AACZ Kyashar Expedition 2003

AACZ Kyashar Expedition 2003: First Official Ascent of Kyashar in Nepal (also Peak 43, Tangnagtse, coordinates 27°45'17"N and 86°49'30"E), 6770m, Mahalangur Himal by B. Normand/A. Frank/S. Broderick, over the West Ridge/West Face on 18 October 2003. The climbers also wrote a report on this expedition.

Expedition leader Bruce Normand (photographer Bruce Normand)

Andreas Frank (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam Broderick (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin Riddell (photographer Bruce Normand)

Dhan Kumar Rai, sirdar and cook par excellence (photographer Andreas Frank)

Registration at the Department of Tourism: from L to R Ang Phurba (trekking agent), assistant, secretary, minister, Bruce (photographer Bruce Normand)

A Nepalese climbing institution: Bruce with the irrepressible Miss Elizabeth Hawley (photographer Kevin Riddell)

In 21st century Nepal provisions are bought at a supermarket. (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Last-minute equipment from the Sherpa shops in Thamel (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Approach to the short Lukla airstrip (photographer Andreas Frank)

Main Street, Lukla. Most expeditions going up the Khumbu start here with Yaks or Zos carrying their load. (photographer Andreas Frank)

Prospective porters surround Dhan Kumar, Lukla (photographer Bruce Normand)

Rai porter, Lukla (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trappings of Western "culture'', Lukla (photographer Andreas Frank)

Our volleyball stayed in Tangnag, this basketball in Lukla (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking up the Zawtra La (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking up the Zawtra La (photographer Andreas Frank)

Porters catching their breath (photographer Andreas Frank)

Lodge below Zawtra La on the Hinku side (photographer Sam Broderick)

Tea-house trekking - Kevin preparing to dry out (photographer Sam Broderick)

Steep descent to the Hinku river. (photographer Andreas Frank)

Stream-crossing (photographer Andreas Frank)

In the cloud forest (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking in a rhododendron forest (photographer Andreas Frank)

Slippery when wet (photographer Andreas Frank)

In the rain forest (photographer Andreas Frank)

Impromptu river-crossing for Sam (photographer Andreas Frank)

The porters were beyond praise (photographer Bruce Normand)

30th Sept: Kevin's 32nd birthday, Dhan Kumar's 1st cake (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Porter rest stop (photographer Andreas Frank)

Yak herd, Hinku Valley (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin trying his hand at a local sport (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tangnag casino; behind is Kusum Kanguru (photographer Andreas Frank)

Playing volleyball in Tangnag (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin playing volleyball (photographer Sam Broderick)

Volleyball spectators (photographer Andreas Frank)

Lessons in conversational Sherpa (photographer Sam Broderick)

The mountain we came here for: Kyashar (also known as Peak 43 and Tangnagtse) from the southeast (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tangnag, 4300m (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar from the East (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar massif from Mera La (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam inspecting Kyashar; at centre is Kusum Kanguru (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar SE and NE Faces (photographer Andreas Frank)

N Face of Mera from lower Hinku Nup (photographer Andreas Frank)

Looking N up the lower Hinku Nup Glacier; L to R P6261, Malanphulan (65??), P6462, P64?? (photographer Andreas Frank)

Wayside camp above Hinku Nup Glacier (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kangtega above upper Hinku Nup. Base Camp is at lower R; normal route ascends moraine and snow to R of icefall, joins glacier above icefall and follows L skyline of summit cone (photographer Bruce Normand)

Porter train descending moraine, upper Hinku (photographer Andreas Frank)

Fixed line on the moraine descent (photographer Sam Broderick)

At BC: porter payout (photographer Andreas Frank)

Our team sporting the Wilderness experience colours (photographer Andreas Frank)

BC (5100m) from above (photographer Bruce Normand)

Tenzing starting the puja: juniper smoke and incantations (photographer Bruce Normand)

