2010: Xiaqiangla, by C. Yoshimura
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2010: Xiaqiangla, by C. Yoshimura (Back to: Asia, China, Sichuan, Daxue Shan, Minya Konka Range)
Xiaqiangla (5,470m), northeast face. By Chiharu Yoshimura, Japanese Alpine Club, translated by Tom Nakamura
After my first ascent in 2007 of Bawangshan (5,551m) in the Qonglai Shan (AAJ 2008), I began to wonder what should be my next target. It didn’t take long to find a mountain that fitted my criteria: unclimbed, prominent, beautiful, and with easy access. Xiaqiangla is an outstanding peak in the northern Daxue Shan, west of Danba and the Dadu River. Only Kiyoshi Kawajiri, Tom Nakamura, and Tadao Shintani had accessed these mountains before. [Nakamura's photo of Xiaqiangla appeared in AAJ 2009.] The peak is alluring not only because it is a fine unclimbed pyramid, but also due to the surrounding area, the so-called Valley of Beauty, where unique local Tibetan culture features fine and historic art, literature, and architecture, including stone towers that are typical of the Dadu River Basin. Our expedition took place from April 24 – May 9 and comprised Mitsuru Kato, Hiroshi Matsushima, Ken Sato, and me, all from the JAC. We first drove from Chengdu to Dang Ling (3,300m) via Danbu, and set up base camp on the shores of Da Haizi at 4,350m after an eight-hour walk to the west-southwest After reconnaissance we placed an advanced base at 5,020m and attempted two separate routes: the northeast face and the north ridge. The former would involve climbing a snow couloir leading toward the north ridge and then striking up left on a steep rock wall leading directly to the summit. The route up the north ridge started from the north col and was also steep, with rocky gendarmes resembling a dinosaur’s back. It featured a subsidiary summit (Peak 3) and then a smaller rock pyramid (Peak 2) before rising to the main top. On May 2 we started from advanced base at 6 a.m. Matsushima and
East face of Xiaqiangla and unnamed peak (right) seen from the shores of Da Haize. Route of first ascent of Xiaqiangla climbed hidden face behind steep right skyline ridge. Chiharu Yoshimura
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/sichuan-province/2010-xiaqiangla-by-c-yoshimura/
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2010: Xiaqiangla, by C. Yoshimura
3/15/11 1:34 PM
Sato climbed the northeast face and reached the main summit at 2:40 p.m. Mixed/rock climbing in the upper section was III-IV and their GPS gave an altitude of 5,497m. Kato and I got as far as Peak 3 on the north ridge but had to give up at that point due to lack of time. Both parties grouped at the col between Peaks 2 and 3, then descended the couloir together, reaching advanced base at 8:40 p.m. Tom Nakamura notes that it is now impossible to ignore the serious environmental destruction to the Dadu River region caused by accelerated West China Development projects. A huge dam is under construction near Luding. Edit
Xiaqiangla from the northeast. The summit to the right appears to be unspecified on maps, though another off picture to the right is marked as 5,240m. The north ridge attempt climbed from the broad snowy col between the two mountains. Peaks 2 and 3 on the north ridge are marked. Chiharu Yoshimura
A foreshortened image of Xiaqiangla's ca 400m northeast face. Peak 2 and Peak 3 on the north ridge are marked. (1) Matsushima-Sato Route and (2) upper section of their descent on north ridge. (3) north ridge attempted by Kato and Yoshimura over Peak 3. Chiharu Yoshimura
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/sichuan-province/2010-xiaqiangla-by-c-yoshimura/
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2010: Xiaqiangla, by C. Yoshimura
3/15/11 1:34 PM
On the summit headwall of the northeast face. Chiharu Yoshimura Collection
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/sichuan-province/2010-xiaqiangla-by-c-yoshimura/
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2010: Venus Peak, by H. Barmasse
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2010: Venus Peak, by H. Barmasse (Back to: Asia, China, Xinjiang)
Venus Peak (6,279m), southeast ridge. By HervĂŠ Barmasse, Italy
In June and July, Daniele Bernasconi, Mario Panzeri, and I traveled to the Shaksgam Valley to attempt an alpine-style ascent of Gasherbrum I. Unfortunately, due to the inefficiency of the agency that organized our logistics, it took 45 days to reach base camp. After this we had only seven days available before returning home, so no time to make an attempt. However, during the approach we made the first ascent of the 6,279m peak [Polish 1:80,000 Satellite Map] north of the entrance to the South Skyang Lungpa Glacier, which flows east to the Shaksgam River. It was a beautiful but difficult adventure. We climbed the southeast ridge on July 10-11. It comprised numerous rock towers with demanding mixed pitches, cornices, and sections of deep, dangerous snow. However, there was a fantastic panorama of the Gasherbrums, Broad Peak, and K2. The height difference was 2,150m and we climbed the upper 800m from our bivouac in eight hours, then
