Naya Kanga and Yubra: Winter ascent and attempt

Nepal, Langtang Himal
Author: Oh Young-hoon. Climb Year: 2014. Publication Year: 2015.

Kim Jin-Seok and Oh Young-hoon climbed in the Langtang Valley during February. The pair warmed up with an ascent of the easy east ridge of Gangja La Peak (5,652m), the first peak east of Gangja La.

They then climbed Naya Kanga (5,863m) by the central couloir of the northeast face. The normal route on this trekking peak heads up toward the Gangja La before traversing west across a large snow terrace below the northeast face to climb a little gully onto the crest of the northeast ridge, which is then followed to the summit (PD+/AD-). Some parties have climbed the face. However, the two Koreans approached the northeast face directly, climbing around the right side of a large serac barrier to reach the western end of the snow terrace. After completing the central couloir to the summit (D for the entire ascent), the pair descended the normal route, continuing down the ridge to reach their approach below the serac barrier.

After this they attempted the southwest face of Yubra (6,264m) at the head of the Yubra Glacier, but failed 200m below the summit. The pair got a permit for this peak from the Nepal Mountaineering Association, which has Yubra Himal (6,035m) to the northwest on its list of permitted peaks. Yubra is a relatively technical peak and its first ascent is unknown. It has probably not had more than half a dozen ascents, by the northwest ridge or possibly the southwest face. The Koreans report a Japanese ascent of the peak on January 4.

From information provided by Oh Young-hoon, Korea



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