Asia, Nepal, Jongsang Attempt

Publication Year: 1984.

Jongsang Attempt. Our joint Slovene-Nepalese expedition hoped to climb Jongsang (7483 meters, 24,550 feet) by its south face alpine-style. The peak has been climbed only once, by the 1930 Dyhrenfurth expedition from the north. We were Filip Bence, Tone Golnar, Peter Podgornik and me, Yugoslavs; and Sherpas Dorje, Ang Nima and Nuru. We approached from April 2 to 16 via Dhankuta, Dobhan, Ghunsa to Pangpema Base Camp at 5050 meters. We set up Camp I on April 19 at 5320 meters ten kms north-northeast of Base Camp and eight kms southwest of the Jongsang La and Camp II on April 20 at 5950 meters a kilometer southwest of the pass. On April 21 we reconnoitered the Jongsang La (6145 meters) and the southeast ridge. The south face appears fine and safe but the southeast ridge was too difficult without fixed ropes and camps. Since we did not have enough material, we had to go back. The Ginsang Glacier’s surface is 100 meters deeper than 50 years ago and is no longer the easy approach it used to be.

Tone Škarja, Planinska Zveza Slovenije, Yugoslavia