Kusum Kamguru (6,369m/20,896ft)
This impressive rock and ice peak dominates
the southern end of the Charpati Himal,
which separates the valley of the Dudh
Khosi from the upper reaches of the Hinu
Drangka The northern end of this chain
is denominated by the spectacular fangs
of Kangtega (6,779m/22,241ft) and Tramserku
(6,608m/21680ft). Kusum Kanguru is well
hidden until you get out of the valley,
although it can be glimpsed from the Namche
trail at Ghat, from where the West and
South-West Faces can be seen up the valley
of the Kusum Drangka. For those approaching
frm Jiri on the Everest trek the peak
can be viewed from the Trakshindu La.
A complex, triple-summited mountain,
Kusum Kanguru, also spelt Kusum Dangguru,
has at least five major ridges, and as
many faces of which the north Face of
the main summit is the most awesome. The
name Kusum Kanguru (or more correctly
Kusum Kangri) comes from the Tibetian,
meaning 'three snow peaks'.
Of all the peaks in this book, Kusum
Kanguru has the reputation for being the
most difficult, without doubt increased
by the label 'trekking peak', with all
that entails. It can in no way, even by
its most moderate route, be compared with
the more straightforward climbs on summits
such as Island, Mera, or pisang for instance.
The climbing is technically difficult,
needing a high degree of commitment and
experience. Whereas many Nepal peaks are
ideal for well-led groups with limited
experience, this mountain is not.
Prior to its first ascent by a Japanese
team in the autumn of 1979 there were
four unsuccessful attempts on the mountain
by British, New Zealand and two Japanese
expeditions.
THE TREK
For those using air transport this is
the easiest mountain to reach. By flying
to Lukhla you can trek to base camp at
the snout of the Kyashar Glacier in two
days, however at that rate you're unlikely
to get much higher. It you are flying
into Lukhla you might consider doing some
trekking before going on to the mountain.
The valleys, mountains and villages of
the Khumbu are well worth exploring and
acclimatization will be essential.
For those trekking in from Kathmandu
follow the Everest expedition route. For
climbs on the east side of the mountain,
the Mera trek to the Hinku should be followed
from Lukhla, or alternatively, from Kharikhola
follow the southern rout to Pangkongma
and then head up the Hinku Drangka. For
routes on the north side you leave the
expedition trek at Monjo. Base camp at
the snout of the Kyashar Glacier can be
reached in a long hard day from Manjo,
but most parties will want to take two.
THE CLIMBS
South-East
Face
First ascent was in 1979 by Takeshi
Kanazawa, Hideako Naoi, Hajime Vematsu,
Mansanori Miyano and Tomooh Toyoda. This
ascent was made soon after Doug Scott's
expedition came close to reaching the
summit, and was the first complete ascent
of the mountain.
From a base camp at 4358 meters (14,300feet)
they climbed the face with two bivouacs;
KUSUM KANGURU
One in a crevasse at 5,403 metres (17,725
feet). and another on the North-East Ridge
at 6,203 metres (20,350feet).
South-East Face
(Alternative Route)
During
the post-monsoon period of 1981 the Hoyu
Shigaku-Kai Club Expedition led by Minoru
Kato climbed the South-East Face. In all,
six climbers reached the summit after
two camps.
This route, via the Lungsamba Glacier,
is approached via the Hinku Dranka and
appears to be the most reasonable route
to the main summit, although a detailed
description has not been made available.
This is similar to the original route
and the descent route taken by Bill Denz
in 1981.
North Face of Main Summit
In April 1985 Takao Kurosawa with Hirosho
Aota rached a high point of 5,600 metres
(18373 feet). Kurosawa, then alone, traversed
off right to what could be called the
West summit. After making a bivouac he
then continued along the knife-edge ridge
to the true summit. This was a very impressive
effort. In November 1985 a complete and
more direct route on the face was climbed
by john Ball and Tom Curtis in true alpine
style over four days (4-8 November 1985).
Their ascent was made after a period of
poor weather when there was a large amount
of fresh snow on the face, which undoubtedly
made sections of the route more difficult.
The
face forms a large amphitheatre between
the north buttress and the North-West
Ridge approximately 1,500 metres (5,000feet)
high. The main feature of the face is
a large central couloir rising from a
massive avalanche cone. In the upper half
of the efface a network of flutings fan
from the central runnel to the summit
ridge. An important feature and landmark
on the route ts a rock buttress, outcropping
to the right of the main couloir, west
of the true summit and just below the
main ridge; this is obvious in all photographs
of the face. Te climb exited on to the
ridge to the left of this rock buttress.
