Cholatse, Nepal
Oct 20th – Nov 9th 2014
Altitude Junkies’ expedition to Cholatse in autumn 2014! This 6440 meter high peak is located at Mount Everest National Park just across the valley from Ama Dablam. It is consider as one of the more difficult peaks in the area and has not been climbed often.
We approached the mountain from it’s Gokyo-valley side and placed our basecamp at stunning setting at 4700 meters. Our whole team was successful in climbing the SW-ridge which proved a lot longer and more exposed than at first expected. We had exceptional weather conditions and stunning views over the region.
Read Phil’s dispatches here! Captions for my pictures can be found at our Facebook page here!
Phil Crampton (UK/USA), Leader
Samuli Mansikka (Finland), Co-leader
Dorjee Sherpa (Nepal, Expedition sirdar
Pasang Ongchu Sherpa (Nepal), Climbing sirdar
Kami Nuru Sherpa (Nepal)
Gombu Sherpa (Nepal)
Mark (UK)
Chad (USA)
Joie (Canada)
Margaret (Poland/Australia)
Miikka (Finland)
Da Pasang Sherpa (Nepal), Head-cook
Pemba Ngatar Sherpa (Nepal), Cook / Lama
Pasang Lakpa Sherpa (Nepal), Cook
GPS-tracks from the trek
Day 1: Lukla – Namche
Day 2: Namche – Machermo
Day 3: Machermo – Cholatse Basecamp
Samuli’s tweets from the expedition
23rd Oct 2014
Altitude Junkies’ Cholatse team choppered to Namche today! I am to follow by flying to Lukla tomorrow!
24th Oct 2014
Landed in Lukla! What a jump to a different world it everytime feels like! Dreamlike – I don’t know if Lukla really even exists in this World!
24th Oct 2014
Aah, Namche! I often forget how amazing this trek is! Following Dudh-river, passing through beautiful gardens and surrounded by snowpeaks!
25th Oct 2014
Arrived in Machermo (4450m) to meet the members! Staff at Cholatse setting up our basecamp! Many new lodges since my visit here in 2009!
26th Oct 2014
And we have our entire crew at Cholatse Basecamp (4730m)! Got the camp going nice and comfortable! The only team on the peak!
28th Oct 2014
Good progress on Cholatse! Members did an acclimatizing walk to crampon pt (5200m). We got the route fixed to 5900m including the crux!
30th Oct 2014
Climbed to tag Camp 1 (5700m) with all members! One of best weather days I ever had in the Himalayas; surrounded by dozens of high peaks!
2nd Nov 2014
At Camp 1 (5700m) on Cholatse’s SW-ridge and what a view we’ve got! One of clearest days ever had here! Cho Oyu and Kyachung Kang nearby!
3rd Nov 2014
Camp 2 on Cholatse at 6200m which leaves us with fairly short summit-day tomorrow! One of the most beautiful ridges I’ve climbed!
4th Nov 2014
All Altitude Junkies members summit Cholatse (6440m)! What a wild climb! One of best weather-days I’ve ever had in the Himalayas!
5th Nov 2014
All Junkies’ members and staff are back and safe and sound at basecamp! What a brilliant climb! Also got Miikka as first Finn ever on top!
6th Nov 2014
Woke up at Cholatse basecamp, now enjoying ice-cold beer at Jatra in Thamel! Helicopters are a freaking awesome way to move around Nepal!!