Tenzing and Dhan Badr after setting up the sanctified prayer flags (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tenzing with the offerings (photographer Bruce Normand)

Prayer flags framing NE face of col 6034m, first barrier on the way to Kyashar NE Face (photographer Andreas Frank)

Snow on W faces seemed to transform well (photographer Andreas Frank)

Snow on NW faces partially ... (photographer Andreas Frank)

Snow on N and E faces not at all (photographer Andreas Frank)

On the first acclimatisation tour up to P6261: Bruce in rock band, SE Ridge (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Kevin on SE Ridge of P6261 (photographer Bruce Normand)

Kevin with Kyashar behind (photographer Bruce Normand)

Kyashar from the NE, from across Hinku Nup glacier on P6261 (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kangtega from the E, on P6261 (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kangtega summit (photographer Andreas Frank)

NE Face of Kyashar and N slope of col 6034 (our intended route) did look completely different than expected. (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar NE Face (photographer Andreas Frank)

W Face of Peak 41, from P6261 (photographer Bruce Normand)

New lifetime altitude record, Kevin on P6261 (photographer Bruce Normand)

N from P6261: L to R Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Everest, Lhotse (photographer Bruce Normand)

Kangtega from the NE with it's amazing north face on the right (photographer Andreas Frank)

Malanphulan from the SW (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin on snow-ramp leading to Kangtega glacier (photographer Andreas Frank)

Moonrise over Peak 41, from High Camp (5800m) (photographer Andreas Frank)

BC in falling snow (photographer Andreas Frank)

After the snow: BC with P6261 behind (photographer Andreas Frank)

Clearing snow (photographer Andreas Frank)

Drying gear (photographer Sam Broderick)

Pasang and Dhan Kumar hard at work (photographer Andreas Frank)

Laundry (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tea and contemplation I: Kevin (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tea and contemplation II: Sam (photographer Andreas Frank)

Spoiled for choice - Sam with reading material (photographer Bruce Normand)

Some snow flutings simply fell off rather than transform ... (photographer Andreas Frank)

Snow-free again (photographer Andreas Frank)

Alpine vegetation (photographer Andreas Frank)

Pasang and Dhan Kumar in the kitchen (photographer Andreas Frank)

The chef preparing pancakes (photographer Andreas Frank)

The crew consuming pancakes (photographer Andreas Frank)

Pizza for dinner (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Back to high camp: Andi breaking trail (photographer Bruce Normand)

Bruce walking onto Kangtega glacier above the icefall (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam and Kevin arriving at high camp (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce digging out the flattened tent (photographer Andreas Frank)

Andi working on the broken tent pole (photographer Sam Broderick)

Lazing away the afternoon, Bruce is holding up his broken finger (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Sam and Kevin below Kyashar N Buttress (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce breaking trail (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce with Kyashar behind (photographer Andreas Frank)

Rest stop from trail breaking (photographer Andreas Frank)

Crevasse (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam and Kevin at c. 6400m, Kusum Kanguru behind (photographer Andreas Frank)

Andi and Sam in the summit snow face (photographer Bruce Normand)

Bruce crossing the avalanche break-off line (photographer Sam Broderick)

The same moment seen from afar (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Bruce on the summit ridge (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kangtega, 6779m: Bruce thanks our generous sponsor, the AACZ; behind are Everst, Lhotse and Makalu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce pointing towards Menlungtse; under his R arm is Cho Oyu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar from the N (photographer Andreas Frank)

N from Kangtega: Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse, with Ama Dablam in the foreground (photographer Bruce Normand)

E from Kangtega to Makalu and Chamlang; in foreground is the Malanphulan group with P6261 (photographer Bruce Normand)

Sam leading the descent, framed by Kyashar and Kusum Kanguru (photographer Andreas Frank)

Evening light on Kusum Kanguru (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin rebreaking trail on descent (photographer Andreas Frank)

Looking up unconsolidated N Face of col 6034 (photographer Andreas Frank)

