Nangpai Gosum I new route; Dazampa Tse, first ascent. In the middle of October Slovenian expedition made first ascent of Nangapi Gosum 1 (7,351m) or Pasang Lhamu Peak from the southeast (Nepal side) and also made first ascent of Dazampa Tse (6,295m).

Slovenian team (Urban Azman, Tadej Golob, Uros Samec, Samo Krmelj, Rok Blagus, doctor Zare Guzej and me Urban Golob as expedition leader) set up Base camp near Sumna glacier, one hour from traditional way of yak caravan from Tibet over Nangpa La to Namche Bazar. On the same place was also Base camp of American team in 2002 when the southeast side of the mountain was an objective. However, Americans found themselves in the crossfire during acclimatization near Nangpa La and went immediately home without really trying the mountain. On October 5, two days after reaching base camp, ABC (5,555m) was established at the foot of the southeast face. In the time of unpredictable weather a party of Uros Samec, Samo Krmelj and Rok Blagus acclimatized twice in the chosen route on southeast face because there are no easier mountains suitable for acclimatization in the neighborhood. On the first acclimatization they climbed to 6,100m, slept there and equipped rappels for more easy descent from summit push. On October 17 after period of bad weather (when I had to leave the Base Camp because of pneumonia and went home) they reached 6,400m, slept in the tent and go back to Base Camp next day. On the 22nd they went for summit push from Base Camp and next day they started from ABC at 1 a.m. One long day they needed to climb to the south ridge (6,650m) and rested there one day in the tent and look for the route on complicated ridge. On the 24th they started from their tent at 2 a.m. and reached the summit at 9 a.m. in high winds and very low temperatures. Almost immediately they turned back descended to tent and continued their way down to ABC. They reached the foot of the southeast face at the evening making 19 rappels from the ridge. They named their ascent Slovenian route VI, 5 M, 1550 meters.

Meanwhile, on the 18th another party of Tadej Golob and Urban Azman climbed the southwest face of Dzasampa Tse (6,295m), south of Nangpai Gosum 1. They started from the south col at 6 a.m. and reached the top after almost seven hours of mostly unroped climbing on slopes of 55°-65° and one mixed pitch of 40 meters. They named the first ascent route as Mali princ and rated it at TD+, 5 M, 600m.

Until our expedition there was just two ascents of this highest peak of Nangpai Gosum group. First ascent was made by Japanese expedition in 1986 on northwest ridge starting from Tibet and in 1996 when an international expedition made the integral northwest ridge starting the climb on Nangpa La.

Urban Golob, Slovenia