Purbung Himal | 2003 WNW Ridge

A Finland expedition to Purbung Himal in 2003 via WNW Ridge, led by Patrick (Pata) Degerman. Summit reached on 21st April 2003. 10 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4360
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID PURB03101
Peak ID PURB
Year 2003
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 WNW Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Finland
Leaders Patrick (Pata) Degerman
Sponsor Team Finland to Putrung (Purbung Himal)
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 Marshyangdi->Manang->Janghusar Khola
Basecamp Date 2003-04-17
Summit Date 2003-04-21
Summit Time -
Summit Days 4
Total Days 5
Termination Date 2003-04-22
Termination Reason 9
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6052m due to lack of time
High Point (m) 6052
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 3
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 10
Summit Members 0
Member Deaths 0
Total Hired 1
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(17/04,4500m),ABC(5200m),C1(18/04,5000m),C2(19/04,5400m),C3(20/04,5600m),xxx(21/04,6052m)
Route Notes BC at 4500m Chulu West BC site between Chulu West and Gendang ABC at 5200m used only by BC staff for communication with climbers C1 at 5000m rock area under a huge rock cliff north of Gendang C2 at 5416m West Purkhang Glacier. Big problem to find a route: first thought could climb from C1 north across glacier and reach WNW Ridge from C1, but not possible because 100m seracs in steps and between glaciers were steep rock cliffs. So had to go westwards over Purkhang Glacier. Again seracs blocked direct route to WNW Ridge and again had to go around slightly to west. Team had too little time for recce and climb; had only 2 ropes of 50m to fix, them take out and fix higher. Summit push by Degerman and Kantanen from C3 2:30 am; Degerman reached high point 11:30 am and had to return to C3 by route deviation because sun warmed seracs and ice pieces falling; reached C3 at 7:30 pm. When C3 occupants were going to C2, expected to take C2's single tent and other gear and descend to village of Thorung Phedi but discovered that a journalist Arturri Kroeger (not official member of team) was in C2 with altitude sickness (both pulmonary and cerebral edema), so Karinen stayed with him while others went on to Thorung Phedi. Degerman arrived there 9:00 others biv on route and arrived early next morning. Meanwhile Dawa Kipa Sherpa went back to help Karinen evacuate Kroeger. BC people closed down BC (Karinen would like to try again but must have lot of time; would attempt same route probably). Mild altitude sickness: Kantanen - stopped in summit bid at 5700m because very tired and developed mild cerebral edema symptoms Karinen - while caring for Kroeger in C2 developed [alitiude] symptoms Paroma - not acclimatizing in C2 Sipila - not acclimatizing in C1 Sittnikov - not acclimatizing in C1
Accidents One serious altitude sickness (Kroeger) and 5 mild altitude sickness
Achievement 1st attempt on Putrung (Purbung Himal)
Agency Amtrek
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2456239
Year 2003
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) wnw ridge

Members

10 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Patrick (Pata) Degerman M 1968 Finland Leader Espoo, Helsinki, Finland Alpinist Details Other expeditions
Kai Kantanen M 1968 Finland Climber Vantaa, Finland Outdoor equipment salesman Details Other expeditions
Heikki Mikael Karinen M 1965 Finland Exp Doctor Tampere, Finland Airforce flight surgeon (captain) Details Other expeditions
Satu Laaksonen F 1971 Finland Climber Tampere, Finland Student of marketing Details Other expeditions
Tero Linneman M 1967 Finland BC Manager Helsinki, Finland Courier service manager Details Other expeditions
Kai Paroma M 1966 Finland Climber Espoo, Helsinki, Finland Airline account manager Details Other expeditions
Mari Salminen F 1975 Finland Climber Espoo, Helsinki, Finland Financial controller Details Other expeditions
Jarkko Sipila M 1969 Finland Climber Ylivieska, Finland Salesman in sports shop Details Other expeditions
Roger Sittnikow M 1974 Finland Climber Helsinki, Finland Cameraman, audio-visual technician Details Other expeditions
Artturi Kroeger M 1970 Finland Non-member - Freelance journalist Details Other expeditions

References

3 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
PURB03101 HIGH - - - 256:76 (Mar 2004) -
PURB03101 AAJ Hawley, Elizabeth - - 78:391 (2004) -
PURB03101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200439102/Asia-Nepal-Damodar-Himal-Putrung-Attempt - - -