Months after their winter attempt on Pakistan’s Trango Tower, Poland’s Maciej Kimel and Michal Krol have returned for another high-altitude project, this time with Mariusz Madej. The three will attempt the northeast face of 6,186m Kyajo Ri in Nepal’s Khumbu.
Kyajo Ri (sometimes spelled Kiazo Ri) is a common background view for visitors to Namche Bazaar. It ranks as a trekking peak, but even the normal route up the southwest ridge is technically hard. The Poles are aiming for a new line up the 1,000m northeast wall that faces the village of Machhermo.
Strategy
They plan to set up Base Camp at 4,400m, right below the face, and start by looking for a suitable route down while they acclimatize. Once ready, they will proceed alpine-style up their new line.
The north side of Kyajo Ri. Photo: Polski Himalaizm Sportowi
“We chose this wall because of its unique charm and the possibility of a new line,” Michal Krol told Polski Himalaizm Sportowy. “It will be a mixed climb, with more ice and snow on the lower parts of the north face. But as we progress across to the eastern flank, we expect to find rockier terrain.”
Past attempts
According to The Himalayan Database, there are no direct, complete routes up the northeast face. In 2009, an Italian team opened The Phantom of the Opera on that face but they ended their climb on the ridge shortly above 6,000m, not at the summit. Marina Kopteva of Ukraine and Vladimir Belousov of Russia did the first ascent of the east face, a 28-pitch route they called Stealing Beauty, in 2013. And in 2018, Marek Holecek and Zdenek Hak climbed the impressive Lapse of Reason. Their traversing line crossed the west face, the north ridge, and the northeast face.
Kyajo Ri: 3. Stealing Beauty up the east face; 4a and 4b, New Zealand and Italian attempts to the northeast face. Photo: Vladimir Belousov for the American Alpine Journal
Last February, Kimel and Krol attempted a winter climb of the Nameless Tower in Pakistan’s Trango. It was their second attempt. Their first try, in 2022, included Janusz Golab. Kimel was also in Nepal last fall when he opened a new route on Chobutse with Wadim Jablonski.