Venus peak from the south. (S) Summit, (E) southeast ridge, (B) bivouac and (C) Pt. 5,980m. The Italians climbed the far flank of the ridge to reach the crest at the point close to where they bivouacked. HervĂŠ Barmasse
descended a different route in order to avoid a second bivouac on
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/xinjiang-province/2010-venus-peak-by-h-barmasse/
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2010: Venus Peak, by H. Barmasse
3/15/11 1:34 PM
the mountain. The grade was ED and we named the peak Venus, after the planet that shone brightly each morning above the summit. Edit
Climbing the southeast ridge of Venus Peak. In the distance the Shaksgam River valley rises southeast toward the peaks of the Indian Karakoram. HervĂŠ Barmasse
The unclimbed northeast face of Gasherbrum I (8,068m) from the Urdok Glacier. HervĂŠ Barmasse
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/xinjiang-province/2010-venus-peak-by-h-barmasse/
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2010: Venus Peak, by H. Barmasse
3/15/11 1:34 PM
Looking south from Venus Peak. (A) Urdok Kangri Peaks (7,137m, 7,136m, and 7,250m). (B) Gasherbrum I (8,068m). (C) Gasherbrum II East (7,772m). (D) Gasherbrum II (8,035m). (E) Gasherbrum III (7,952m). (F) Gasherbrum IV (7,925m). Peak in middle distance below (A) is one of the South Nakpo massif. HervĂŠ Barmasse
Looking northwest from Venus Peak. (A) Broad Peak South (7,731m). (B) Broad Peak Main (8,047m, the southeast ridge remains unclimbed). (C) Broad Peak foresummit (a.k.a. Rocky Summit, 8,028m). (D) Broad Peak Central (8,016m). (E) South Kharut (6,934m). HervĂŠ Barmasse
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/xinjiang-province/2010-venus-peak-by-h-barmasse/
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2010: Abi, Shivering, by Y. Dongdong
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2010: Abi, Shivering, by Y. Dongdong (Back to: China, Sichuan, Qonglai Mountains- Siguniang National Park)
Abi (5,694m), west face and southwest ridge, Shivering (not to summit). By Yan Dongdong, China Abi has been climbed several times from the southeast and southwest, but had not been attempted from the west until July 2009, when He Lang and I tried from the Jiesigou Valley. The peak lies between the north end of the Shuangqiao Valley and the northeast branch of the Jiesigou, the valley immediately west of the Shuangqiao. We reached ca 5,500m on the southwest ridge, near the point where the rock met ice. However, it was around 2:20 p.m., cold, and we weren’t prepared for a bivouac on the glacier, so we retreated. That night our tent at 5,100m was destroyed by ice falling from the glacier tongue, so we had to bivouac after all. It rained all night and we shivered in wet sleeping bags. In August 2010 Li Lan, Zhao Xingzheng, and I returned, hoping to complete the same route. On the 16th we took a van from Rilong to the point where the Jiesigou splits, spent a night in the village there, and next day hired a tractor to take us to the end of the mud road. From here, we trekked to 4,900m, where we camped below the rocky ridge rising to the glacier.
Abi from the west with the line Shivering. Yan Dongdong
On the 18th we left at 6:10 a.m., and before 8:30 a.m. had reached the site of the previous year’s camp at 5,100m. From there we climbed a full pitch of rock, and then one and a half pitches on ice, to gain the glacier. We only had one 50m half rope, so Li tied onto the end and Zhao a few meters above her. Every pitch was less than 45m, and because it was misty all day, Zhao and I could barely see each other when the rope was run out. We climbed the glacier to the start of the ice face rising to the southwest ridge. Two and a half pitches led to the crest, where rock met ice. I led another pitch up broken slate to gain more ice. After one pitch of ice climbing we were able to walk for about two ropelengths to the junction of the southwest, southeast, and north ridges, a point we assumed must be the summit. It was 6:00 p.m., so we just took a few photos and started our descent. It was only later, when I checked the map, that I found the ridge junction was at 5,650m: if the mist had cleared we would have seen the true summit just 100m to the north. It had been dark for some time when we reached 5,300m and realized we had no hope of finding the right spot to rappel the glacier tongue (the wrong spot would lead to overhanging terrain). We had one down jacket between us, and no stove, but decided to bivouac. We spent two hours digging into a snow/ice crest with our axes, until there was nearly enough space for us to cram inside, with feet left out in the open. We ate little, shivered a lot, and I threw up twice on Li’s down jacket. We regained our camp at 3:00 p.m. on the 19th, and slept for 17 hours. The tent leaked in continuous rain, and there was more shivering in wet sleeping bags. The obvious name for our route was Shivering, though of course we really didn’t finish it to the summit. The part we completed was IV 5.7 AI3 M2, 800m.