Andi, Sam and Kevin leaving high camp (photographer Bruce Normand)

Kevin on rock ridge below high camp (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce, Kevin and Sam descending below N Buttress of Kyashar (photographer Andreas Frank)

Dan Kumar's Kangtega cake at BC (photographer Andreas Frank)

Breakfast at camp below Mera, with Kyashar view (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin with Australian Mera team (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Lunch in Khare for Australian trekking team on Mera (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Climbing porters in Khare (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Cooking in Khare (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Sam, Bruce and Andi loaded up for an alpine-style bid on Kyashar W Ridge (photographer Bruce Normand)

Tangnag at the height of the trekking season (photographer Bruce Normand)

Bivouac at 4900m below Kyashar SW Face (photographer Sam Broderick)

Kyashar from the south (Tangnag) with our route marked in red. High camp was just below the saddle. From the end of the line to the top we climbed the west face (see 5619) (photographer Andreas Frank)

Exiting threatened slopes below Kyashar SW Face at sunrise (photographer Andreas Frank)

The hardest part of the climb: the rock step at 6000m at the base of the W ridge (photographer Bruce Normand)

SW Face from high camp below col at 5800m (photographer Bruce Normand)

Bruce approaching the rock step (photographer Sam Broderick)

Exiting the vertical section (photographer Andreas Frank)

Third pitch of rock step (photographer Bruce Normand)

Cloud gathering at high camp (lower left) (photographer Andreas Frank)

Clouds on Kusum Kanguru (photographer Bruce Normand)

View W over cloud sea to Numbur (photographer Andreas Frank)

Summit day: sunrise on Kusum Kanguru (photographer Bruce Normand)

Bruce breaking trail along the snow ridge (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce on snow ridge (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce leading up snow ridge (photographer Andreas Frank)

Looking across SW Face (photographer Bruce Normand)

Andi crests a rise, now at eye-level with Kusum Kanguru (photographer Bruce Normand)

Sam cleaning gear on W Ridge (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce leading a W Face couloir (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam in couloir (photographer Andreas Frank)

Andi and Sam climbing couloir in upper W Face (photographer Bruce Normand)

Sam arriving on summit plateau (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar (6770m): first ascent Normand/Frank/Broderick, W Ridge/W Face, 18.10.03 (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam reaching the summit, with Kusum Kanguru behind (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam and Bruce show our gratitude to the AACZ (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam and Andi on the summit of Kyashar (photographer Bruce Normand)

Panorama from Kyashar (photographer Andreas Frank)

NE Face (photographer Andreas Frank)

Horizontal: the day after, in high camp (photographer Bruce Normand)

Sunset on Kyashar SW Face (photographer Bruce Normand)

Below the rockfall-threatened glacial slopes by sunrise (photographer Sam Broderick)

Bruce drying out in Tangnag (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trying on Kevin's helmet (photographer Andreas Frank)

Dhan Badr led the porters who returned, and met us in Tangnag (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sam's hand required some medical care (photographer Kevin Riddell)

The Kyashar cake: white snow and ice over steep red rock (photographer Andreas Frank)

High above Tangnag (photographer Andreas Frank)

Serac collapse on Mera N Face (photographer Andreas Frank)

NE Face of Kyashar from below Mera La (photographer Andreas Frank)

N side of Mera (photographer Bruce Normand)

Dawn at Mera La (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sunrise over Kyashar (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce on the Mera highway (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin striding out on Mera (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin near the top of Mera E (photographer Andreas Frank)

Mera E from Mera (photographer Bruce Normand)

Kevin on the descent from Mera (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce, Andi and Kyashar, from Mera (photographer Andreas Frank)

(photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar and Kangtega from Mera (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kyashar from the SE (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kangtega summit from on Mera (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin and Bruce on Mera, with Peak 41, Baruntse, Makalu, Chamlang and Kangchenjunga visible behind (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking camp in upper Hongu (photographer Andreas Frank)

