Kangchung Shar | 2015 Kangchung La-NW Ridge from S

A UK expedition to Kangchung Shar in 2015 via Kangchung La-NW Ridge from S, led by Jon Gupta. Summit reached on 3rd November 2015. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 8932
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KCHS15301
Peak ID KCHS
Year 2015
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 Kangchung La-NW Ridge from S
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Jon Gupta
Sponsor Mountain Expeditions Unclimbed Peaks Expedition
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->Pangboche->Dingboche->Lobuje->Cho La->Dragnang
Basecamp Date 2015-10-28
Summit Date 2015-11-03
Summit Time -
Summit Days 6
Total Days 6
Termination Date 2015-11-03
Termination Reason 5
Termination Notes Abandoned at 5750m due to heavy, unstable snow conditions
High Point (m) 5750
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
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 Summited Lobuche East (26 Oct); attempted Kyajo Ri (to 5900m)
Campsites BC(28/10,5250m),Dep(20/10,5500m),xxx(03/11,5750m)
Route Notes From website of Mountain Expeditions: http://www.mountain-expeditions.co.uk/nepalunclimbedion-report-pxr/ Itinerary: 18/10- Flew to Lukla, walked to Namche Bazaar (3400m) 19/10- to Kyangjuma (3600m), via Everest hotel (3900m) 20/10- to Pangboche (4000m) 21/10- to Dingboche (4400m), acclimatisation walk to 5100m on hill west of town 22/10- 2nd night in Dingboche, acclimatisation walk to Chukung Ri, 5550m 23/10- to Lobuche (4800m) 24/10- Rest day in Lobuche; reccied route to Lobuche high camp 25/10- to Lobuche East high camp (5400m) 26/10- Summited Lobuche (6100m) and back to Lobuche village 27/10- to Zongla (4800m) 28/10- over Cho La pass (5300m) and to Kangchung BC (5250m); reccied Kangchung East Ridge and stashed gear at 5500m 29/10- Heavy snow, retreated down to Dragnang (4700m) 30/10- Snowing - stayed at Dragnang 31/10- Weather clearing, walked to Gokyo for lunch (4800m) and returned to Dragnang 01/11- Rest day at Dragnang waiting for snow to settle 02/11- Walked up to Kangchung BC, retrieved gear from East Ridge stash and moved to below West Ridge 03/11- Attempted Kangchung; turned back at 5750m due to poor snow conditions and illness in team; returned to Dragnag 04/11- Walked to Gokyo (4800m) 05/11- Rest day in Gokyo 06/11- Walked to Machermo (4400m) 07/11- Reccied North Ridge of Kyajo Ri 08/11- Rest day 09/11- Packed and prepared for attempt 10/11- Walk to basecamp at base of Kyajo Ri 11/11- Climb to camp 1 at 5800m on North Face 12/11- Continue climbing the face to the ridge 5900m; descended back to Machermo 13/11- Rest day 14/11- Rest day 15/11- Ice climbing (Looked at gully) 16/11- Ice climbing 17/11- Ice climbing 18/11- Machermo to Namche 19/11- Namche to Lukla 20/11- Lukla to Kathmandu Kangshung, 6068m We had hoped to attempt Chhuphu, an as far as we are aware unclimbed peak in the Thame valley. With issues in Kathmandu it became apparent that it would not be easy for us to gain a permit for this, so we sought an alternative objective. Richard at the Himalayan Database tipped us off about an "unclimbed" peak, Kangchung, located to the northwest of the Cho La Pass. The peak was opened for climbing by the Nepali Government in 2014, as part of the 104 new peaks released. Richard let us know that two permits had been issued for the peak in the previous year, and through Iswari we contacted the agents who arranged the permits and discovered that neither team had been successful. After searching the Himalayan Index and the internet, and finding no records of attempts, we decided to attempt to make an ascent. We initially recced that East Ridge of the mountain, which appeared to be fairly chossy, but worth an attempt. Unseasonal snowfall then made the slabby rock presented by this aspect of the mountain unattractive. We also looked at the North Face from the col on the Northeast Ridge, but this looked to consist of steep chossy slabs. Will traversing across snow slopes after the ramp Upon returning to the mountain after the storm we attempted the snowy West Ridge, but were turned around by sugary unconsolidated snow on steep ice/neve, giving dangerous conditions. The glacier that approaches the col to the west looked to be in tricky condition, so we avoided this by climbing a scree/snow ramp on the SW flank of the mountain. To access the col, traverse left at the top of the ramp. We saw numerous signs of the passage of previous climbers on the mountain, including cairns and old water bottles. We have subsequently heard of three ascents by the West Ridge (all without permits), and one attempt on a route from the glacier to the north. Late 80's - "Phil" soloed the West Ridge, finding easy snow slopes. 2006 - Local guide and lodge owner from Dragnag climbed the West Ridge, apparently finding it very straightforward. 2013- An acquaintance of Jon's summited from the west. 2014- A Czech team were rescued by helicopter whilst attempting to climb from the north side of the mountain. A note to future potential ascentionists - the rock on this peak appears to be of poor quality.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Himalayan Guides
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2459930
Year 2015
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) kangchung la-nw ridge from s

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Jonathan Christian Gupta M 1986 UK Leader Bristol, Avon, England Expedition leader Details Other expeditions
William Thomas (Will) Harris M 1986 UK Climber Stafford, W Midlands, England - Details Other expeditions

References

1 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KCHS15301 - - http://www.mountain-expeditions.co.uk/nepalunclimbedion-report-pxr/ - - -