Teng Kang Poche, northeast Pillar attempt, and Tengi Ragi Tau South, south ridge. Our expedition lasted from October 1 to November 8. We went to the Khumbu at this time because during our autumn visit there the previous year we had enjoyed very good weather. However, 2002 was rather different. ’ and looked at the north side of Teng Kang Poche (6,500m), the face was covered by snow with very little rock showing. We split into two teams. Jaro Dutka and Martin Heuger from Slovakia started immediately on a direct line up the northeast pillar. This is a magic line on very steep rock, but now it was all covered in snow. Alexadr Toloch and I decided to wait and attempt a line up the left side of the pillar, which was not so steep and therefore offered a better chance of an all free ascent. However, each day a few more centimeters of snow fell. In the end both teams failed after 500-700m of climbing at an altitude of 5,450m. Unstable snow covered steep rock slabs and made progress dangerous. Jaro and Martin climbed difficulties from III to V+ and gave up on the October 20, we from III to V and finished two days earlier. We also found equipment abandoned by the French team earlier in the year.

After a couple of days rest in base camp, Alexadr and I went to try a beautiful rocky ridge on Tengi Ragi Tau. This led up toward the 6,180m South Summit, the smallest in the Tengi Ragi Tau massif. The ridge faced south and we began our ascent in the afternoon of the 21st and took two days to reach the summit. During the climb the weather was very sunny but a strong wind blew from the northwest. The latter wasn’t a problem in the lower section, as we were protected, but after the second bivouac it hit us directly. Fortunately, the climbing from this point was easier with more snow and ice. We joined the southeast ridge and continued up this to the top, reaching it at 2:00 p.m. on the 23rd. The view was beautiful but we were concerned about our descent of the southeast ridge. The snow was not as good as it had been on our south ridge but we managed to descend quite quickly. A couple of rappels put us on the small glacier at the bottom and continued on down to bivouac in grassy meadows, reaching them at dark. We named our 1,700m route Like a Dhal Bhat, because it was a very beautiful route, and graded it ED (VII- and 75°). The ascent took 20 hours climbing time and the descent (grade D+) six hours.

After this we only had time to climb the Normal Route on Parcharmo before returning home, but maybe we will come back, as Teng Kang Poche is a fantastic granite monument.

Radek Lienerth, Czech Republic