Ascend to the foot of the face from base
camp at the snout of the Kyashar Glacier.
Camp was made by the side of a huge boulder,
which also makes a useful landmark. The
central couloir can be reached by climbing
to the left of the obvious snow cone.
On the first ascent, because of deep snow,
this was approached from the North Buttress
and a bivouac was made near the top and
to the left of the cone at around 5,000
metres (16,404 feet).
Continue up the central, twisting couloir
which ha s a number of steep steps of
60-70 degrees, although the majority are
45-50 degrees. This continues for almost
half the height of the face. A bivouac
ledge was cut beneath a small rock outcrop.
On the first ascent this was climbed unroped.
Above, the route steepens considerably
and flutings lead toward the summit ridge,
with the rock buttress mentioned to the
right.
From
the bivouac, a steep ice corner leads
to a small snowfield above which there
are rock slabs with a veneer of neve.
To the left of the slabs a narrower twisting
gully can be followed for three difficult
pitches. Eventually a diagonal abseil
can be made to regain the slabs, which
are then climbed. It would appear to be
better to follow the slabs direct. A lot
of 70-degree ice is encountered on this
section of the climb; a bivouac ledge
can be cut in the side of fluting above
the slabs.
Keeping to the left of the rock outcrop,
steep ice flutings can be followed to
the summit ridge. On the first ascent
this was made both difficult and dangerous
by a large amount of fresh powder snow.
The summit ridge is then followed to the
final summite mushroom. On the first ascent
a further bivouac was made in an ice cave
dug in and through this narrow corniced
ridge.
Descent was made by abeseil down the
hanging glacier on the North-East Face
between the main and the East Summit that
makes up the north-East Face; this was
both difficult and dangerous. Ball and
Curtis has hoped to descend the North
Butter but dangerous snow conditions on
the upper ridge made this impossible.
It would appear that these same conditions
have stopped Doug Scott's party from reaching
the summit in 1979. Alpine TD+seems a
reasonable grade for the route.
North Ridge
This was first attempted in September
1979 by Georges Bettembourge, Mike Covington
and Doug Scott who are reported to have
climbed to within twenty metres of the
summit over a period of three days. The
following account was taken from the NMA,
but I have been unable to verify the ascent
or the description given by Colin Jamieson.
From
base camp ascend steep grass and screen
and finally a ramp leading to the ridge
proper. At the end of the ramp climb a
steep, short chimney on to the crest of
the ridge and continue along this more
easily to an obvious overhang where there
is also a good bivouac ledge.
Turn the overhang on the right and so
gain the ridge crest once again. Follow
the ridge by more moderate climbing with
two sections of ore difficult, steep ground
until at last you reach a small col
Climb the crest of the ridge to the right
of the col for two pitches to a good bivouac
ledge. Above the ledge, climb slabs more
easily for several pitches, which in turn
are followed by snowy ramps leading to
the final ridge, which is both difficult
and precarious, and to the Central Summit.
South-West Buttress and West Face
In October 1981 Bill Denz from New Zealand
made a solo traverse of the mountain via
the West Face. HE continued his traverse
over the main summit to the east Summit
and descended the South-East Flank.
West Ridge
During May 1982 the Gumma Tomioka Himalayan
Expedition from Japan climbed the west
Ridge. On May 2 lkuo Yoshita an dAnu Temba
reached the summit whilst Keichi Suto
and Lhakpa Sherpa went to the summit on
the following day. Although this obviously
follows the same line as the Denz route
in the upper section, the lower line is
new.
East summit North-East Ridge
The North-East Ridge to the East Summit
provides a fine climb at a reasonable,
albeit high, standard. The first ascent
as far as the East Summit was climbed
by an Anglo-Canadian-Nepalese Expedition
in 1983 led by Dr David Hopkins, including
members Guy Neithardt (Swiss) and Andrew
Wielochowski (British), who reached the
top on 16 September 1983. The route was
graded Alpine D (serious). The climb was
completed in alpine style during a one
week absence from base camp and involved
major difficulties on both rock and ice.
Kusum Kanguru seen
looking due east from Pangchung Kharka
across the dudh Kishi.
The North-West Ridge forms the lefts skyline,
while the south Ridge falls to the right
The complete ridge to the main summit
was climbed in 1985 by the Spanish climbers.
Anton Zamabide, Eduardo Emmanuel Arrantz
and Alejandro Arranz.
A base camp (4,280/14,041ft) is found
in a grassy, rock hollow at the snout
of the kyashar Glacier. From base camp
the route can be divided into six distinct
sections:
