Tengkangpoche (6,487m), northwest face, attempts. In early November Silvestre Barrientos, Manuel Cordova, and Sidarta Gallego almost repeated the 2004 route, Edge of Darkness (not to summit), on the northwest face, then west ridge, of Tengkangpoche. This line by Nick Bullock and Nick Carter is well right of the summit, more or less leading to the 6,200m low point on the ridge between Tengkangpoche and Panalotapa (6,687m). After an ascent of 1,450m and difficulties of TD+/ED1 Scottish IV, with an ungradable Peruvianesque final pitch to the ridge, Bullock and Carter bivouacked and next day decided the remaining kilometer of ridge to the summit would require “very special techniques.” They rappeled their route.

The three Spanish climbers found difficulties of WI5 (70-90°) but did not complete the final pitch to the ridge due to poor conditions. Aitor Abendano and Jonatan Larranaga, from the same expedition, climbed the line again a week later. This pair also spent two days on the face but were prevented from reaching the summit ridge by high winds and cold. They rappeled the face, using the anchors left by their countrymen.

Lindsay Griffin, Mountain INFO