Tengkangpoche | 2003 NW Face (right side of N Pillar)

A UK expedition to Tengkangpoche in 2003 via NW Face (right side of N Pillar), led by Julian Cartwright. Summit reached on 27th November 2003. 3 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 4514
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID TKPO03301
Peak ID TKPO
Year 2003
Season 3
Host Country 1
Route 1 NW Face (right side of N Pillar)
Route 2 NW Face (left side of N Pillar)-NE Face
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality UK
Leaders Julian Cartwright
Sponsor Khumbu Alpine Style 2003 to Tengkangpoche
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 Thamo Og
Basecamp Date 2003-11-13
Summit Date 2003-11-27
Summit Time -
Summit Days 14
Total Days 15
Termination Date 2003-11-28
Termination Reason 10
Termination Notes Abandoned at 6350m due to too dangerous route for soloist
High Point (m) 6350
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 3
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 -
Campsites BC(13/11,4320m),C1(14/11,4850m),Biv1(15/11,5400m),Biv2(26/11,4300m),Biv3(27/11,6350m),xxx(27/11,6350m)
Route Notes 16 Nov team down to Thami because Bullock developed stomach problem. 17th to Namche to rest. 20th Powell left team to return home while Cartwright and Bullock to Thami, 21st to to Thengpo, 22nd back to NW Ridge on same route and in 11 hours to 5400m in very strong wind which was loosening rocks on face with lots of rock fall, spindrift. BC at Thengpa village. C1 on NW Face on right side of North Pillar 1st biv 5400m NW Face (high point via the first line) 2nd biv at 4300m bottom of NW Face on left side of North Pillar 3rd biv at 6350m top of NE Face on East Ridge. Avalanches and pieces falling continously. Stayed at 5400m hoping wind would drop, but it didn't, so spent 23rd pitching holes made by rocks. 24th decided had enough of being bombarded and we both wanted to live, so we ran away to Thami. 25th to Namche and left Khumbu (returned to KTM 27 Nov) while Bullock stayed at Thami. On 26th Bullock returned to mountain for NW Face on left side of North Pillar and bivouacked at 4300m beyond Ribug hamlet (before Thengpo). 27th Bullock started up at 1:30 am "steadily plugging uphill" and reached 150m below top (i.e., 6350m in 13 hours at 2:30 pm;: now extremely cold and had to stop frequently to warm his hands to prevent frostbite; got onto East Ridge having scaled NE Face at 6350m; bived here for the night. 28th had a look at final 250m to climbing East Ridge and was steep and badly crevassed and "I wasn't going into the middle of that lot and have it crumbling around me and die" without anyone else to hold the rope and belay him, so decided not to attempt climbing it and descended a more direct time than had ascended and went down to 4300m biv site in 6 hours with 2 ropes and rest down climbing and on down to Thami for night and next night at Namche. Last 800m of face up to East Ridge was 90 degrees in few parts, rest 75-80 degrees and 75 percent snow ice and rest in mixed rock and snow (snow ice).
Accidents -
Achievement -
Agency Arun Treks
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference False
Primary ID -
Checksum 2456594
Year 2003
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) nw face (right side of n pillar)

Members

3 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Nicholas Ivor (Nick) Bullock M 1965 UK Climber Luton, Bedford, England Physical education instructor Details Other expeditions
Julian C. S. (Jules) Cartwright M 1974 UK Leader Brobury, Hereford, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions
Al Powell M 1969 UK Climber Otley, W Yorkshire, England Alpine guide Details Other expeditions

References

6 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
TKPO03301 HIGH - - - 256:10 (Mar 2004) -
TKPO03301 AAJ Bullock, Nick - - 78:396-398 (2004) -
TKPO03301 HIGH - - - 265:58-59 (Dec 2004) -
TKPO03301 AJ Bullock, Nick Love and Hate on the Edge of Darkness - 109:14-23 (2004) -
TKPO03301 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12200439602/Asia-Nepal-Malahangur-Himal-Khumbu-Teng-Kang-Poche-First-Ascent-of-the-Northeast-Face-to-East-Ridge - - -
TKPO03301 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_2004_files/AJ%202004%2014-23%20Bullock%20Teng%20Kangpoche.pdf - - -