Bada Ri (6,516m) is the last unclimbed mountain over 6,500m in the western Nyanchen Tanglha (Nyainqentanglha). It lies in the middle of the range, northwest of Yangbajain, and is hidden by other peaks. Our expedition to attempt this peak, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Kobe University Alpine Club, was jointly organized between Kobe University and the Chinese University of Geosciences, Wuhan. It is believed that no climbers had entered the Bada Qu valley prior to us.

We established base camp at 5,250m, close to the confluence of the two glaciers in the Bada Qu. On October 27, after three days of reconnaissance and ferrying loads to a high camp at 5,700m on the West Bada Glacier, six members made a summit attempt. We first reached the southwest ridge of Bada Ri by a steep ice slope, on which we fixed some rope. We then continued up to the shoulder peak (6,330m GPS). The ridge ahead dropped 20m to a col and then rose in a sharp, snow-covered rocky ridge to the summit. Three climbers tried to climb this ridge, but as the weather had been dry there was insufficient snow cover on the very loose rock, both on the crest and flanks, so the team retreated.

The name Bada Ri comes from Tibetan Pa and Ta, which mean boar and tiger or snow leopard. Pa Ta translates into Chinese Pinyin as Bada. While Ri means mountain, the Tibetans call a snow and ice peak Kangri, so in our opinion this mountain is better named Pata Kangri. Back in base camp local people named our shoulder peak Ta Ri (later ratified by Chinese authorities). Ours was the only expedition to Tibet during the autumn, the CTMA having canceled all others after the Nepal earthquake.

Tatsuo (Tim) Inoue, Japan