | - |
| Ascent 3 | - |
| Ascent 4 | - |
| Claimed | False |
| Disputed | False |
| Countries | - |
| Approach | Lukla->Namche Bazar->Gokyo |
| Basecamp Date | 2024-05-03 |
| Summit Date | 2024-05-18 |
| Summit Time | 1330 |
| Summit Days | 15 |
| Total Days | 19 |
| Termination Date | 2024-05-22 |
| Termination Reason | 1 |
| Termination Notes | - |
| High Point (m) | 7029 |
| Traverse | False |
| Ski | False |
| Paraglide | False |
| Camps | 2 |
| Fixed Rope (m) | 0 |
| Total Members | 2 |
| Summit Members | 2 |
| 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(03/05,5060m),ABC(16/05,5300m),Biv1(17/05,6580m),Biv2(18/05,6700m),Smt(18/05) |
| Route Notes | Approach: Lukla, Namche Bazar, Gokyo BC 03/05 5060m on the right bank of the Ngozumpa Glacier ABC 16/05 5300m Biv1 17/05 6580m Biv2 18/05 ~6700m Smt 28/05 by both members at 1:30-2:00 pm Route: W Face to NW Ridge; descent via SW Ridge, then SE Face. Records: HCHI first ascent of the W Face, first traverse of the mountain. The duet initially aimed for the SE Rdge of Gyachung Kang and eventually chose to try Hungchhi as an unexpected plan B. Their permit was for Gyachung Kang (plan A). Members: Symon Welfringer, in the HD Charles Dubouloz, in the HD Mathurin Vauthier, photographer, not climbing Acclimatization: Arrival in Nepal on the 28th of April. One week later, arrival at the BC on the 3rd of May. Straight on the 4th May, the team made a deposit at 5100m, 5 kilometers further north down to the icefall of Gyachung Kang. From that position could already spot Hungchhi’s W Face, but instead at this stage the duet was focused on Gyachung Kang. Back to BC on that day. Acclimatization on a ridge’s bump at 5560m (GPS) near Ngozumpa Tse (5553m), sleeping two nights there (6-7 and 7-8 of May). Then the team would get through the GYAC icefall until circa 5300m, where it slept on the night of 10-11 of May. There they found gear remnants of the previous GYAC expeditions, believing to have slept in the vicinity of the Polish BCA (and Japanese also, since they found old oxygen bottles with Japanese writing on it). On the 11th of May, Charles and Mathurin went further up in the icefall for circa 5h before retreating back to BC; meanwhile, Symon felt sick and returned straight to BC instead. At this stage, three reasons led the duet to abandon its plan A: (1) The access to Gyachung Kang proved complex and involved a longer time period of expedition, which the duet hadn’t, for fixing that approach. (2) The weather forecast never allowed more than a two-day period of good weather, when on an objective like Gyachung Kang one would need 7 days at least. (3) Lastly Symon, who had obviously contracted a severe bronchitis (close to pulmonary edema symptoms), wouldn’t be able to aim for a close 8000er technical peak. In consequence, Symon stayed in BC for a week recovering, first losing hope for any climbing at all. He took antibiotics and after 5 days, he eventually got better. Meanwhile Charles pushed his acclimatization going up alone for 3 days (on the 11-13 May) on the SW Ridge of Hungchhi (normal route), stopping there at 6100m or 6200m, at a third of the ridge. On return of Charles, surprisingly, both had spotted the same line on the W Face of Hungchhi: Charles from the SW Ridge, Symon from the bottom of the face! Yet Charles was a little tired from his attempt and Symon felt like at 70-80% of his capabilities, despite a half attractive weather window, the duet chose to try for it. After two days’ rest (14-15 May), the ascent could begin. 4th ascent of Hungchhi: 16 May: BC to the 5300m’ ABC, lying afoot of the W Face. Mathurin Vauthier followed them up there. 17 May: CD and SW started at 5am from ABC, on that day had to climb the 1200m of the face in one go (5400m to 6580m), the slope not allowing to put a tent. Charles in a better shape mainly led the climb on that day, luckily in clear weather with no wind. Bivouaced at the northwest col (6580m), which the Japanese had reached from the N Face in 2006. 18 May: On this day, the 35th birthday of Dubouloz, Symon felt tired and so did Charles. Yet technically not hard, the duet needed 6h to break the trail on the snowy NW Ridge to the top. Summit reached at 1:30-2 PM. Straight after that, the weather conditions started to deteriorate and the duet started its descent via the SW Ridge. After going down for 300m, the duet caught in a storm and had to bivouac. The pair now realized that the Japanese route was longer (about 5 kms in its full length), more complex and tortuous than expected. When they had hoped to go down at 6300m on this day, they had only reached 6700m. 19 May: After a complicated night during which the tent mat and material had both broken, knowing that the forecast would be even worse on the 20, they had to hurry. After they had started the descent, leaving the tent in situ, at 6500m the visibility was almost zero and they were now facing the expected crux of the line. Three options at this stage: one was to keep going on through the ridge, but it was too long and committing without visibility and enough gear; the second was to abseil the 1200m of the W Face from their point, straight above their BC, but under huge seracs and all on abalakovs; the third one was to drop 700m on the unscouted SE Face, on sight, then with a longer return walk to BC via more unknown ground. With a shorter denivelation yet more return walk, the duet chose option 3. The decisional crux was passed. After 10 to 15 abalakovs abseils in steep ground, even sometimes in overhanging ground, the duet could reach a nice snow couloir leading to the footstep of the SE Face. After a long walk down the Gaunar(a) Glacier, then back to the Ngozumpa glacier crossing the latter, the duet eventually reached its BC at 8 pm. The duet had pushed commitment significantly during these 3 days, achieving the first ascent of a magnificent line on the untouched W Face (“Le cavalier sans tête”, 1700m), the first traverse of the mountain including a first known scouting via the untouched SE Face, and the first alpine-style ascent of the mountain. The duet chose to add no grading for the line, feeling it useless. Trek back to KTM on the 22nd of May to reach KTM on the 26th of May. Oxygen: Not taken, not used. |
| Accidents | - |
| Achievement | - |
| Agency | Holiday Himalaya Treks via Pralhad Chapagain |
| Commercial Route | False |
| Standard Route | False |
| Primary Route | False |
| Primary Member | False |
| Primary Reference | False |
| Primary ID | - |
| Checksum | 2462518 |
| Year | 2024 |
| Summit Success | True |
| O2 Summary | None |
| Route (lowercase) | w face-nw ridge (up), sw ridge-se face (down) |
Members
2 recorded members.
| Name | Sex | Year of Birth | Citizenship | Status | Residence | Occupation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symon Gabriel Welfringer | M | 1993 | France | Leader | Grenoble, Isere, France | Engineer in Meteo France | Details Other expeditions |
| Charles Henri Pierre Francois Dubouloz | M | 1989 | France | Climber | Annecy, Haute Savoy, France | Alpine guide | Details Other expeditions |
References
4 recorded references.