Thalay Sagar, North Face Attempt. From June 18 to 25, Enrico
Thalay Sagar, N orth Face Attem pt. From June 18 to 25, Enrico Rosso, A lessandro Vanetti and I clim bed alpine-style the first 1000 m eters o f a new route on the buttress on the left side o f the north face o f Thalay Sagar (U IA A VII, 80° ice). We ascended the entire buttress from the northeast col, at the top o f w hich w e joined the 1983 Polish-N orw egian route ju st below the sum m it pyram id. We w ere stopped som e 200 m eters from the sum m it by the im possibility o f belaying on the rotten rock and by bad weather. We had only 20 days for the w hole clim b, w hich left us, after acclim atization, only ten days for the ascent. From A dvance B ase at 4800 m eters, we carried gear to the foot o f the clim b at 5300 m eters. To begin the actual attem pt, we bivouacked on June 18 at the base o f the 50° couloir that leads to the northeast col at 5700 meters. The second bivouac was on the col. On the third day, we dropped our bivouac tent and had to descend to retrieve it. The third and fourth nights were on the col. On the fifth day, we clim bed to an uncom fortable bivouac at 6300 meters.
The next day, we continued in unsettled w eather to a bivouac at 6500 meters. D espite threatening w eather on June 25, we decided to leave our gear behind and try for the sum m it. Two pitches brought us to the base o f the sum m it pyram id and two m ore tow ard the right headed us tow ard the easy snow y cap and brought us som e 200 m eters from the sum m it. There, the rotten rock and the w eather drove us back to the bivouac. D uring the night, a furious snow storm broke. Falling ice dam aged the tent. In a lull, we descended a much changed wall plastered w ith snow. We w ere back at A dvance Base by late that night. G iancarlo R uffino, C h ib A lp in o I ta lia n o
The next day, we continued in unsettled w eather to a bivouac at 6500 meters. D espite threatening w eather on June 25, we decided to leave our gear behind and try for the sum m it. Two pitches brought us to the base o f the sum m it pyram id and two m ore tow ard the right headed us tow ard the easy snow y cap and brought us som e 200 m eters from the sum m it. There, the rotten rock and the w eather drove us back to the bivouac. D uring the night, a furious snow storm broke. Falling ice dam aged the tent. In a lull, we descended a much changed wall plastered w ith snow. We w ere back at A dvance Base by late that night. G iancarlo R uffino, C h ib A lp in o I ta lia n o
