Trip Reports

Cholatse 2018

Cholatse summits for Rui, Steve, Robert, Adele, Pem Chhiri, Angrinji, Rakesh
Trip Report

Written by Leader Adele Pennington, November 2018

Silence fell as the team got their first glimpse of the scale of the South West Ridge of Cholatse, the beautiful commanding mountain they had signed up for. Cholatse meaning Lake pass peak 6435m grew in stature as we reached base camp which was a perfect Yak meadow at 4711m. Here we were introduced to our cook and Sherpa team. Kanchhaman our cook along with Krishna and Lambu our kitchen helpers had prepared a beautiful lunch for our arrival; their grins of delight as we demolished the spread in minutes meant they had judged our appetite and taste buds correctly. Anginji and Rakesh our High-altitude Sherpas had already been busy high on the mountain working with an adjacent teams Sherpas to prepare the camps and fixing ropes. After a very dry monsoon the route on the mountain was being reported as barely recognisable from past years with bare blue ice on the glacier and at camp 1.

Keen to continue our acclimatisation process we established a high camp at 5150m which proved to be an excellent launch pad for our first visit to camp 1 5600m. From this camp we trampled over the bolder moraine to reach the glacier where sharp crampons helped progress on the bullet hard brittle ice but an ice axe would be of no use in trying to arrest a slip. Careful footwork and concentration was the only real way for safe passage. The final head wall before camp 1 although at a steeper angle seemed more amenable to crampon up and after three interchanges on fixed ropes we popped out onto the small icy col of camp 1. The beauty of this place overwhelmed us as we looked up higher at the rock tower that we would have to scale later on the expedition to give us access to the SW Ridge.

For now, we were content; dropped some equipment and scurried back down to base camp.

Unfortunately for one of our team members, Ben, the Khumbu cold was resisting treatment and the advice from the expert Doctors at the IPPG post at Machermo which we had visited just a few days before was for Ben to descend to lower altitude.

The projected forecast for the following few days was not favorable for further excursions on the mountain as 100km/hour winds were battering the summits.

With a very small weather window the other team at base camp made their summit push with some of their members managing to top out but the general consensus was that Cholatse was proving to be one very challenging mountain this year. A small Nepali team who had also landed in base camp were not so fortunate but had no option but to retreat because of the bitter cold and high winds.

Being patient at base camp we created topics of conversation to discuss to maintain morale as well as planning our strategy of assault on Cholatse. In the meantime, Kay who had joined her husband Steve on the expedition but had no wish to climb the mountain, had wandered up to Gokyo ascended Gokyo Ri and the Renjo la pass to return to base camp where we were all very keen to listen to her adventures having had little of our own.

An Austrian team moved into base camp and kept their distance and knowing that one of their team members was an illustrious famous climber who had just scaled Lunag Ri solo caused some excitement in our German speaking and living team member Robert. He  could converse fluently with them and passed on their news that they now planned to climb Cholatse Alpine style.

Bonfire night was to be our set date of departure for summit push but plans had to be shifted as the winds continued to blow hard over the Himalayan tops as seen by the plumes of snow whisking of the summit of Cho-Oyu seen from our base camp. Tensions mounted at base camp but the team kept their calm and after one final check of the forecast we departed camp on the 6th November along with the Austrian team who had a different ascent style planned. Aware that we had to take our ascent slowly in order to afford more acclimatization and rest we had planned an extra night at Camp 1 on our ascent. Unfortunately for Raymond the Khumbu cold took another victim but with time in hand we could accommodate this if his condition improved. The rest of us reached Camp 1 in less than 6 hours from base camp and enjoyed the afternoon knowing we could rise with the sun the following morning. Listening to the Austrians leave at 5am on the 7th we only stirred in our sleeping bags before firing up our stoves around 8am. They had a perfect summit day and although no one muttered any disconcert I am sure we all had the same thoughts of “what if the weather changed” With nothing but the odd minor headache from several hours lying in our pits we negotiated the first few rock pitches to get a feel of what was to come and to put our minds at ease of the best way to approach this first barrier. Following lunch, we watched the tiny figures of the Austrians scale and descend Cholatse. As their team individually dropped back into camp we exchange brief conversation and offered them tea (Very British) and were pleased that they kindly offered to contribute to the fixed ropes which we had already discussed if an Alpine style ascent was not possible in their small summit window. When this highly elite acclimatized team had taken 10 hours on their summit day Pem and I decided that a 1 am start the following morning would afford enough time for our team to reach the summit and back either to base camp or camp 1.

