TUKUCHE WEST PEAK (6780 m) EXPEDITION

RENE COLLET

Wednesday, 3 October 1979

DEPARTURE FROM Kathmandu with carriers and Sherpas. Arrival at Pokhara after a 17 hour journey.

Porters loads were traditionally shared out among them and we walked for 1 ½ hour in the rain in order to establish the first camp at Hyanaja (1050 m),

4th

Rain has stopped. Nice weather. Splendid view on Annapurna, Machapuchare. Camp at Khare.

5th

9 hours of a very hard climb till Ulleri (2050 m).

6th

Even more tiring day. Climbing with leeches to Ghorepani pass (2850 m). Superb view of Hiunchuli South peak and the Nilgiri. Camp at the (1250 m).

7^th

We start climbing along the Kali Gandaki after crossing the splendid pass of Gaso. We camp on a roof at Ghasa (2000 m).

8th

First sight on the Tukuche and Dhaulagiri. We pass through nice villages and lay out our camp at Tukuche (2550 m).

We have walked for 6 days and 41 hours from Kathmandu to i'uktii he.

9th

Bad weather, we stay in Tukuche.

10th

As it continues to rain, the sirdar goes to Jomosom to ask for the permit to go to the Base Camp, without the liaison officer who is still missing.

We celebrate my birthday and Valerie's birthday with two bottles of Bollinger champagne, carefully brought from Paris.

11th

Hard day, under pelting rain and awful weather. We are soaked to the bone and lay our camp at 3850 m after a 1300 m climb.

12th

Rest. We dry everything.

13th

Long day where we progress towards Dhampus pass. It's snowing. Denise doesn't feel well. We lay our camp at 4450 m.

14th

6 hours climbing for the Dhampus pass (5100 m) and descent in the Hidden Valley where we lay out the Base Camp (4900 m). There is a snow storm. Bad weather doesn't leave us.

15th

We stay at the Base Camp. The Sirdar Jipa, the Sherpas, as well as the porters descend to get the missing loads. During a clearing we get the beautiful sight of the three peaks of the Tukuche, East Peak, West Peak and Central Peak (Junction Peak) and of the very impressive ‘Brenva Face'.

We meet the members of the Polish expedition settled 1 km away from our camp, on the north edge of the Dhaulagiri. They have been then for two months in bad weather now.

16th

3 hours of climbing under the wind and snowstorm, to put our camp 2 at 5450 m.

Down again to the Base camp, to welcome at last, the liaison officer.Spent the evening with the Polish expedition.

17th

Andre and Firmin leave for Camp I and we four stay at the Base.

18th

Denise is still tired and we decide that she will go down to the valley with Valerie and 3 Sherpas. We watch Firmin and two Sherpas progressing above Camp I in order to establish Camp 2, just below the Brenva Face (6050 m). Andre suffered an oedema and stayed at Camp I. Alain and I climb to Camp 1 during the afternoon.

19th

Excellent night at Camp I with Alain and Andre. Firmin is in Camp 2. Temperature: -15 degrees under the tent. In the afternoon we descend to the Bas Camp.

Firman and two Sherpas descend too.

20th

Firman and the two Sherpas set off again for Camp 2. Andre is still tired, but decides however to climb with Alain and me to Camp 1. It’s snowing......

Firman and the two Sherpas climb again to Camp 2, attempt Brenva Face. 3 lengths are climbed with fixed ropes (100 m-—100 m and 30 m).

Andre, the Sirdar and I leave at 10 a.m. for Camp 2. Alain stays alone at Camp 1 and we will have no more walkie-talkie contact with him. Perhaps because Camp 2 is too sheltered. Hard climb of more than 6 hours, in soft snow where we sink from time to time, upto the waist, Andre is exhausted and walks with oxygen. I don't feel better either. At last we arrive at Camp 2 where we were five to sleep in the ‘K2’ tent. Temperature: — 32°C in the tent!

22nd

We wake up at 2 o'clock and Firmin and I leave at 4 with electric torches. They will last for ¼ of ^an hour: they were frozen. My hands were freezing as I had only two pairs of gloves and not the thick Himalayan mittens. Fingers became insensitive. We stop and after 10 minutes of friction and exercises blood came back. We go forward with fixed ropes and jumars. It's OK. Getting up the Brenva Face is very difficult. Frozen rocks and slopes at more than 60° angle. At last at 8 o'clock we reach the Junction Peak (6850 m) on the top of the Brenva Face, where we have a splendid view, specially of Dhaulagiri. We continue towards the West peak; long traverse on a very hard slope on the Dhaulagiri side, for the edge is not negotiable. No technical difficulties. Only altitude.

We arrive on the West peak at about 10.30; but I begin to feel tired and we have to go back quickly.

Climbing back to Junction Peak is a martyrdom. I can't stand anymore and Firmin pulls me. Thank goodness, no technical problems.

As we descend Brenva Face, I feel better but I have to stop every 100 m to recover. Arrival at Camp 2, oxygen for half-an-hour and we descend very quickly to Camp 1, then to the Base Camp where we arrive at 7.30 p.m. It's the end.

Those two days were for me a physical test, but at the same time, plenty of joy.

23 rd

We rest and after a long night, we wash and tidy away. Alain disappointed not to have climbed the summit; left with a Sherpa for a 'small Tukuche’.

24th

We start at 8.30. We climb to Dhampus Pass and give a glance at the remains of the Swiss expedition of the Dhaulagiri, i960.

We lay out a camp at 4000 m.

25th

Nice weather. We descend to Tukuche with superb view of the Mustang Valley, of Muktinath and further Tibet and China. On the west, the Dolpo and on the south it's the Kali Gandaki. We arrive at 1 p.m. at Tukuche where we meet Denise and Valerie, they had a trekking trip to the Muktinath area.

In the afternoon, it's raining as usual in Tukuche.

We drink a lot of beer. From 26 October to 30 October (5 days) we descend to Pokhara without problems and on the 31st we were in Kathmandu.

Conclusion

Except for Brenva Face which is an uneven steep climb of more than 700 m the West peak of Tukuche (6780 m) is quite an easy climb. It is essential to have fixed ropes.

Members of the expedition:

Rene Collet, leader, Denise Collet, Valerie Collet, Andre Simond (Instructor Guide), Firmin Mollard (Guide) and Alain Dejean.

 

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