Asia, Nepal, Ganchenpo Attempt

Publication Year: 1994.

Ganchenpo. Our expedition was composed of Hiroyasu Sugita, Yoshichika Segi, Yoshiko Kasho (f), Tsuyoshi Itai, Yasushi Tatsumi, Shuichi Takeda, Yumi Kanaoka (f) and me as leader. On April 7, we started trekking from Dhunche. We acclimatized at 4500 meters above Kyangching. On April 14, we waded the Langtang Khola to establish Base Camp at 4400 meters. This was lower than the Nepalese team’s, when they made the first ascent in 1990, because of heavier snow than usual. We followed the Nepalese route, climbing a southwest spur to the west ridge, placing Camps I and II at 4900 and 5500 meters on April 16 and 19. We climbed over the 6100-meter west peak and tried in vain to climb the knife-edged west ridge. We descended to the glacial basin on the south of the peak and placed Camp III at 6000 meters there on April 25. After crossing the basin, Sugita, Mrs. Kasho, Itai and Nepalese Nima Temba Sherpa, Phurba Gyalzen Sherpa and Damber Bahadur Gurung climbed on April 28 to the east ridge and the summit (7455 meters, 24,459 feet).

Daizo Yamamoto, Japan