Tibet - Chomolonzo Expedition 05: at 6200 meters

Chomolonzo  North and Central

Update: Sunday, May 22nd, 8:30p.m. local time, direct connection with Christian Trommsdorff :

"Having finally finished the last rappels, we are at 6,200 meters on the rock rubble dominating the Kangshung glacier. All the difficulties are behind us, nothing to stop us getting back to base camp. We'll descend all night if we have to. Actually last night was much harder than expected. We didn't get to our bivouac before nightfall, so with rappels and delicate traverses in the dark - everything took much much longer and we only arrived at our 7,100 meter bivouac at 4 in the morning. It was really very very tough !!!! Now it's just smooth sailing"

Objectives attained by the 2005 Chomo-Lonzo expedition: two virgin

over-7000m summits and 3 new routes of high difficulty in pure alpine styles!

May 23rd, the whole team re-groups in Kharta. Then it's two days by jeep non stop to Kathmandou, departure the evening of the 27th, and arrival early morning on the 28th in France.

Earlier Update: The suspense on Chomo-Lonzo: May 20th 8:30p.m. local time direct liaison with Christian Trommsdorff at their 7,100 m bivouac :"After last night's snow, the day was sunny but hard work. We were able to advance by 100m, but preffered to redescend to 7,100 m and leave our ropes in place for tomorrow's ascent since there isn't enough room to install a bivvy at the highest point we reached. The climbing is more difficult than expected: poor quality rock, risky traverses, overhanging passages requiring the use of the most refined artificial climbing techniques - you name it, and all this above seven thousand meters. The Chomo-Lonzo is really tough.... All three of us have been to tested to the max and tomorrow, we will once again push ourselves. Leaving the bivouac as light as possible, we're going for the summit all in one day. And it is our last chance; Yan Giezendanner is announcing the return of high winds for Sunday.

To continue in such conditions on such a mountain would only be suicide."The yaks have arrived to help clear base camp... .. more news tomorrow !

CHOMO-LONZO : THEY DID IT !

May 21st, 7:30p.m. local time direct telephone liaison with Christian Trommsdorff :

"We made it! We reached Chomo-Lonzo's central summit at 6:15p.m. after almost 13 hours of climbing. There were a couple of rock problems to master before we finally reached the snow slope leading to the summit. It's very cold; the wind is blowing in gusts from the west. Right now, we are descending and are currently at around 7,400 meters and are confident we will arrive at our 7,100m bivouac before nightfall. Although all of us are completely exhausted, we are super happy and can't wait to call our families, Yan Giezendanner our weatherman, and others ......."

Chomo-Lonzo expedition epilogue: Of this Chomo-Lonzo expedition which has left us hanging on the edge of our seats for almost 2 months, we only have some hours left until our friends reach the safety of base camp (and the wind is forecasted to hold off until then). Then we can finally let out our breath !

Congratulations to the whole team. You were great and you've impressed us all !

French Expedition to Chomo-Lonzo: From Jean-Claude MARMIER, chairman of Himalayan Committee

Some information on the French Chomo-Lonzo expedition

The Himalayan Committee of French Mountaineering and Rock Climbing Federation is organizing the expedition to Chomo-Lonzo this spring. The peak, located in Tibet, is a subsidiary peak north of Makalu and has been only climbed twice : first in 1954 from the Nepalese side by the French team Lionel TERRAY and Jean COUZY on their reconnaissance trip to Makalu and second in 1993 from Tibet by a Japanese expedition. This year we have a very strong and experienced eight member team :

Stephanne BENOIST

Yann BONNEVILLE

Aymeric CLOUET

Patrick GLAIRON-RAPPAZ

Yannick GRAZIANI

Christophe MOULIN

Christian TROMMSDORFF

Patrick WAGNON

Our goal is to climb both virgin peaks : N and central summits (7,199 m and 7,560 m) It is a lightweight expedition, without camps or fixed ropes. They are climbing as three independent parties :

1 - Christophe MOULIN, Aymeric CLOUET and Yann BONNEVILLE

2 - Stephanne BENOIST and Patrick GLAIRON-RAPPAZ

3 - Christian TROMMSDORFF, Yannick GRAZIANI and Patrick WAGNON

The groups reached base camp in the Kangshung valley on April 13th. After three weeks of acclimatization and reconnaissance they are now ready for the summit attempt. Today, Christian Trommsdorff's group is at 6,800 m on the NW ridge of N peak; they hope to summit within two or three days; The Christophe MOULIN and Stephanne BENOIST teams are at the foot of central peak at 6,100 m. Their intention is to open two new routes. All groups are summiting in a single push and they will probably attempt the complete traverse of Chomo-Lonzo up to Sakietang La. Mountain conditions are not perfect.  Their first intention to climb the tremendous NE face had to be revised due to heavy snowfalls and avalanche danger; the decision was made to go with the safer W face. Climbing two virgin seven thousands peaks is very exciting and challenging. Further information will be delivered very soon.

Members:

Nepali Staff

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