Tilicho | 2017 N Ridge

A Germany expedition to Tilicho in 2017 via N Ridge, led by Felix Berg. Summit reached on 7th May 2017. 4 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 9399
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID TILI17101
Peak ID TILI
Year 2017
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Germany
Leaders Felix Berg
Sponsor Annapurna I West Face Expedition 2017
Success 1 True
Success 2 False
Success 3 False
Success 4 False
Ascent 1 -
Ascent 2 -
Ascent 3 -
Ascent 4 -
Claimed False
Disputed False
Countries Canada, Poland, UK
Approach Jeep from Beshisahar to Humde, trek to Kangshar->Tilicho BC
Basecamp Date 2017-04-19
Summit Date 2017-05-07
Summit Time 1430
Summit Days 18
Total Days 22
Termination Date 2017-05-11
Termination Reason 1
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 7134
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 4
Summit Members 3
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 Annapurna NW Face (ANN1-171-05)
Campsites BC(19/04,5000m),IC(21/04,5700m),C1(22/04,6200m),Smt(07/05)
Route Notes BC 19/04 5000m (northern campsite) IC 21/04 5700m C1 22/04 6200m (in a little gully) Smt 07/05 by Allen, Berg and Bielicki at 2:30 pm. The entire team set up their C1 in a little gully, spent one night up there and then descended to BC. They went back up on 27 April and spent two nights at 6200m. They had intended to summit, but the wind picked up and the forecast changed. They descended on 29 April. Rousseau (high point 6200m) and Bielecki dropped down to Jomsom on 3 May. Louis left the expedition there as he was running out of time and had to go home. Bielecki returns on 5 May and on 6 May the three members went to 6200m stayed the night and summited on 7 May. They left their high camp at 7 am. They were roped up for the crevasse risk. There was a lot snow and breaking trail was hard as there was a wind-blown crust. They spent the night at C2 at 5 pm and descended to BC on 8 May. Helicopter from Tilicho BC to Annapurna BC. Final Tilicho blog by Rick Allen: Early on 27 April we set off up Tilicho Peak again in search of acclimatisation, and in approximately 9 hours gained our crevasse, wind-tunnel, camp site on the ridge. Most of us had a bad night and we postponed pushing further until the following day. We awakened at 2.00 but the wind had gained in strength and did not relent. Finally, at 6.00 we reluctantly decided to begin the descent and were glad to reach base camp a few hours later. The following days saw repeated heavy snowfalls, totalling around a metre at base camp and we spent the time recovering and digging out our tents. The plan to acclimatise rapidly on Tilicho Peak was proving to be too optimistic. For Louis, whose available time was more limited than the rest of us, the opportunity ever to progress to the main objective on Annapurna was vanishing and on 3rd May he reluctantly descended to the village of Jomsom with the help of Adam. On 5th, Louis was able to secure a flight to Kathmandu and Adam completed the 2500m of ascent to base camp. Meanwhile, a forecasted weather window had opened and Adam moved straight on upwards the following day with Rick and Felix to the familiar crevasse at 6200m. This time, there was no hesitation, we set off at 7.00 the following morning, moving together over soft, deep snow patches and hard neve, over crevasses, through rock bands and around seracs to reach the summit of Tilicho Peak at 14.00. Satisfied with this fine, 7134m peak, we snatched some photos as clouds built and gained a glimpse of the NW face of Annapurna, our next objective. The descent took us back to our crevasse and the following day we regained base camp. In theory, we were to transfer to Annapurna N base camp by helicopter the following day, 9th May, but cloud cover was too heavy and the Kathmandu valley was shrouded in rain. The trekking route to the original base camp used by the French first ascent team in 1950 is now so dangerous for porters that all expeditions now fly into this camp. The next day was little better and Felix and Adam descended to Jomsom leaving Rick with the sirdar at base camp. As luck would have it, the following day was perfect for flying and Rick guided the little red and white helicopter into land shortly after 7.30. Meanwhile, in Jomsom, Adam and Felix recognised at once the sound of the helicopter and hurried across to the helipad. ‘Have you seen a red helicopter?’ they asked. An official tried to check their documents (they had none) while they insisted all the more strongly they needed to be on the red helicopter when it landed. Meanwhile, the red helicopter had transferred all of the expedition’s baggage to Annapurna and was taking Rick and Ram to the new base camp. Other members in Jomsom, the pilot was told. Satellite SMS messages were exchanged and the pilot agreed to pick them up. An hour later, the team was re-united under the shadow of Annapurna and a fourth flight delivered fresh food and equipment. We were finally in place. We were sharing the open slopes above the North Annaupurna glacier with small Italian, Spanish and Chilean teams who were all on the mountain, pushing for the summit via the 1950 French route. This period of low wind enabled the established teams to complete their ascents while the new arrivals could only look at the longer term forecast of strong (90kph) summit winds in frustration. When the successful pairs descended, their tales of avalanche risk and serac collapse confirmed the dangers associated with the classic route and re-affirmed our team’s choice of Tilicho Peak for acclimatisation. With our team in place and acclimatised, our chances hang on the weather in the final weeks of the pre-monsoon season. Our chosen route beckons; extremely challenging yet feasible. There will be difficult choices for us as the available window closes and we await a break in the high winds.
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Seven Summit Treks
Commercial Route False
Standard Route False
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference True
Primary ID ANN117105
Checksum 2461518
Year 2017
Summit Success True
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n ridge

Members

4 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Louis Rousseau M 1977 Canada Climber St-Ferreol-Les-Neiges, Quebec Epidemiologist Details Other expeditions
Richard Frank (Rick) Allen M 1954 UK Climber Aberdeen, Scotland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Felix Alexander Berg M 1980 Germany Leader Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland Managing director of a travel company Details Other expeditions
Adam Radoslaw Bielecki M 1983 Poland Climber Tychy, Poland Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

0 recorded references.