On April 23, Patrick Johnson and Patrick Gephart of the U.S. summited 6,487m Tengkangpoche in the Rolwaling Himal. They did their new route alpine style via the north face, according to the managing director of Itrek Everest, via The Himalayan Times.
According to Johnson, Tengkangpoche’s north face was rather dry. After studying the face from several angles, they chose a route that linked several sections of ice and mixed terrain through passages they deemed safe.
Tengkangpoche is in center right. Photo: Ash Routen
The climbers bivouacked at around 4,570m before beginning the ascent. They then navigated easy ice to the base of a smear of ice on the clean rock face. Johnson says they were pleasantly surprised to climb it in two fantastic pitches at WI3+.
The pair then continued directly up the north face, linking pitches of easy ice and mixed terrain with long sections of steep snow.
The final section before summiting Tengkangpoche. Photo: Patrick Perry Johnson and Patrick Michael Gephart
“A final pitch of WI3 led us to the east ridge,” recalls Johnson. “We bivouacked at 6,000m and endured a sleepless night with neverending wind.”
The duo continued east toward the summit in clear weather, navigating a steep, narrow ridge with long sections of ice and neve.
Johnson recalls that several seracs and crevasses guarded the final ridge, but they passed with careful route finding. They finally reached the top of Tengkangpoche on April 23 at 3:30 pm, in the clouds.
They judged their new route WI3+/M3 Steep Snow, 1,500m.
Johnson and Gephart on the summit of Tengkangpoche.
