Mount Changtse 7550m Expedition spring - Tibet

Fixed Departure
17 April 2013

In 1982 the first ascent of mount Changtse was unofficially made on October 3, 1982 by Johan Takes of the Dutch Everest Expedition who were officially climbing Everest from the north side. However, takes climbed Changste without a permit. 1982 The first official ascent of mount Changste with a permit was completed 11 days later on October 14 by five members of a German expedition Udo Zehetleitner, Paul Braun, Rudolf Frick, Ludwig Hösle and Martin Engler. The ascent was made via the four kilometer- long NE Ridge from the junction of the East Rongbuk Glacier and Changtse Glacier.

1983 The next ascent and also the first solo were made by Chilean climber Gino Casassa May 14, 1983 via the same route used by the Germans. In1986 Changtse was climbed again by a large Chinese-Japanese expedition. This expedition of eight Japanese and 16 Chinese on the summit on May 10,11- 1986 again via the NE Ridge from the Changtse Glacier; which included the first ascent by a woman, Mrs. Gunsung.

1986 American climber Ed Webster made the first solo ascent via the SE face from the foot of the North Col on August 28, 1986. Most of this climb was done at night, taking advantage of more stable snow and ice conditions. 1987 Australian climbers Rob Turner and Glen Nash reached the summit on September 29, 1987 via the north face ice wall (Japanese 1986 route) despite high winds.

Mount Changtse is located adjacently north of Everest hence the name Changtse which is Tibetan for north peak. 2 other well-known peaks of the Everest-group; Lhotse (4th highest mountain in world) and Nuptse mean respectively south and west-peak. Mount Changtse was first ascended in October 1982; officially by a German expedition; but in fact it had already been climbed by the Dutch climber Johan Takes; only 11 days before. I bet the Germans must have thought the peak was still virgin.... takes was a member of the 1982 Dutch Everest-expedition (Tibetan side; east Rongbuk), and climbed the mountain apparently without a permit against the will of the other expedition members. Nowadays the mountain receives little attention; only 1 or 2 (Chinese) additional expeditions have been listed.