Saldim West | 2014 SE Face

A USA expedition to Saldim West in 2014 via SE Face, led by Luke Smithwick. Summit reached on 3rd May 2014. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 8456
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID SALW14101
Peak ID SALW
Year 2014
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 SE Face
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality USA
Leaders Luke Smithwick
Sponsor Himalayan Alpine Guides Saldim Expedition 2014
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 -
Basecamp Date 2014-05-02
Summit Date 2014-05-03
Summit Time -
Summit Days 1
Total Days 2
Termination Date 2014-05-04
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 4875m due to continuous rain and snow
High Point (m) 4875
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 0
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 2
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(02/05,4475m),ABC(03/05,4875m),xxx(03/05,4875m)
Route Notes The name of the expedition was Saldim expedition since the tourism ministry considers Saldim and Peak 5 to be the same mountain. Actually Smithwick found that these are two separate peaks near each other on Nepal's border with Tibet east of Makalu. Their target was the SE Face of Peak 5. They flew from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar on 26 April, then took a Jeep to Num, then trekked to BC. Their approach march took them north-northwest to Sedua and Tashigaon, west-northwest to Kauma, north to Mumbuk, northwest to Yangri Kharka, and finally north, then west to Jark Kharka, where they made their BC on the 2nd of May. They made their ABC on the lateral moraine on 3 May, but went no farther. It had rained throughout their approach march and now was snowing at BC and ABC. They gave up. They left ABC on 4 May, followed the route they had taken from Tumlingtar, where they returned on 10 May, and flew the same day from Tumlingtar to Kathmandu.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Explore Himalaya
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2460325
Year 2014
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) se face

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Jerry Lee Clayton M 1948 USA Climber Golden, Colorado Retired chemist Details Other expeditions
James Luke Smithwick M 1979 USA Leader Markleville, Colorado Owner-founder of alpine guiding company Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
SALW14101 - - http://himalaya-alpine.blogspot.com/2014/05/makalu-6000s-first-ascents-2014-saldim.html - - -
SALW14101 - - http://himalaya-alpine.blogspot.com/2014/04/2014-makalu-6000s-first-ascents-saldim.html - - -