ROLWALING

                  Rolwaling is the hidden holy valley in narrow place. The valley of Rolwaling was plowed out more than 2000 years ago by Guru Rinpoche. Padmasambhava was Pakistani but known as Indian Yogi. Padmasambhava flew to Nepal and meditate in different places. The Buddhist named him as Guru Rinpoche. Guru Rinpoche introduced Buddhism to Tibet. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche created the Rolwaling valley and Meditate there for 3months and flew to Tibet. There are many things that make you believe that Guru Rinpoche was there.

      Rolwaling is the valley of Sherpa community. It is quiet and beautiful place. There are many peaks in Rolwaling including Gaurishankar, Parchamo, Ramdung, Yalung Ri, Cheki-Go, Bamongo (unclimbed), thanak peak (unclimbed), Chobutse, Na chu-go and many other unnamed and unclimbed peak. In present, Rolwaling is also known as land of Everest Summitter. Almost all male people from this place have summited Mount Everest Some being 19times

                                  Mount Bamongo (6400m)

         Bamongo lies in the Northern part of Na Gaon forming the borderline between Tibet and Nepal. Bamongo is technical mountain which was unclimbed till 30th October 2013.

                                   Beginning of the expedition

 The blue arrow showing the summit is the first we planned but the white line showing the summit is the real summit we found there and we made it.

In 2010, Phurba Tenzing Sherpa with Josef Einwaller and Wulf Kruetschnigg  from Austria tried it. Unfortunately they got back and again in 2011, Mr. Einwaller tried it but this time too no good result. This year again, they planned to climb it. Phurba shared this program with me (Mingma) and I didn't say yes first. I first went through internet and send some emails to mountain data keeper like Mr.Richard working for Mrs. Elizabeth Hawly who has all the record of climbing in Nepal. I also tried to find the data from Ministry of Tourism of Nepal. From Every where I was told that Mt. Bamongo is still not climbed.  Then I finalized to join the team. I know this mountain since my birth as I was born at Na Gaon ,4200m just below this mountain.  I knew this mountain is not easy to climb. I was in contact with Mr. Liu Yong (Dalliu) since last june when he sent me mail wishing to ascend a new mountain via new route as he was told that I am good climbing partner by Ms Luo Jing whom I met on Kanchhenjunga Expedition 2013 spring. As June-July is not good for climbing in Nepal so I denied to climb new peak which other people may accept for earning purpose. But he was in Nepal for hiking and he realized  I was right. Dalliu was in Kathmandu at the end of September again. We first met on 30th September and had dinner together and discuss our own climbing plan. I showed the picture of Mt. Bamongo which I had planned and he wished to join me too but previously he had another plan with other friend.  As soon as he got back to China, I sent him the detail of our climbing and he finalized to join us the next day.                                                       Since I know this is not any easy mountain to climb so I thought of taking good partner to whom I can trust because I was climbing first time with these all people. So I told Pema Tshering Sherpa to go with me as we climbed some 8000m mountains together and we have been doing rock and indoor climbing together since few years. Mrs. Liu Qing (Amy) disappeared from her company and joined us for the trek to Rolwaling and she was hoping to climb peak in Rolwaling. But she was happy to joined us though she didn't climb any peak. I wanted to take her to Yalung Ri after we climbed Bamongo but she didn't want it this time and remained for next time.  Finally Team was completely formed.                                               

    On 21st October the team left Kathmandu to Gongkhur Khola via bus heading toward Rolwaling. I had to stay one more day in Kathmandu because we were not done with the climbing permit as Nepalese were celebrating their main festival "Dashain" then. Next day, I rode my motorbike till Chetchet and trek to Simigaon and met the team at around 6:30pm. on 23rd October, we went to Kyalche where our cook Rinji has lodge and tea shop. We spent the night there with Rinji's family in his lodge. On 24th October, we finally reached my home with my parents and next day, we went to the Shang Choling Monastry for worshiping and praying for good weather and success without any accident and left to Na-Gaon., the final village in Rolwaling. We took one day rest at Na and moved to Bamongo-Base camp on 27th October. we went for searching a way the next day. As Phurba was well known with the route from his last climb, it was easier for us to find route. We made deposit of our climbing gears and got back to Base Camp because of bad weather and snowing after reaching 5400m. On 28th October we took rest because of snowfall for whole night. Dalliu, Pema and I move to high camp on 29th October. We were not sure where to put the high camp. so after reaching the previous point, Pema and I went for finding the way to go higher and good place for putting camp. We were lucky that we could detect good way and we touched the final face of the mountain passing through all the glacier. But we could see Rimo (crevasse which is found on steeply face) so I suggested Pema to go closer to the rimo. It was our luck that the route we followed was with good snow condition and one part of the rimo was covered. we tried to dig but found hard snow so we climbed over it.  Reaching 5650m, we got back for setting our high camp but when we came there, Dalliu alone already put the tent and tied with rope so that it can be protected from wind. we had good sleep taking spicy food    