At 11.30pm the rumble of stoves, flicker of head torches and groans of stirring climbers indicated the start of our summit push. Already briefed on the order of play during the dark hours of our ascent this didn’t go too smoothly with a last-minute upset for Rui and Robert who managed to spill their carefully prepared precious daily water supplies. Not deterred and knowing the first few pitches would be staggered and slow we set off with Rui and Angrinji soon catching the rest of us up. We carefully negotiated the rock steps and stayed close to avoid firing rocks down onto each other. Making good progress through this rocky barrier we popped our crampons back on as soon as we reached the ice of the ridge. Difficult mixed terrain not allowing for any steady momentum continued for the next several hours as we negotiated every type of snow and ice possible. Robert and Rui, Rakesh and Anghrinjiat at the back kept their cool literally, Steve and Pem at the front made steady progress as I monitored the team in the middle. Time elapsed and the sun rose warming us up a little and unveiling views of what was still to come.  At the site of camp 2 it was time for our first break and to let the whippets at the back free as we could now get a clear picture and keep everyone in sight. Having never been on Cholatse before it was difficult to advise how much further; a thought that should never really be questioned but was in all our minds. With only one doubting moment for Steve and with Pem’s encouragement we took in the final headwall before reaching the knife edge summit ridge. With the summit in sight in the distance but with plenty of time in hand, not a breath of wind or cloud in sight we carefully negotiated the ridge. It was perfect hard neve, so exposed that your eyes could only focus on the one step in front of you and not the 2000m drop on either side. At times, there was no other option than to use the crab crawl and balancing act on the slope adjacent to the ridge which was too narrow to contemplate walking on.

Personally, I just wanted to stop and gaze as the Himalayas unraveled on this stunning morning; a few photos were grabbed when the terrain allowed enough composure to remove a camera from my pocket. At 10 am we all gathered on the flat spot just below the main pimple. Rui and Robert waiting for us had already scaled as close as they could get to the pimple safely. Radio calls of pure joy were sent to base camp and emotions were high but as we all know a mountain is not climbed until we are all safely back down. The first team left leaving Pem, Steve and I to enjoy a few extra minutes whilst we too ascended the final few meters and took selfies. Time for our descent but in no rush, we carefully retraced our steps. Check check double check as we clipped in and abseiled from each anchor point; a strict drill when physical and mental tiredness kick in. Fifteen hours after setting out we all were finally back at camp 1. Greeted by Rinseen and Raymond we were all soon back in our beds trying to enjoy another Summit to eat dehydrated meal and rehydrate as the Sherpas popped back down to base camp for Dhal Bat.  Raymond had made his decision that Camp 1 on Cholatse was his summit with his cold not improving and having pushed out every ounce of energy to get here to join us.

Camp 1 fell silent except for the usual coughing fits and snores of tired climbers. Every member of the team with their own thoughts and knowing we still had to strike camp 1 before reaching the true safety of base camp. Bleary eyed we woke and hydrated ourselves and enjoyed some banter at camp, before the Sherpas popped in to say hello and dismantled the tents. Teaming up in small groups we left and abseiled down the headwall, negotiated the hard ice of the glacier before reaching crampon point. In style Lhampu our kitchen helper had brought juice and our trekking boots. We crashed down with relief and guzzled juice as if we had not seen fluids for days. Closely followed by Angrinji and Rakesh who sped ahead leaving us with the relatively short familiar walk back to base camp. Kay had walked up part way with food and fluids to meet us all and as Steve met his wife I could feel my own tears of the emotional tensions well up inside. Walking down the final ridge to base camp with one long stare back at Cholatse I quietly said “thank you” to her.

Stealing the idea from the inspiring book I had been reading some team members agree that our relationships with the mountains can be described as one of “odi et amo” (“I hate and I love”) but for me there is no hate but only delight that Cholatse gave us her safe passage and we were all back safe and sound at base camp.

 A massive thank you to our wonderful Sherpas, cook, kitchen helpers, and those that support us on these journeys to climb these Himalayan mountains.

Leader: Adele Pennington

Team Members. Robert; Steve; Raymond, Rui, Ben  

Sherpas: Sirdar: Pem Chhiri Sherpa; High Altitude Sherpas: Angrinji; Rakesh and Rinseen

Cook: Kanchhaman

Kitchen helpers: Krishna and Lambu

Summiteers: Robert, Rui, Steve, Adele, Pem Chhiri, Rakesh and Angrinji Sherpa

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