Nuptse East I | 2003 Pillar/Buttress on S Face-E Smt

A Russia expedition to Nuptse East I in 2003 via Pillar/Buttress on S Face-E Smt, led by Valeri Babanov. Summit reached on 2nd November 2003. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4501
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID NUPE03301
Peak ID NUPE
Year 2003
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 Pillar/Buttress on S Face-E Smt
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Russia
Leaders Valeri Babanov
Sponsor Russian South Face Nuptse Expedition
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 1st
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries -
Approach -
Basecamp Date 2003-09-21
Summit Date 2003-11-02
Summit Time 1920
Summit Days 42
Total Days 47
Termination Date 2003-11-07
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7795
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 1200
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(21/09,5200m),C1(21/10,6200m),Biv1(30/10,6900m),Biv2(31/10,7200m),Biv3(01/11,7450m),Smt(02/11)
Route Notes BC at 5200m Lhotse Nuptse Glacier 1st biv 30th Oct 6900m on South Buttress 2nd 31 Oct at 7200m buttress pillar 1 Nov 7450m Buttress Pillar 3 Nov at 6900m in descent of buttress pillar 15 Oct both members reached 6800m, left small high-altitude tent there and back to BC after having got good acclimatization. 21 Oct and slept at 6200m and 22nd Oct reached 6800m, but very strong wind so down to BC same day. Now down to Deboche to rest on 23 Oct. Now 3 days of heavy snowfall (1 mishap at BC) in Deboche and back to BC, arrived 27 Oct. 29 Oct started up buttress: 5 hours to C1; 30th up to 6900m and slept there. Decided to take very little gear in climb above there so could move quickly, so took 2 ropes, 1 mat, 1 tent (no sleeping bags), 2 bottle gas, 1 stove, a little food, 7 pitons, 5 "friends", 3 nuts, 4 ice screws and 4 snowbars. 31st reached 7200m at 4:00 pm. 1 Nov on up to 7450m up hardest part, up rock buttress 75-80 degrees in sure sections; rock covered by ice which made it easier to climb from last spring when too dry. Slept in small tents sitting up all night (Babanov slept a little, but Kochelenko not at all). 2nd Nov woke up 5:30 am and drank tea, started up at 8:40 am from tent when sun had finally reached west side of buttress where route was "not just walking on snow but constant climbing," mixed rock snow and difficult to find feasible route. Now cold and windy at 5:00 pm, so decided to carry on up despite cold (-20 degrees C) and strong wind; took no tent now, no gas or stove. Reached summit ridge about 6:30 pm, 60m from this point on ridge to summit; Babanov 10 minutes ahead of partner at 7:20 pm on top. Back to 7450m and tent "very tired and very frozen." Summit is pointed and ridge very narrow. 3 Nov to 6500m BC on 4 Nov. Beautiful view of Everest in moonlight. Moonlight helped considerably. Both climbers lost sensation in toes and fingers temporarily, but no frostbite. This was first ascent of Nuptse East I, highest unclimbed peak in world? * Babanov took several wrong lines and had to retreat and try alternatives.
Accidents Only very sore throats
Achievement -
Agency Windhorse Trekking
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2456254
Year 2003
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) pillar/buttress on s face-e smt

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Valeri Babanov M 1964 Russia Leader Omsk, Russia Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Yuri Koshelenko M 1963 Russia Climber Rostov-on-Don, Russia Alpine instructor Details Other expeditions

References

10 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
NUPE03301 HIGH - Nuptse I East Climbed - Third Time Lucky for Babanov - 255:6 (Feb 2004) -
NUPE03301 ALP Babanov, Valeri Nuptse East, Moonlight Sonata, New Route - 6:88-90 (Spring 2004) -
NUPE03301 ALP Babanov, Valeri Moonlight Sonata - 7:40-47 (Summer 2004) -
NUPE03301 AAJ Koshelenko, Yuri Moonlight Sonata - 78:24-33 (2004) -
NUPE03301 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 78:407 (2004) -
NUPE03301 HIGH - - - 265:53-55 (Dec 2004) -
NUPE03301 - - http://www.russianclimb.com/nuptse3.html - - -
NUPE03301 - - http://www.babanov.com - - -
NUPE03301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200440701/Asia-Nepal-Malahangur-Asia-Nepal-Khumbu-Nuptse-East-I-7804m-First-Ascent - - -
NUPE03301 - - (see Reference Notes) - - -