A New Route Climbed on Chong Kumdan I (7071 m)

On August 20, 2007 , 4 p.m. , expedition members, Divyesh Muni, Donald Goodman, Marlin Geist and Chris Robertson; and Sherpas Neema Dorje, Ming Temba and Pemba Norbu (aka King Kong) climbed a new route on Chong Kumdan I (elevation 7071 meters [m]). Our new route climbed the Southeast Ridge to its intersection with the main East Ridge of Chong Kumdan I, and then followed the East Ridge to the summit:

This was the second ascent of this magnificent peak, the first being by an Indian British team led by Harish Kapadia in 1991.

The Indian American Expedition to East Karakoram was sponsored by The Himalayan Club.

The team consisted of five India based members and five America based members. Mr Divyesh Muni, the Hon. Sect. of the Himalayan Club, Mumbai, led this expedition jointly with Mr. Don Goodman from U.S. The other members of the team were Mr. Rajesh Gadgil, Mr Shripad Sapkal, Mr. Nikunj Vora, Ms. Vineeta Muni. Mr.Christopher Alan Robertson, Mr. Juan Esteban Lira, Mr. Marlin Geist, Ms. Natala Goodman. The team was accompanied by Sqn. Ldr. G. Pawan Kumar of the Indian Air Force as Liaison officer of the expedition.

The expedition left Mumbai on 22 nd July 2007 . After finishing formalities at the Indian Mountaineering Foundation, New Delhi , the team traveled to Leh and started their journey to the mountain across the Khardung La.

Chong Kumdan I is located close to Aksai – Chin area of Jammu & Kashmir. The approach to this remote peak is from the Nubra Valley , which lies in the North of famous Khardung La. This region is sandwiched between Pakistan occupied Kashmir on the North West and the Aksai Chin area on the North East. The approach to the mountain is along the historic “silk route” to Yarkhand over the famous Saser La (pass). The route was known as the “Skeleton’s trail”. The Chong Kumdan glaciers feed the notorious “Shyok” – the river of death.

The route on Chong Kumdan I involved 45 to 55 degree ice for 400 m to the crest of the Southeast Ridge. We fixed 500 m of fixed line on this section. Further, we followed the crest of the Southeast Ridge a few hundred meters to elevation 6,450 m where we established Camp 2. The 20 to 30 degree slopes were underlain by hard ice. We spent nearly 4 hours excavating tent platforms.

From Camp 2, we climbed the remainder of the Southeast Ridge to where it intersects the East Ridge near 6,800 m.
Above Camp 2 four ropes were fixed and the route continued past several gendarmes and passing a cornice to the right at the top of the slope. This part of the climb could be made without fixed lines, as the slopes were moderate. The maximum slopes are about 45 degrees near the intersection with the East Ridge .

The East Ridge is almost uninterrupted from its intersection with the Southeast Ridge to the summit. South of the East Ridge , 40- to 50-degree slopes drop uninterrupted 600 to 800 m to the Chogam 2 Glacier. In good conditions, climbing the East Ridge would require less than 2 hours. Our team had to stay well below the ridge to avoid large cornices that overhang to the north. The snow was knee deep or worse, with a crusty surface overlying loose granular snow over ice. Due to the poor condition of the snow, it took us more than 5 hours to negociate the last section to the summit.

The major challenges faced by the team were:

- To cross the high Saser La (5375 m) with nearly 2 tones of equipment and rations. These were carried on 50 horses. The team had a support staff of 4 sherpas, 3 Nepali and Ladakhi cooks and 12 Kumaonies.

- The team had to cross two major glaciers (The Aqtash and the Thangaman) along with the horses. The horsemen, from Ladakh were of great assistance in finding a way across the ice and rocks of the glaciers for the horses. With great difficulty the horses managed to get across the glacier with the loads.

- The Shyok river brought the expedition to a halt at the other end of the Thangaman Glacier. The river had blocked the route for the horses and it was no longer possible for the caravan to move ahead. The expedition members and support staff carried the loads from this point onwards over the rock slabs along the banks of the river.

- On reaching Base Camp, the team proceeded to explore a route through the South Chong Kumdan Glacier only to be faced by huge gaping crevasses, towering ice seracs and penitents. The top snow layer had disappeared due to the high temperatures caused by Global warming. The glacier was bare and exposed and it was very dangerous to travel along the glacier with the equipment and rations required. The team decided to shift focus to Chong Kumdan I. A safe route was located to cross the glacier and the route on Chong Kumdan I was located with minimum exposure to travel on the glaciers.

- One of our Kumaoni support staff, Anand Ram passed away on 10 th August due to high altitude sickness at the Saser Brangza Army camp. Accompanied by another Kumaoni, he was on his way back when his health took a turn for the worst. He was treated by the Army medic at the Saser Brangza camp. Unfortunately no news of his deteriorating health was conveyed to our logistics support company nor to the team. The personnel at the Camp attempted to send him down on horseback on the 9 th August but he was unable to ride the horse. He is survived by a wife and three children. The team has decided to start a fund to provide financial assistance to his dependents.

- Our Sherpa Sirdar, Ang Tashi took ill on 15 th August at Camp I. He was accompanied down to ABC by members on 16 th and when there was no improvement in his health despite being provided bottled oxygen and medication, an air evacuation was requested on 17 th August. The Indian Air Force immediately sent in two helicopters and Ang Tashi was hospitalized at the Army hospital in Hundar. He was under intensive care for several days and is now recovering at Leh.

On 11 th August 2007 , most of the members of the team, reached the summit of Skyang (5770 m) in an acclamatisation climb .

Vineeta Muni, Nikunj Vora and Divyesh Muni also reached a high col (6100 m) on the east ridge of Chong Kumdan V where we climbed to get a good view of our route on Chong Kumdan I.

The expedition returned to Mumbai on 6 th September 2007 . Our sincere thanks to the Indian Air Force for their prompt evacuation of Ang Tashi Sherpa and to the Indian Army for their support during the expedition. A special note of thanks to Harish Kapadia who provided invaluable information to the team. Col. Ashok Abbey, Vice President of the Himalayan Club was of great assistance to the team in Ladakh.