E Face of Peak 41 (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce and Kevin on the beach, upper Hongu valley; behind are Everest and Lhotse (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking to the Hongu headwaters as clouds sweep over Everest (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking past Chamlang, upper Hongu valley (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin awaking to fresh snow (photographer Andreas Frank)

Porters from an English/Italian group working in snow (photographer Bruce Normand)

Porters below Amphu Labsta (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kevin, Sam and Bruce trekking in deep snow, upper Khumbu (photographer Andreas Frank)

A break in the clouds, Chukkung (photographer Andreas Frank)

Imja Tse (Island Peak) from Chukkung (photographer Andreas Frank)

Lhotse S Face from Chukkung (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sunset on snow faces SE from Chukkung (photographer Andreas Frank)

Clouds around Taweche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sunset on Nupste S Face (photographer Andreas Frank)

Peak of Lhotse (photographer Andreas Frank)

Lhotse Wall (photographer Andreas Frank)

Heavy traffic near Dingboche (photographer Andreas Frank)

The class at Dingboche school (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Sherpani pupil, Dingboche school (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sherpani, upper Khumbu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Trekking in the mud below snowline (photographer Andreas Frank)

Potato fields, upper Khumbu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bridge below Dingboche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Kwangde peaks from Pangboche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tengboche: main temple building and Ama Dablam (photographer Andreas Frank)

Ama Dablam W Face from Pangboche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tengboche monastery (photographer Andreas Frank)

Gateway guardian, Tengboche (photographer Bruce Normand)

Tengboche framed by Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam (photographer Andreas Frank)

Monks making a mandala with sand, Tengboche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Buddha, Tengboche (photographer Bruce Normand)

Thangkas in Tengboche (photographer Bruce Normand)

Kangtega N summit from Khumbu valley (photographer Andreas Frank)

Thamserku from the N (photographer Andreas Frank)

Mani (prayer) wall, Khumjung (photographer Andreas Frank)

Khumjung village (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bazaar, Namche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tibetan merchant, Namche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Butcher at work, lower Khumbu (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Gompa, Namche (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bridge, lower Khumbu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Sherpa children (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bridge, Khumbu (photographer Bruce Normand)

Wide loads on the Namche trail (photographer Bruce Normand)

Flowers, lower Khumbu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Upper W Face and route of first ascent, Kyashar (photographer Andreas Frank)

Lower Khumbu valley (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bruce with the medical donation for Khunde hospital; thanks to Eike Mrosek from all concerned (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Jostling for a place on the starting grid, Kathmandu (photographer Kevin Riddell)

Rickshaw (photographer Andreas Frank)

Buddhist temple, Kathmandu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Pagoda, Durbar Square, Kathmandu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Hindu holy man, Pashupatinath (photographer Andreas Frank)

Bhairab, Durbar Square, Kathmandu (photographer Sam Broderick)

Temple carvings (photographer Andreas Frank)

Metalwork stall, Durbar Square, Kathmandu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Vegetable stall (photographer Andreas Frank)

Rickshaw drivers (photographer Andreas Frank)

Watching the world go by, Kathmandu (photographer Andreas Frank)

Street scene, Patan (photographer Andreas Frank)

Tea shop (photographer Andreas Frank)

Spice shop (photographer Andreas Frank)

Ladder, Nepalese style (photographer Bruce Normand)

Scaffolding, Swayambunath (photographer Bruce Normand)

Swayambunath Temple (photographer Bruce Normand)

Eyes, Swayambunath (photographer Bruce Normand)

Spinning the prayer wheels, Swayambunath Temple (photographer Bruce Normand)

Rice harvest, Patan (photographer Bruce Normand)

Durbar Square, Patan (photographer Andreas Frank)

Prayer wheels, Golden Temple, Patan (photographer Andreas Frank)

Golden Temple, Patan (photographer Andreas Frank)

Mission accomplished: pre-departure dinner, Kathmandu (photographer Andreas Frank)