The summit Day

Bamongo Route which we followed

Previously we had plan to wake up early and go for summit. But we could not woke up early because it was very good sleeping there. We woke up at around 3:14am and quickly we prepared something to eat and left the high camp connecting on 60m single main rope for making summit. As we already searched the way till 5650m, it was easier for us to walk in dark. It was getting clear when we reached the previous point. We continued climbing from there because we could see the way clear.                                     But the route was not easy for climbing. As we go higher, it was getting more difficult.  We tired to follow the couloir because of hard covered snow and few ice part. More we climb, more difficult part start. But we continued climbing. Finally we got to the ridge and we had to follow only sharp ridge from there. 

The steeply face we climbed

we had to dig the snow for keeping our  leg 

The first ridge after climbing the face, Pema on the sharp borderline between Nepal and Tibet to belay me

              I first climb over the ridge at 6000m and made an anchor and my two partners came. First I thought to decent back because the ridge was too sharp and the snow condition on the northern part was so soft so bad. Still I waited till other two friends to come there. Then Pema came up following Dalliu and he first laugh and asked me, " Do you think we can climb?".  We were worried but Dalliu was enjoying taking pictures because we could see both Tibet side and Nepal side from there with beautiful view of Sishapangma-8013, Cho-Oyu and Everest Region. Then I told Pema to try around 20m more to decide whether to stop or continue and he was ready to belay me.  I also told him, "If I fall down then jump on the opposite direction". I think he was scared because I could see fear on his face. In fact, I was more scared than him

The First Scary Ridge where we almost stopped

 This is the most difficult part of our whole climbing for me. We made this route cutting snow about 1ft for around 50 meters. we also had to be very confident and prepared because we were doing it in alpine style without fixed rope.  After this part, we got more confidence but the route was no more easy and the summit is still far from us. We followed over the steep and scary ridge all the way to summit. when we were closed to summit, we found it much easier so we went so quickly. Both my climbing partners were so strong that they could climb as fast as I was. 

Mt. Cheki-Go and Bamong Go are connected by common ridge. This is mount Cheki-Go (6257m)

Pema climbing the ridge 

Another scary ridge but was much easier than previous

It looks easy but was too steeply

 Finally at 2:25pm we reached the summit and it was the most beautiful moment for us. But the weather was getting worsen. It was too windy on the summit and while returning back too. We were started to cover by cloud but because of too much wind, it was clear very soon.

Holding the organizing Company's banner

          we spent around 25 minutes on the summit and headed back as fast as we could. When we finished descending the ridge part, it was about to dark. And this was the best part of our climbing because we were already on safer place after the ridge. After we finished 3 pitch of rappel, it was completely dark. So we had to descent in dark with torch light. But we were not worried and continued to descent. Finally we reached the high camp and we were strong enough so we decided to descend to base camp as it was only of around 1hrs 30min walk for descending. We finally reached the base camp at around 10pm and all our base camp staffs were waiting for us. We had good meal but Pema wanted to go Na Gaon on the same night so I send one staff with him. Then next day, he went to kathmandu spending only one night with his wife as he had to go for Ama Dablam Expedition again. I cannot imagine of his stamina for such many work, very strong and very punctual person.

Connecting with base camp team 

                         2nd Attempt on 2nd November
     On 2nd November I again went with Phuba and Wulf Kruetschnigg  for making summit from the high camp. we climbed all the way and the weather was so better than before. As we reached around 5900m, Wulf wanted to stop at this point because he thought it would be difficult for us to return back. I appreciate climber like him on mountain because he can feel the danger that we may need to face.
Phurba still wanted to make summit but he respected Wulf's decision and got back. For sure we will climb another new peak together. Sorry Phurba bro for this time, I wish better luck for next time.

# ..........More pictures to come..........#

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Email: climbermingma@gmail.com