Sita Chuchura | 2022 W Face of W Smt

A France expedition to Sita Chuchura in 2022 via W Face of W Smt, led by Boris Langenstein. Summit reached on 2nd October 2022. 2 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 11026
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID SITA22301
Peak ID SITA
Year 2022
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 W Face of W Smt
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality France
Leaders Boris Langenstein
Sponsor Climbalaya Dhaulagiri II Expedition 2022
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 Dolpo->Dunai->Mukutgaon
Basecamp Date 2022-09-25
Summit Date 2022-10-02
Summit Time -
Summit Days 7
Total Days 18
Termination Date 2022-10-13
Termination Reason 4
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6420m due to bad weather
High Point (m) 6420
Traverse False
Ski True
Paraglide False
Camps 5
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 Attempted Dhaulagiri II (DHA2-223-01)
Campsites BC(25/09,4000m),C1(28/09,4600m),C2(29/09,5000m),Biv3(30/09,5700m),Biv4(01/10,5380m),xxx(02/10,6420m),Biv5(02/10,5380m)
Route Notes Approach: Dolpo->Dunai->Mukutgaon BC 05/09 4000m (at Mukutgaon). Sita Chuchura details: C1 28/09 4600m C2 29/09 5000m Biv3 30/09 5700m Biv4 01/10 5380m Biv5 02/10 5380m Hpt 02/10 6420m (200m below the W Smt (6622m) of Sita Chuchura by all members). Climb abandoned on >03/10 due to bad weather for 10 consecutive days. Left BC on 13 or 14 Oct. DHA2 Route: NE Face Oxygen: Not taken, not used Other peaks: Sita Chuchura (W Smt 6622m), see details below. • Reconnaissance of DHA2 NE Face approach: 26/09: The day after their arrival to Mukut, the duet went up straight to check the approach to DHA2 NE Face. Soon the duet faced a serious obstacle, making it unsure to achieve even that approach: the glacier was showing a 200m waterfall (between 4400m and 4600m) surrounded by smooth slabs under seracs. The approach would be complex for the least! The pair yet found a solution left to the glacier, using ledges to climb/scramble up for about 700m of denivelation until the glacier plateau located afoot of the NE Face. That section involved highly exposed traverses on ledges above rock buttresses, by the way being prone to stonefall. To be able to find their way back in a near future, the duet put some cairns all the way long. Having reached the footstep of the face, the duet discovered a rarely austere place. Despite delicate and exposed, back down to the difficulties, the duet concluded it was feasible to reach the DHA2 huge NE Face. To be mentioned that the duet planed an on-sight descent from the top of the NE Face. The duet took a rest day at BC. • 6 days round trip in autonomy down Sita Chuchura’s W Summit including a magnificent first ski descent. C1 28/09 4600m C2 29/09 5000m Biv3 30/09 5700m Biv4 01/10 5380m Biv5 02/10 5380m Hpt 02/10 6420m (200m below the W Smt (6622m) of Sita Chuchura by duet). 28/09: the duet left BC, walking up the valley to sleep at a 4600m place located southeast to “Neni Goth” on the Finn Map, west to Mukot Himal. 29/09: the team continued its approach up the valley, establishing a next camp at 5000m down afoot of the west shoulder of P5975m. 30/09: the duet had spotted on Google Earth a circa 5800m col (a little less on the Finn Map, that col is located straight southeast to the point 5985m) allowing to access southwest-wards the valley located afoot of DHA2’s NE Face. The reality happened to be different from computer! On this day, the team would first have to go down to 4800m, then up to 5800m. Facing dry conditions, the duet almost thought it would never cross the col. Following many ledges and interconnected couloirs, reaching the col itself eventually involved steep ground, 50° slopes with some rock climbing, all this feeling harder considering the 25+kgs of the bags. The duet had first hoped to sleep at the col itself, but the latter was too sharp, and on the other side the ground was extremely steep. Thus, the team down-climbed 50m to sleep on a platform at circa 5700m. That face opposes a problematic access: orientated north, it involves to cross large 30° slopes prone to avalanche. 01/10: On the next day, the team gave a try to the NW Ridge of Sita Chuchura’s West Summit (6622m), going up by skis towards large exposed/prone to avalanche slopes. Eventually in a dead-end, it came back down, making a 20m abseil at some stage. Went back down via the southwest slope below the 5800m col to sleep at 5380m. 02/10: As the previous day’s option was abandoned, the team chose to go up towards the West Summit of Sita Chuchura (6622m, unclimbed for HD and 8000ers.com!) via its pristine remote West Face. The lower part was a bit exposed down to the seracs. "A magnificent suspended line between seracs and rocks, amazing ambiance!" The first 800m (5400m to 6200m) consisted in steep and sustained ground; from there, the duet reached the aforementioned NW Ridge, following it up to 6420m in very bad weather (wind and fog). Above that was only left a large snowy dome with cornices on the left and crevasses which all looked fine. However, the team had already pushed to the limit in difficult weather conditions, previously leaving its poles and ice axes in the snow to be able to retrace their steps. Despite just 200m down to the top, the team chose to abandon. Then the enjoyable ski descent occurred, just demanding two 20m abseils (the first one in an icy section; the second one at a small serac). Amazing ski descent in a nice snow in a magnificent place, facing the huge pristine DHA2’s NE Face in front of them. That night the duet slept again at the 5380m camp. 03/10: Went back down via the long glacier, then used the cairns to bypass the icefall, then went back to BC. From then, the duet faced 10 consecutive days of bad weather and abandoned their attempt on DHA2. Boris back to France whereas Tiphaine stays in Nepal for a new kayak trip.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Climbalaya
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference True
Primary ID DHA222301
Checksum 2463542
Year 2022
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) w face of w smt

Members

2 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Boris Jules Langenstein M 1985 France Leader Epersy, Savoie, France Ski instructor Details Other expeditions
Tiphaine Augustine Stanislawa Duperier F 1988 France Climber Sainte-Foy Tarentaise, Savoie, France Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

2 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
SITA22301 AAJ Duperier, Tiphaine Sita Chuchuira West, Southwest Face and Northwest Ridge Attempt - 97:324-325 (2023) -
SITA22301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201216475 - - -