New Zealand Nyambo Konka

This team planned to explore the Daxue Shan Range of West Sichuan, and hopefully make the first ascent of Nyambo Konka (6114m). They attempted the peak’s East Face from the Bawangou Valley, and moderately technical mixed rock snow and ice brought them to the summit ridge at 5800m. Unfortunately, this presented them with incredibly hard, steep blue ice with many crevasses, which they deemed impassable. No other route on the peak looked more feasible, so following a period of bad weather they turned their attention to a c5020m peak in the Qionglai mountains to the east where, using an (illegal) ‘Blackberry’ as their main navigation tool, they made what was probable its first ascent via a route involving mainly steep rock scrambling.