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/sichuan-province/2010-abi-shivering-by-y-dongdong/
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2010: Daogou West, by Y. Dongdong
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2010: Daogou West, by Y. Dongdong (Back to: China, Sichuan, Qonglai Mountains- Siguniang National Park)
Daogou West (5,422m), northeast couloir and north ridge. By Yan Dongdong, China
On October 23-24, 2008, Chinese mountaineers Chen Hui, Gu Qizhi, and Peng Xiaolong made the second known ascent of Daogou West via a new route up the northeast couloir and north ridge (a bivouac was made halfway up the couloir). The team approached from the upper Changping Valley and sited base camp immediately below the face. Kester Brown and Vaughn Thomas made the only previous ascent of this summit, climbing the south face from the Shuangqiao Valley in September 2006 (AAJ 2007). Edit
Looking southwest towards Daogou (5,465m, left) and Daogou West (5,422m) from the north side of the upper Changping Valley. The 2008 Chinese route is marked. Daogou was climbed from the far side by an American team in 2005, while an Australian-New Zealand pair climbed Daogou West from the far side in 2006. Jeremy Thornley collection
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/sichuan-province/2010-daogou-west-by-y-dongdong/
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2009: Kara Tagh Shipton’s Arch, by M. Libecki
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2009: Kara Tagh Shipton’s Arch, by M. Libecki
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Have you climbed a big new route recently? The AAJ depends on climbers to report their own routes. Please contact us soon after your first ascent!
(Back to: Asia, China, Xinjiang)
Published by the American Alpine Club Kara Tagh, Shipton’s Arch. By Mike Libecki, AAC From July 5 to August 15, on the first of my two Year of the Ox expeditions, I visited Xinjiang. Again I embarked on the ultimate challenges of a solo expedition, to get back to a relationship with myself that I can only find while going alone into the wilderness
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in search of world-class first ascents and moments of now. This was my fifth time in the area, and memories told me what to expect in the huge city of Urumqi, filled with Muslim Uygur and Chinese. Xinjiang Province has an entwined collection of signs written in both Arabic and Chinese characters: Chinese and
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Muslims coexisting. But when I arrived, it was quite different from my previous trips. The streets were not packed with people. Markets of fresh vegetables, kebabs, and fried goodies, which once ruled
Seen from north, Shipton's Arch in Kara Tagh, ca 40km northwest of Kashgar. Mike Libecki
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alleyways, were nonexistent. Instead, Chinese military crowded every corner and street. Camouflaged trucks, several tanks, and even two bi-propeller helicopters were
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prominent on my way to the hotel. Young soldiers, emanating strict discipline, stood in battle-ready formation, all with machine guns, some with bazookas, and some with hand-combat weapons and large shields. I had arrived on July 7, the day after a major terror and political battle between the local Uygur and Chinese, when over 600 people were brutally killed in the streets. The Chinese were embarrassed about
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their lack of control and shut down all communications. The situation changed my plans and military permits, and I canceled my initial goal to climb in an area of grand walls in the western Kokshaal-too, on the Kyrgyzstan border.
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My liaison officer, who has helped me plan several expeditions in China, was concerned about my safety. He told me the previous day’s terror now ruled the psyche and energy of every person in Urumqi, and likely all of Xinjiang. While in Urumqi, I left my hotel in hopes of finding food in the markets but ended up detained in a military jail and questioned for a day; they thought I was a reporter from The New York Times. A couple of days later I left with my Chinese friends for the 1,500km drive to the Kyrgyzstan border.
http://aaj.americanalpineclub.org/climbs-and-expeditions/asia/china/xinjiang-province/2009-kara-tagh-shiptons-arch-by-m-libecki/
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2009: Kara Tagh Shipton’s Arch, by M. Libecki
3/15/11 1:47 PM
We passed through 14 military checkpoints; at three where I was questioned, it was not a polite situation.
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After several days we arrived at the roadhead, a spot I had visited before and just 20km from my potential base camp near dry glaciers. Then, at the last moment the military denied me permission. Devastation. The entire trip that had fueled my psyche for one of the most challenging solo adventures of my life, one for which I had worked for the past year to get the correct permits and paid more money than I will mention, was simply gone. When I politely tried to negotiate, the military officer got pissed off and took my papers. They told me there were terrorists hiding in the mountains, and I had to leave. My liaison officer drove me 1,500km back to Urumqi. I’m addicted to optimism, so I had to devise a plan B. I knew of a mountain range that is home to
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Shipton’s Arch. I took a 24-hour train from Urumqi to Kashgar, hired locals to drive me to the mountains, and proceeded to explore. There were steep, big walls up to 900m, made of mud and river stones. In the end I climbed three routes on Shipton’s Arch and connecting formations. I repeated, rope solo, the west face of the Arch (5.10, 240m). There were in-situ anchors showing that it had previously been climbed. [The west arm of the Arch was climbed by Americans in 2000. They placed bolt anchors and climbed 180 vertical meters of generally loose conglomerate at 5.6 to reach the summit, for the first known ascent. AAJ 2001 ] I then climbed the northeast face of a connecting summit, most likely a first ascent (5.10 A2, 270m). There were some strange rope-solo shenanigans with a cool chimney/tube.
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Finally, I climbed the north face of another connecting summit, which proved scary 5.10 A2 (270m) due to the need to overcome mud climbing on my own. These routes, on different walls, led to different summits. But the formations are connected at the base, and I refer to them all as part of Shipton’s Arch. It was a wonderful solo expedition. I plan to go back to the Chinese western Kokshaal-too as soon as permits become available. My chosen area has some of the most amazing untouched granite walls left on
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the planet, and I know of three formations that have faces at least 1,500m high, all waiting for a first attempt. Edit
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