Kangchenjunga | 2005 SW Face

A UK expedition to Kangchenjunga in 2005 via SW Face, led by Alan Hinkes. Summit reached on 30th May 2005. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4987
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KANG05102
Peak ID KANG
Year 2005
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SW Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Alan Hinkes
Sponsor -
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 66th
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2005-04-24
Summit Date 2005-05-30
Summit Time 0715
Summit Days 36
Total Days 41
Termination Date 2005-06-04
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 8586
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 1
Summit Members 1
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
Summit Hired 0
Hired Deaths 0
No Hired False
O2 Used True
O2 None False
O2 Climb True
O2 Descent False
O2 Sleep False
O2 Medical False
O2 Taken False
O2 Unknown False
Other Summits -
Campsites BC(24/04,5500m),C1(30/04,6250m),C2(14/05,6840m),C3(29/05,7400m),Smt(30/05)
Route Notes BC at normal site C1 as same as Joos expedition site C2 as same as Joos expedition site C3 below the ramp. 16 May Hinkes and Pasang Gelu down from C2 to BC. 26 May up from BC to C1; 27th to C2; 28 May tried to get C3 but only to 7200m but bad snow conditions and had to refix ropes; got to 7200m at 4:30 pm too late to continue up so down to C2. 29th up again and reached 7400m at later afternoon C3 there for summit bid on 30th. 30th 00:30 am up from C3 and up the ramp to 7900m (about 100m below Col) and then towards summit, refixing old rope (Indian) which was vital in descent; if old rope not there, would not have been able to find way down in snow blizzard and in dark on mixed snow and rock. Hinkes got to top at 7:00-7:30 pm as light was fading. Returned to C3 about 3:00 am on 31st. Pasang Gelu turned back, close to top, reason unknown, but probably because he had no torch and worried about safe return to ramp over difficult rock and snow - steep section to easier descent via ramp. Hinkes met him in ramp, at least bumped into him in poor visibility in falling snow. Both returned to C3 together (lower than ramp, snow not falling). Left C3 late afternoon because too tired to move earlier; to C2 at 7:30 pm and BC 1st June at 7:30 pm also. In descent from top Hinkes down pants ripped badly from hurrying down rocks. Oxygen used: both men from 7600m intermittently till oxygen stopped close to top to the for Hinkes and Pasang turned off at top of ramp because oxygen systems not working properly. All altitudes and time are estimates above C2 since Hinkes had no watch or altimeter (Pasang Gelu had watch). Hinkes video pictures in fading light show him about 5m below top. Sherpa: Pasang Gelu (Dhimbul)
Accidents -
Achievement Claims his 14th 8000er and 1st UK atop all 8000ers
Agency Himalaya Expeditions
Commercial Route False
Standard Route True
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2456021
Year 2005
Summit Success True
O2 Summary Used
Route (lowercase) sw face

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Alan Charles Hinkes M 1954 UK Leader Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Pasang Gelu Sherpa M 1963 Nepal H-A Worker Dhimbul, Gudel, Solukhumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KANG05102 AJ Hinkes, Alan Close Encounters with Kangch - 110:3-11 (2005) -
KANG05102 CLIM - - - 17:77-78 (Jul 2006) -
KANG05102 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2005_files/AJ%202005%201-11%20Hinkes%20Kangchenjunga.pdf - - -