Tukuche | 1969 N Ridge

A Switzerland expedition to Tukuche in 1969 via N Ridge, led by Georges Hartmann. Summit reached on 10th May 1969. 6 members recorded.

Expedition Details

Field Value
ID 2505
Imported 2026-03-06 18:04:49.359634
Expedition ID TUKU69101
Peak ID TUKU
Year 1969
Season 1
Host Country 1
Route 1 N Ridge
Route 2 -
Route 3 -
Route 4 -
Nationality Switzerland
Leaders Georges Hartmann
Sponsor Swiss Nepal Expedition Thakkola 1969
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 Pokhara->Kali Gandaki->Dhampus Pass
Basecamp Date -
Summit Date 1969-05-10
Summit Time 1330
Summit Days 0
Total Days 0
Termination Date -
Termination Reason 2
Termination Notes -
High Point (m) 6848
Traverse False
Ski False
Paraglide False
Camps 1
Fixed Rope (m) 0
Total Members 5
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,C1(09/05,6100m),W-Smt(10,14/05)
Route Notes Rene Collet - 2 Nov 79 Swiss 1969 Spring went up Brenva Face (North Face) to "Junction Peak" and thence to West Summit, not to Main Summit of Tukuche. West summit about 6850m East summit 6950m Middle summit 6850m Dr. Hartmann - 16 April 69 Leave KTM Thursday 17th, Pokhara Friday 18th. Arrive base camp 8 days later on Dambush Pass probably; will discuss on trail another approach to peak. Return to Pokhara after about 5 weeks. Hirsbrunner - 26 March 69 Swiss ambassador says permit sent to expedition. Expect to arrive KTM April 11. Small mountain expedition to climb Tukuche 6915m, behind Dhaulagiri 1) Leader Dr Georges Hartmann, Citizen Hospital, Basel, 40, single 2) Dr Alfred Hitz, physician, Burgdorf, 40, married, 3 children 3) Ruedi Homberger, photographer, Arosa, 29, married, 2 children 4) Alois Strickler, 44, single 5) A. P. Hirsbrunner, forest engineer - finished with UN, now on own in KTM - home in Langnau, 39, married, no children All Swiss citizens Patron: Swiss Federation for Alpine Research, Zurich Sonam Girmi, head Sherpa Hartmann - 22 May 69 Stay 3-4 days in KTM, all in KTM 1st attempt on 10th May 2nd attempt on 14th, successful by Hirsbrunner and Homberger Breitehorn - Hitz and Homberger to 6860m False summit - 6700m Basecamp southwest of Dambush Pass at 5100m. Peak Tukuche 6925m, difficult mountain, 4 days continuous snow at time of base camp - 29 April. Almost 1 meter of snow. Met 2 Sherpas in Pokhara, ex-Germans and came to KTM on same plane; looking for porters here. Left expedition 3-4 days ago and expedition still trying. Porters to be sent from KTM. JOM Roberts - 24 March 69 George Hartmann, Basel, Leader (was in Nepal) Arrive April 12 5 party including Hartmann and Hirsbrunner Hirsbrunner of Trisuli watershed (forester) Tukuche pre-monsoon, Dhaulagiri area 22,800 ft Received permission Letter from Hartmann - 5th May 1969 Leaving Pokhara on 19 April with 30 Tibetan porters, which we could never engage again. We reached on 28 April an altitude of 4400m in the Dambush Valley where our friends forced to carry their loads further, although they were told in Pokhara, that there would be snow at this altitude. With our own forces we established a provisional base camp at an altitude of 4700m below the Dambush Pass. There were surprised and fixed by never expected snowstorm lasting continuously for more than 90 hours. On May 3rd we could finally leave our job walking through almost 1 meter of newly fallen snow to the Dambush Pass beginning to establish our final BC west of the pass at 5100m. Today all material will reach the Base Camp. All members and Sherpas are well and enjoy the new beautiful weather. Letter from Hartmann - 13 May 69 We selve were more favoured as you will know after establishing our Base Camp we explored the road to Tukuche Peak from northwest. After establishing a Camp 1 at 6100m, 2 members (Strickler and Hartmann) and 1 Sherpa climbed to the top May 10th in one day through a fine and classical but quite difficult ice road in the North Face. The summit was reached at 13:30. It is one of the most beautiful peaks these members have climbed (after climbs in the Andes, Hindu Kush, etc.). The same day 2 other members (A. Hitz and R. Homberger) climbed the so called "false summits" and then the so called "Breithorn" of the Tukuche massif. Today R. Homberger and A. Hirsbrunner make a second approach to Tukuche Peak. Meanwhile we begin to clear BC. Our liaison officer should have sent you the message our success by wireless station.
Accidents -
Achievement May have been earlier unofficial ascents by Japan (1965) and USA Peace Corps (1968)
Agency -
Commercial Route -
Standard Route -
Primary Route False
Primary Member False
Primary Reference -
Primary ID -
Checksum 2443986
Year 1969
Summit Success False
O2 Summary None
Route (lowercase) n ridge

Members

6 recorded members.

Name Sex Year of Birth Citizenship Status Residence Occupation
Georges Hartmann M - Switzerland Leader Basel, Switzerland Physician, Citizens Hospital Details Other expeditions
Alfred Hitz M - Switzerland Climber Burgdorf, Bern, Switzerland Physician Details Other expeditions
Rudolf (Ruedi) Homberger M 1940 Switzerland Climber Arosa, Graubunden, Switzerland Photographer Details Other expeditions
Andres P. Hirsbrunner M - Switzerland Climber Langnau, Bern, Switzerland Forest engineer Details Other expeditions
Alois Strickler M - Switzerland Climber Unteraegeri, Zug, Switzerland - Details Other expeditions
Sonam Girme Sherpa M 1935 Nepal Sirdar Namche Bazar, Khumbu - Details Other expeditions

References

7 recorded references.

Expedition ID Journal Author Title Publisher Citation Yak 94
TUKU69101 AAJ - - - 44:182 (1970) -
TUKU69101 HJ Hartmann, Georges Tukuche Peak: The Swiss Nepal Expedition of 1969 - 30:86-94 (1970) -
TUKU69101 AJ - - - 75:197 (1970) -
TUKU69101 MW Hartmann, Georges Tukuche Peak - 100-116 (1968-69) -
TUKU69101 - - http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12197018201/Asia-Nepal-Tukuche-Peak - - -
TUKU69101 - - https://www.himalayanclub.org/hj/30/3/tukuche-peak-6920-metres/ - - -
TUKU69101 - - https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1970_files/AJ%201970%20196-202%20Nepal.pdf - - -