Kanjiroba South | 1969 NW Ridge

A UK expedition to Kanjiroba South in 1969 via NW Ridge, led by John Tyson. Summit reached on 31st May 1969. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2506
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID KJRS69101
Peak ID KJRS
Year 1969
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Ridge
Route 2 NE Ridge
Route 3 SE Ridge (to 5800m)
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders John Tyson
Sponsor -
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 Jumla->Mugu Karnali->Langu Khola->Dolphu
Basecamp Date 1969-05-12
Summit Date 1969-05-31
Summit Time -
Summit Days 19
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned due to bad weather and approaching monsoon
High Point (m) 5800
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 4
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(12/05,3800m),C1,C2,C3,xxx(31/05,5800m)
Route Notes Tyson - 11 July 69 2 weeks to Dolphu, last place on route and then week really started. 1 week up gorge of Langu Khola [Namlang Khola] to Ruka Khola (unexplored). Few local hunters know this gorge and they only know of it. Here all ladders used for crossing Langu 5 times; really great success (1 crossing had 2 30 spurs). Up Ruku Khola. Next 3 weeks: attempts on 3 ridges on Kanjiroba (about 1 week each) 11-18 May 19-25 May 26-31 May NW Ridge tried first. Stopped where it became very thin ice fluting and partly because thought saw better way on NE Ridge, which looks very gentle but problem is to get on it. To get to ridge, had to make long circuit "through unexplored country" while making way up this icefall that "we had our worst experience on this expedition." "We were on a rocky ridge when we saw an enormous snow avalanche coming down the NW Face into the basin to the north of us. For about 1 minute we were totally enveloped and hardly able to breathe; my rucksack and hat were carried away; I recovered my toothbrush 3 weeks later." This size of the 22 May avalanche totally unexpectable which was 100-150 ft across and it came down and then up again. First 2 attempts were really directed towards lesser of 2 peaks and then would have had to go along ridge to higher main peak. 3rd attempt carried on from same snowfield to SE Ridge. This the most important attempt - crossed great snowfield. In last attempt after avalanche continued up to about 19,000 ft. More ice fluting and tremendously narrow ridge where no space for putting camp or even standing on it and found cliff 3000 ft high leading down to head of Jagdula Khola. C3 3000 ft lower than C2. Crossed glacier here and attempted SE Ridge leading directly to main summit, but now started getting daily snowfall in monsoon's effects and rotting of snow. So now hopeless to try with no frost at night. Withdrew to Langu Khola in beginning June. Now in a way most exciting part: to get out of Langu, but river risen 3 feet. Still had all ladders and followed incredible river gorge eastwards. No tracks at all (at best hunter's path). Coolies came to party by path over rocks manageable only without packs. Took party 8 days continuous difficulty and danger especially from falling rocks and we made out last bridge with water very high (11 sect 5 each bridge and tree). This route never before followed by westerners. Another 15 days from Phijor to Pokhara; in Pokhara 10th July. Dean gone directly to India Pokhara/Bhairawa. Brown coming with ponies baggage to Pokhara and arrive KTM another 4 days and separate departure ex-Nepal. Langu 10,000 ft but had to cross 2 16,000 ft passes. All up and down. Special tributes to Sherpas especially as expedition slightly not normal type logistically; excellent liaison officer. We filled a big blank on the map and on one before has actively set foot on the mountain. Don't see mountain until halfway up Ruka Khola and yet highest mountain in Himalayas from Dhaulagiri to Saipal" (60 miles in each direction). "A most illusive mountain." Try again: SE Ridge is the best ridge to attempt probably in autumn. John Tyson, leader age: 41 home: Rugby prof: schoolmaster married and 3 children 3rd in Kanjiroba Himal; 1st time in Nepal 1953 in Api exploration Charles Clarke (arrive ex-Patna probably 13th) age: 25 home Caldy, Cheshire profession - final year medical student at Guys Hospital, London unmarried leader of Cambridge Univ Himal Expedition Simon Brown age: 24 home: Goring by Sea, Sussex prof: schoolmaster unmarried in Himalayas before in Kishtwar, Indian Kashmir, climbed in Yosemite and explored in Greenland. Peter Dean age: 18 student waiting to go up to Trinity College Cambridge in Oct 1970; will do years teaching in Mayo. Home: London unmarried Liaison - Capt Dil Bahadur Karki, officer. Barry Bishop - 2 April 69 Bishop joining climbing with Tyson going into unexplored approach to Kanjiroba which Japanese considered impossible. Tyson in 1960 tried from south from Phoksumdo and got nowhere near base of mountain and next time south from Langu and again not successful in reaching mountain's base, so now from west further east to next drainage east and then south to mountain. No base camp; small flexible; primarily an exploration with carrot of mountain. Confident he can get to base of the mountain, but getting onto mountain is the problem. Leave Jumla 15-20 April (Twin others march in - 8-10 weeks getting in, exploring mountain possibilities and getting out to Pokhara (except Bishop). Barry Bishop - 19 Feb 69 Kaniroba Main Peak not yet climbed successfully; will explore main peak approach from north. April-July climbing and scientific research. Tyson leader and 3 other Britons and Barry Bishop who doesn't know which part of expedition will actually be with. Doing geographical research in area and may combine forces with Tyson part of time. Mt Everest Fdn and Royal Geographical Society Climbers including Sir Patrick Dean's son Peter Jim Brown Dr. Clarke
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2442927
Year 1969
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
John Baird Tyson M 1928 UK Leader Rugby, Warwick, England Schoolmaster Details Other expeditions
Charles Richard Astley Clarke M 1944 UK Climber Caldy, Cheshire, England Final year medical student at Guys Hospital, London Details Other expeditions
Simon John Brown M 1945 UK Climber Goring by Sea, Sussex, England Schoolmaster Details Other expeditions
Peter Henry Dean M 1951 UK Climber London, England Student waiting to go up to Trinity College in Oct 1970 Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
KJRS69101 AAJ Tyson, John - - 44:183 (1970) -
KJRS69101 HJ Tyson, John Return to Kanjiroba, 1969 - 29:96-104 (1969) -
KJRS69101 AJ Tyson, John Return to Kanjiroba - 75:114-123 (1970) -
KJRS69101 MM - - - 7:2 (Jan 1970) -
KJRS69101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197018303/Asia-Nepal-Kanjiroba-Himal - - -
KJRS69101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/29/15/return-to-kanjiroba-1969/ - - -
KJRS69101 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1970_files/AJ%201970%20114-123%20Tyson%20Kanjiroba.pdf - - -