Two Russians open a new line on Lunag Ri and retreat just short of the summit
The route combined mixed climbing to M6, A2-A3 aid and WI5-WI6 ice. They rappelled from the final part of the pillar because of a storm and health issues, without reaching the top.
Russians Alexander Parfenov and Alexander Semenov have opened a new line on Lunag Ri (6,895m), in the Rolwaling Himal on the Nepal-Tibet border. They retreated just short of the summit.
The route
Between 23 and 27 October they climbed a southeast buttress of the massif that no one had explored, aiming to finish on the southeast summit.
| Section | Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Mixed and rock | Up to M6 |
| Aid | A2-A3 |
| Ice | WI5-WI6 in places |
| Snow | Steep, with little protection |
Why they turned back
They placed a piton on the final part of the pillar and began rappelling from there, because of an approaching storm and health issues. The summit area is complex, so it’s unclear how close they came.
ExplorersWeb sums it up: even without a summit, it was “a significant exploration” of a major unclimbed feature on a remote peak.
A mountain with history
- 2010: a French team opened Close the Door on the southeast face and reached a subsidiary top.
- 2016: Conrad Anker had a heart attack at about 5,800m and David Lama continued alone to 250m below the summit.
- 2018: Lama made the first solo ascent of the main summit, awarded a Piolet d’Or.
More exploratory alpinism this autumn: the first ascent of Jugal II by a Spanish team.
Sources and references
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