Mt. Chomo Lonzo Expedition

Autumn 2017
Entry: Lhasa Exit: Zhangmu
Fixed Departure: 07 September 2017

Height: 7,804m. (25,604 ft)
Latitude: 27°55′48″N
Longitude: 87°06′29″E
Entry: Lhasa Exit: Zhangmu
Trip Duration: 55 Days
Normal Ascent Route: Normal
Grade: Strenuous High
Caravan Route: Kathmandu - Lhasa - Kharta Valley - Chomo Lanzo Base Camp - Yuopa - Nyalam - Zhangmu - Kathmandu

Mt. Chomo Lonzo, located in the Kangshung valley and separated from Makalu by Sakietang-La, Chomo Lonzo has three different summits. The Southern, main peak (7,804m.) is joined via a 7250m. saddle to the Central peak (7,565m.), which is joined via a 7,050m. saddle to a 7200m. North (or North West) peak. In 1954 Lionel Terrary and Jean Couzy made the first ascent of the South Summit (7,790m.) from Nepal, and in 1993 a Japanese party made a second ascent from Tibet side, following a dangerous line under seracs. Neither the Central Summit (7,540m.) nor the North Summit (7,199m.) had any ascents before our expedition. The northeast face seemed challenging but risky, with much snow and threatening seracs. Cultural Treks and Expedition will start this trip from the Lhasa and it takes almost 4 days arrive to Chomo Lonzo base camp after having some day’s sight seeing around Lhasa.

Chomo Lonzo Climbing History:
The French climbers Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray reached the main summit via the gently sloping SW ridge from the 7,200m. Sakietang La that separates Chomo Lonzo from Makalu. They did this as an afterthought during a reconnaissance expedition to the Makalu, which they first-ascended the next year. The second ascent was only in 1993 by a Japanese expedition which found a route through the NW face that joined the SW ridge half-way. A third and currently last ascent of the main peak in 1994 followed the original SW ridge route.

Chomo Lonzo Central and North peaks remained unclimbed until 2005 and in 1999, an attempt to climb the central peak via its daunting NE pillar was thwarted. In April 2005, a French expedition first explored the NE face but, finding it too challenging, approached the mountain from the West and Northwest instead. One team (Yannick Graziani, Christian Trommsdorff and Patrick Wagnon) climbed the North summit over the NW ridge on May 7, while another (Stéphane Benoist and Patrice Glairon-Rappaz) reached it over the West face on May 16. The first team reascended the North peak and continued to reach the central peak on May 21. The initial plan to traverse all three peaks and descend via the Sakietang La proved impossible.

First Ascent: April - May 2006. The first attempt of solo climbing Chomo Lonzo main West face (7,804m.). Solo climbing of Chomo Lonzo (7,790m.) by Valery Babanov