Ardang Expedition

The original target was Ardang (6034m) in the Humla region of West Nepal. Unfortunately they were told they could only get a permit for this peak if they agreed to take a guide, and so they chose to explore the nearby and lower Phupharka Himal. They attempted an unnamed 5600m peak, which appeared to be the highest peak in this range, but turned back at about 5300m in bitterly cold conditions. At their second attempt Bielby summited, Ward retiring about 100m below the summit suffering from altitude. The climb involved a height gain of 700m, with 400m of climbing and scrambling up a rocky ridge, and the most difficult section being Scottish Winter II. They then moved up the Talum Khola and climbed an unnamed peak of 5,401m via a snow gully up to 50° incline ending with a short scramble to the summit. Two further peaks were attempted but they were turned back by weather or rock conditions. On the walk out they climbed a peak of 4,900m which included a frozen waterfall section with four 50m pitches of WI4, and easy angled ice for a few hundred metres above and below.