Cloud Ocean - Feb 19, 2016 8:58 pm Date Climbed: Feb 2, 2016
Solo winter ascent of Camel West
All climbing was done solo above my tent in the moraine at ~4700m, but I used support in the form of a pack horse and driver to access the base of the mountain via Changping Valley. The national park made this mandatory, and would not allow me to attempt the climb unsupported - although I didn't plan on using support it went very well, as the driver was friendly and pleasant to work with! I obtained an official climbing permit from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association and found them equally friendly, smooth to communicate with, although the red tape involved in the permit did take about a month.
It snowed 30-40cm the night before my climb. Breaking trail through the deep snow covering the moraine below the glacier was physically grueling and took three hours. Once on the glacier I avoided climbing directly on any of the lower slopes due to the unconsolidated snow and avalanche hazard, and always ascended alongside the rocks. Several fatal avalanches have historically occurred on this mountain. In addition to the tragedy mentioned in the summit log below, four Russian climbers were avalanched on in October, 2009.
Around 45 degrees maximum below the high saddle, and maybe 60 degrees maximum from the false west summit onwards, almost all on deep snow. There is a significant rock step involved in gaining the true west summit - do not attempt to ascend via the downwards sloping, featureless slabs which seem to be the obvious route. I ascended first diagonally on class 3 terrain from the south to the north, and then directly up a low class 5 crack system, making good use of my ice tool. Winter is supposedly the best climbing season but is very cold at night, and still brings potential for bad weather, as I discovered. It took me 8:10 from tent to summit and 11 hours round trip, slowed by the deep snow throughout. Climbed over 4 days - first day to Muluozi ~3600m, second day to high camp ~4700m, third day round trip to summit, and fourth day the entire 33km back down the valley to Lama temple.
Full trip report with lots of photographs of the route can be seen here: https://thecloudocean.com/2016/02/19/camel-peak-west/
I sign this log on behalf of Kristian WANG, also a SP member. He, and a local guide, Mr. LU, passed away on an avalanche on Dec 29, 2004, 4:00PM, on their way to C2.
Kristian's wife survived alone, she stayed up there for 4 nights with only 9 pieces of fruit candy before rescue team met her on her way back.
Kristian has always a reputation as a generous, serious climber among Chinese. He has contributed a lot to rockclimbing in Beijing by define many new routes, translating many tech articles which provided valuable reference to many Chinese climbers.
He has summitted Mont Bogda in July 2003 as a leading climber.
Cloud Ocean - Feb 19, 2016 8:58 pm Date Climbed: Feb 2, 2016
Solo winter ascent of Camel WestAll climbing was done solo above my tent in the moraine at ~4700m, but I used support in the form of a pack horse and driver to access the base of the mountain via Changping Valley. The national park made this mandatory, and would not allow me to attempt the climb unsupported - although I didn't plan on using support it went very well, as the driver was friendly and pleasant to work with! I obtained an official climbing permit from the Sichuan Mountaineering Association and found them equally friendly, smooth to communicate with, although the red tape involved in the permit did take about a month.
It snowed 30-40cm the night before my climb. Breaking trail through the deep snow covering the moraine below the glacier was physically grueling and took three hours. Once on the glacier I avoided climbing directly on any of the lower slopes due to the unconsolidated snow and avalanche hazard, and always ascended alongside the rocks. Several fatal avalanches have historically occurred on this mountain. In addition to the tragedy mentioned in the summit log below, four Russian climbers were avalanched on in October, 2009.
Around 45 degrees maximum below the high saddle, and maybe 60 degrees maximum from the false west summit onwards, almost all on deep snow. There is a significant rock step involved in gaining the true west summit - do not attempt to ascend via the downwards sloping, featureless slabs which seem to be the obvious route. I ascended first diagonally on class 3 terrain from the south to the north, and then directly up a low class 5 crack system, making good use of my ice tool. Winter is supposedly the best climbing season but is very cold at night, and still brings potential for bad weather, as I discovered. It took me 8:10 from tent to summit and 11 hours round trip, slowed by the deep snow throughout. Climbed over 4 days - first day to Muluozi ~3600m, second day to high camp ~4700m, third day round trip to summit, and fourth day the entire 33km back down the valley to Lama temple.
Full trip report with lots of photographs of the route can be seen here: https://thecloudocean.com/2016/02/19/camel-peak-west/
kafirchen - Jan 5, 2005 9:48 am
Date Climbed: Dec 29, 2004I sign this log on behalf of Kristian WANG, also a SP member. He, and a local guide, Mr. LU, passed away on an avalanche on Dec 29, 2004, 4:00PM, on their way to C2.
Kristian's wife survived alone, she stayed up there for 4 nights with only 9 pieces of fruit candy before rescue team met her on her way back.
Kristian has always a reputation as a generous, serious climber among Chinese. He has contributed a lot to rockclimbing in Beijing by define many new routes, translating many tech articles which provided valuable reference to many Chinese climbers.
He has summitted Mont Bogda in July 2003 as a leading climber.
odo - Nov 8, 2004 1:15 pm
Route Climbed: South redge Date Climbed: 2004, 11, 03Very steep, and It is covered by ice and snow