Michail Fomin and and Nikita Balabanov from Ukraine made a first ascent of the steep NW buttress.
In an update last week on unclimbed lower peaks in alpine style we mentioned first ascent of Thulagi Chuli (7059m) in Nepal; first ascent of Link Sar West (7041m) in Pakistan; and an ongoing attempt on unclimbed Saldim Ri (6343m) near Makalu (Nepal).
This week an addition arrived: Ukranian Michail Fomin and and Nikita Balabanov climbed a new route on the NW Buttress Talung (7349m) in Nepal (near Kangchenjunga), finishing a line attempted there in 2014 by an Italian expedition.
Michail told 4sport.ua Talung was very steep and felt like winter climbing in Chamonix. The new route took 6 days of sustained and punishing effort on the NW Buttress.
The climbers reported 2-inch ice, fluffy snow, dry-tooling – basically the lot. (Mixed M6 ice AI6, AID A3. Drop 1700 m, length ca 2000 – 2200m.)
“The soul was happy, the body lightened by 15 kilograms, ” Michail concluded.
“No freebies, very steep terrain”, Nikita chimed in. “Definitely one of our most difficult mountains.”
(Last year Nikita and Michail were nominated for Piolet d’Or for opening ‘Snow Queen’, a new route on Lanshisa Ri (6427m) with fellow Ukrainian Polezhayko Vyacheslav.)
Talung first ascent data:
Summit – 7349 meter
Altitude difference – 1700 meter
Length – 2000 to 2200 meter
Style – Alpine
Duration – 6 days
Rate – M6, AI6, A3
19 september – start of the expedition from Kiev
22 september: start trekking to BC
28 september: set up BC at 4,800m in Kanchenjunga from South
6 october: acclimatization ascent on Mount Boktoh (Bokta), 6,100 m and spent the night in bivouac on summit
7 october: rappel down to BC
12 october: second acclimatization ascent: on 7,100 m in col. between Mt Talung (7349 м) – Mt. Kabru (7,412m) and spent the night in bivouac.
Then, resting and waiting for good weather, the team began climbing its primary objective – new route on North West buttress Mt. Talung.
Ascent on TOP and rappel down passed in alpine style without sherpas and pre established rope
